Health Care Expansion Approved By New York City Council
Posted on: Wednesday, 17 August 2005, 15:00 CDT
NEW YORK, Aug. 17 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Today the City Council passed a precedent-setting bill to level the playing field for responsible businesses facing pressure to stop providing their employees with health coverage. The Health Care Security Act (Intro 468A), introduced by Health Committee Chair Christine C. Quinn, drew broad support from a coalition of business leaders, labor unions, health care advocates and community groups organized by New York Jobs with Justice. The bill requires medium to large grocers to provide their workers with health care.
The Health Care Security Act responds to a nationwide trend. Employers like Wal-Mart keep costs low by refusing to provide many of their employees with health care, flooding state Medicaid rolls. The "Wal-Mart effect" pressures other retailers to slash their health care costs to remain competitive.
"The New York City Council has shown tremendous leadership and vision in stepping up to address a national crisis by ensuring health coverage for 27,000 workers and tens of thousands of their family members," said Adrianne Shropshire, executive director of NY Jobs with Justice. "This bill is good for working people, it's good for businesses, and it's good for New York."
"The Health Care Security Act is a pro-business response that protects both the responsible employers who currently provide health insurance as well as the taxpayers who are seeing an increasing pressure put upon the publicly financed health care system in our City," said Health Care Committee Chair and lead sponsor Christine C. Quinn.
"The Health Care Security Act, marks one of the first times that the business community in a particular industry has come together to set some basic standards around contributions for health care. Competition should not include cutting essential benefits for their workforce," said Paul Sonn, deputy director of the Poverty Program at the Brennan Center for Justice.
The legislation is an innovative attempt to stop employers from shirking their responsibility to help pay for their employees' health care. As state and local governments across the country look for ways to address the ongoing health care crisis, the Health Care Security Act will provide a new model for policymakers. The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law provided legal analysis for legislators in drafting the new law and advised the campaign.
http://www.usnewswire.com
Source: U.S. Newswire
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