Supporters of “ensuring healthcare for all” travelled to the State Fair Wednesday in hopes of meeting some of the highest ranking people in the State Legislature. They say a single-payer system would reduce their costs and also prevent insurance companies from rejecting claims for necessary drugs when life changes occur. Alice Carli is a breast cancer survivor from Rochester.
She expressed having great health insurance coverage through work. However, her husband and son also have health issues, and they pay a large family deductible annually.
“Every year I have been spending at least $6,000 on our health care. On the New York Health Act, we would probably be spending between 1,200 and 2,000 on the same care,” said Carli.
Carli worries for those unable to afford insurance and medical bills, as to how they’re managing financially; something a single payer system she feels would remedy.
Another supporter of the New York Health Act is Scott Desnoyers from Saratoga Springs. His son Danny committed suicide in 2019, after he says his insurance company refused to pay for medicine to cope with his anger issues. Distraught without the medicine, Danny expressed he couldn’t get above the pain, and drove his truck into the Mohawk River.
“But the thing with an atypical anti-psychotic is there’s a known risk of suicidal thoughts from withdrawals. And when he called, he found out he missed a $20 payment. $20, so they cut him off of the medication with a known suicidal risk,” says Denoyers.
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie says there is more work that needs to be done on the single payer healthcare legislation before it can advance. Desnoyers spoke with Heastie briefly at the Fair, but says he was dissatisfied with his response, and Heastie quickly walked away from him.
