The Health Care Education Project, a group formed by 1199 SEIU and the Greater New York Hosptial Association, just put out a campaign-style point-by-point reponse to some of Eliot Spitzer’s comments earlier today about health care.
“We support Governor Spitzer’s desire to reform New York’s health care system, but we think he is going about it the wrong way. Sadly, the Governor’s budget comes nowhere close to insuring 2.6 million New Yorkers.”
Full statement after the jump.
— Azi Paybarah
Gov. Spitzer: “What we are doing is insuring 2.6 million New Yorkers.”
Fact: We support Governor Spitzer’s desire to reform New York’s health care system, but
we think he is going about it the wrong way. Sadly, the Governor’s budget comes
nowhere close to insuring 2.6 million New Yorkers. He is proposing that we slash over
$1 billion from our health care system while investing just $10.6 million — less than one
percent — on expanding health insurance for children. The Governor’s plan would insure,
at most, 30,000 more New Yorkers next year.
In contrast, our “Patients First” reform plan would expand health insurance to every New
Yorker while protecting patients from risk. Our plan would reject these devastating cuts
while achieving real reforms by taking on the drug companies, HMO’s and insurance
companies and forcing them to pay their fair share.
Gov. Spitzer: “I don’t want to start tarring great hospitals with that, but the one
hospital alone, the top three executives are paid 12 million bucks, and that is most of
what we’re seeking to eliminate.”
Fact: Gov. Spitzer’s proposal to cut more than $1 billion from health care has nothing to
do with curbing executive salaries. If Gov. Spitzer were truly interested in targeting
executive salaries, his budget would go after New York HMOs, which earn $5 million in
profits per day and have amassed over $5 billion in profits over the last five years.
