WHEREAS, health care remains one of the fastest-rising and most burdensome costs for New York State families, through high deductibles, rising co-payments and increasing health care premiums; and

WHEREAS, the rising costs of health coverage also continue to be a growing burden for both private and public employers in New York State; and

WHEREAS, while the federal Affordable Care Act has helped to reduce the number of uninsured people nationally and in our state – with one survey showing that that the law has led to declines of 4 to 6 percent in the numbers of uninsured around New York State, the federal law was never expected to cover all who are uninsured and many of the 11 million who were uninsured in the state prior to the Affordable Care Act still lack any health coverage; and

WHEREAS, the health insurance system as a whole in our state and the country remains highly fragmented, which itself adds to health costs through the price of administration and paperwork; and

WHEREAS, the most sensible and cost-effective solution for health coverage is a single-payer system modeled after the federal Medicare system that is recognized as efficient and cost-effective; and

WHEREAS, a bill before the state Legislature, the New York Health Act, sponsored by Assemblyman Richard Gottfried and state Senator Bill Perkins, would establish single-payer universal health coverage  to ensure that all state residents regardless of income receive high-quality health care; and

WHEREAS, the new system would be paid for by pooling state and federal funds for Medicaid, Medicare, the Affordable Care Act and other health programs into a new state health trust fund, a move that would require a federal waiver; and

WHEREAS, by streamlining health insurance into a single system and ending the role of for-profit insurance companies in supplying coverage, the state would save millions of dollars in administrative costs and would improve public health by reducing the numbers of uninsured; and

WHEREAS, the New York Health Act would also help the state’s economy by removing the burden of health costs for employers and would additionally establish the state as a national leader in delivering an efficient, sensible and forward-thinking health care system; therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the United Federation of Teachers strongly supports the New York Health Act as a way to improve public health, boost the state’s economy and ensure that the basic right of quality health care is enjoyed by all New Yorkers; and be it further

RESOLVED, that the UFT will work toward passage of this important legislation.