Health Foundation Sets Medical Reform Goals For The State
To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.
Then come back here and refresh the page.
While there have already been some changes, most New Yorkers will not feel the real impact of sweeping health reform changes for years to come. One of the first comprehensive reports by state provides a blueprint on more of exactly what New Yorkers can expect. NY1's Health reporter Kafi Drexel filed the following report. According to the New York State Health Foundation, 2.6 million New Yorkers are currently without insurance. In its latest report, "Implementing Federal Health Care Reform: A Roadmap For New York State," the foundation estimates 1.2 million New Yorkers could gain coverage by 2014.
"We will see over 500,000 people get subsidized private insurance policies. That's a big headline for us," says New York State Health Foundation President and CEO James Knickman. "But the other important headline is that there there will be many New Yorkers left behind. We can't forget that we'll need a safety-net system to take care of those people."
New York already covers more low-income residents than many other states, so there will be hardly any expansion to Medicaid. Doctors say it may put a unique strain on the system that the state, health care providers and payers will all have to work to contend with.
"The problem, of course, is that New York is very hard-pressed in terms of economics, health, finance. So the question is where will this bill help us, where will it not?" says NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital President and CEO Dr. Herbert Pardes. "It will certainly help individuals, but it will be formidable for the health care system."
A major area the State Health Foundation is hoping to make an impact with their nearly 90-page report is on policy. While health reform is now federal law, the states have to largely decide how to make it all happen.
"The biggest challenge is this insurance exchange that needs to be established. There will be perhaps 550,000 New Yorkers who get insurance in a subsidized way from what is called an 'exchange.' The exchange links people to insurers and figures out the subsidy rates," says Knickman. "That is a big challenge to design."
While those challenges may seem like they are meant for the future, in order to meet them, Knickman says the state needs to start addressing them now. To take a closer look at the health foundation's report, visit www.nyshealthfoundation.org.