"As is, our system is fatally flawed in concept and implementation. We have spent decades focusing on helping those who are sick, without enacting programs that would reduce sickness in the first place. This costs us money and lives. Emergency rooms are filled to the brim with patients. One approach is to build bigger emergency rooms while another is to shift course so that fewer people end up needing emergency rooms. I prefer the latter," Krueger said.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has found that half of all deaths are linked to unhealthy behavior and unsafe environment, conditions which the Governor's proposals begin to address.
"The problems in our healthcare delivery system have long been known. The Senate Republicans could have taken action to fix them. But they didn't. They left that responsibility for someone else, just as future generations will be stuck footing the bill for their spending increases. It seems a bit disingenuous for them to stand on the floor of the Senate and say `yes the system needs to be fixed' and then turn around and vote against the first serious proposals that would begin to fix it," Krueger said.
She then pointed out the glaring hypocrisy of Senate Republicans in casting themselves as the party whom patients and families trust on healthcare related issues.
"These are the same folks who have passed endless bills reducing coverage in private and public health plans, and who have repeatedly wanted to cut Child and Family Health Plus because there were too many poor kids signing up," Krueger said.
"Millions of New Yorkers are in crisis mode because they have to choose between healthcare, rent, or food. There are a lot of kinks to work through, but the Governor's proposals at least put us on the right track. Continuing with the status quo will not move us toward a better system in which all New Yorkers have access to healthcare, and where HMO's and insurance companies don't continue to pocket billions of dollars in profits without providing adequate services," Krueger concluded.
