Mr. David Wollner
Assistant Director of State Operations
State Capitol
Albany, NY 12224
It is my pleasure to inform you of the advances that HealthforAll has in store for the Healthy NY program upon receipt of the Health Care Reform Act (HCRA) funding.
Already, we have added experts in the fields necessary to develop the Healthy NY program into a leading source of health insurance for small businesses. Plus, we have operational funding to grow for the next three years. The HCRA funds will go directly into the subsidies for small businesses to provide health insurance to their employees, thus minimizing the overwhelming number of uninsured workers in Western New York.
The following document details the problems facing Western New York’s uninsured workers and the impact it has on small businesses, hospitals and individuals. HealthforAll has an action plan ready to be implemented upon receipt of the HCRA dollars to grow Healthy NY.
We look forward to speaking with you and building a long-term relationship to reduce the number of uninsured workers in New York. Our team is ready to build Healthy NY into a model insurance subsidization program for the state of New York.
Please contact us with any questions. Let’s tackle this problem together with solutions for a better future.
A Workable Solution for the Working Uninsured
The
Current Problem… Growing Number of WNY Uninsured WorkersHealthforAll knows that the problem of the working uninsured is worsening, with consequences for everyone. In fact, there are currently over 132,000 working adults with no health care benefits in the already economically strained Western New York region (WNY). This growing problem deeply affects all constituents, including hospitals, which are providing more charitable care than ever.
The
Solution… HealthforAll
supporting Healthy New York’s Efforts
Currently, the Healthy New York program has enrolled fewer than 400 members across the eight-county WNY region. Combined with the HCRA funding and $2.2 million in existing operational funding over the next three years, HealthforAll will do the “legwork” to make Healthy New York easier to access and more affordable.
HealthforAll’s
Role… 10,000 New Members in 3
Years with HCRA Backing
In three years, HealthforAll promises to exponentially increase the number of WNY members in Healthy New York and create a model partnership for Healthy New York for the rest of the State. With the disbursement of the earmarked $10M in Health Care Reform Act (HCRA) dollars $2M (Yr1), $3M (Yr2), and $5M (Yr3), HealthforAll will enroll at least 10,000 employees of Western New York small businesses in the Healthy New York program.
The End Result… A Model Partnership for New York
With the support of HCRA, HealthforAll can provide the marketing and enrollment assistance arm needed to grow Healthy New York into a leading source for affordable small business health insurance and to create a model partnership for Healthy New York for the rest of the State. Contact Amber Slichta, Executive Director of HealthforAll, to finalize the steps needed to enable Healthy New York achieve its potential and minimize the number of uninsured workers.
The Details… HMO Partnerships and Premium Reduction
First,
HealthforAll
is partnering with Western New York HMOs to identify, educate, and enroll small
businesses in the Healthy New York program.
HealthforAll will act as the small business enrollment arm for area HMOs, streamlining the certification and enrollment processes using its own resources.
v The Department of Insurance is currently relying on statewide efforts and on individual HMOs to act separately in their marketing efforts to make Healthy New York successful.
HealthforAll will bridge the “small business knowledge gap” between the perceived and actual costs and benefits of participating in Healthy New York.
Local and national studies repeatedly show that small employers not offering health benefits:
v Do not know the tax advantages of offering health insurance to employees.
v Are unaware of the state and federal laws that improve accessibility and affordability of health benefits.
v Do not recognize the value of offering health benefits in terms of employee recruitment, retention and performance.
Second, HealthforAll will reduce Healthy New York premiums by one-third, making the program more affordable.
Helping small businesses access the Healthy New York program is critical to curtailing the growing problem of the working uninsured.
Small businesses add to regional economic woes when employees lack insurance.
v Nearly half of the more than one million personal bankruptcy filings in the U.S. are attributable to the financial effects of injury and illness.[1]
v Of the nearly 36,000 WNY businesses, 94%-97% employ less than 50 workers, with nearly three-quarters employing fewer than 10.[2]
v The smaller the WNY business, the less likely they are to offer health benefits.[3]
Small businesses employ workers who are least likely to afford health insurance.
v Half of small businesses in the U.S. not offering health insurance benefits, pay wages less than $15,000 per year to at least 50% of their employees, compared with 12% of companies that do offer benefits.[4]
[1] Sullivan TA, Warren E, Westbrook J (2001). The Fragile Middle Class: America in Debt. Yale Univ. Press.
[2] U.S. Census Bureau (1999). County Business Patterns.
[3] UB Department of Family Medicine (2000). Western New York Small Business Health Insurance Survey
[4] Employee Benefit Research Institute (2000). Small Employer Health Benefits Survey.