The City Council Hospitals Committee and Health Committee, chaired by Carlina Rivera (D-Manhattan) and Mark Levine (D-Manhattan), respectively, held a joint oversight hearing on “Rising Health Care Costs” on December 12. Council members expressed concerns over the cost of health insurance, hospital care, and surprising billing practices.
District Council 37, New York City’s largest public employee union, expressed concerns with rising hospitals costs and consolidation and suggested greater City oversight of public and not-for-profit hospitals. The New York Health Plan Association argued that hospital consolidation and increases in the underlying cost of care delivered by providers are primarily responsible for the growth in insurance premiums.
GNYHA Assistant Vice President of Government Affairs Andy Title testified (attached) on behalf of our members. His testimony covered New York hospitals’ commitment to expanding access to care, providing quality care despite inadequate Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement rates, escalating costs from massive, for-profit private insurers and pharmaceutical companies, and the importance of protecting patients from surprise bills.
Additional information and an archived video of hearing can be found here.