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Health Care Committee

Healthcare Committee

The committee is now actively supporting the New York Health Act.  New members are encouraged to join us as we reach out to the community.  For more information contact us at: LWVtompkins.info@gmail.com

To join the committee please contact us at: LWVtompkins.info@gmail.com

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July 30,2026

Over the past four months, the LWVTC Health Care Committee has focused on raising community awareness about the current health care crisis and how the New York Health Act (NYHA) can improve care for everyone.

Nearly half of New Yorkers currently have insufficient or no health insurance, and recent federal legislative changes mean many more will lose coverage. Consequently, hospitals are losing revenue when patients cannot pay. Several Upstate New York hospitals are at financial risk and face potential service cuts or closures as Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements decrease in 2027.

As a reminder, the League of Women Voters of New York State strongly supports and endorsed the NYHA in 2021. This legislation aims to establish a guaranteed, universal, comprehensive, and affordable health program that aligns with the League’s goals for coverage, equity, access, and financial feasibility.

In cooperation with the LWV of Broome, Tioga, and Chemung counties, Committee Chair Marguerite Uphoff,  and members Judith Jones, and Sally Grubb, with support from Kathy Yen and Barbara Harrison, have been working with small business manager Susan Beckley, to plan and deliver educational programs in Ithaca, Endicott, Waverly, Endwell, and Owego.

We look forward to continuing these educational efforts, and we need your help to get the word out. We are ready to provide presentations to any groups interested in learning more about the health care crisis and the NYHA.

Marguerite Uphoff
Chair LWVTC Health Care Committee

Fiscal Impacts of the New York Health Act on Counties, Municipalities, and School Districts.pdf

Medicare-for-All-Backgrounder PERI Analysis.pdf

Profiteering-in-Healthcare Background Paper, July 2026.pdf

Revised NYH Handout Bi-fold Jul 2026 w QR code.pdf

Ask your New York State Assembly and Senate Representatives to

Pass the New York Health Act

Carl E. Heastie, Assembly Speaker
District Office: 1446 East Gun Hill Road, Bronx, NY 10469; Phone: 718 654 6539
Albany Office: LOB 932, Albany NY, 12248; Phone: 518 455 3791
Speaker@nyassembly.gov

Anna R. Kelles, NY Assembly District 125:
District office: 130 E. State Street, Ithaca NY 14850; Phone: 607 277 8030
Albany Office: LOB 538, Albany NY 12248; Phone: 518 445 5444
kellesa@nyassembly.gov

Leah Webb, NY Senate District 52
District Office: 44 Hawley Street, 1067 State Office Bldg., Binghamton, NY 13901; Phone: 607 773 8771
Albany Office: LOB 848, Albany NY 12247; Phone: 518 455 2170
omara@nysenate.gov

Andrea Stewart-Cousins, President Pro-tempore of the NYS Senate
District Office: 28 Wells Avenue, Building #3, 5th Floor, Yonkers, NY 1070l; Phone: 914 423 4031
Albany Office 172 State St., Capitol Building Room 330, Albany, NY 12247; Phone: 518 445 2715
scousins@nyseneate.gov

Tell your representatives:
Too many New Yorkers are suffering. Health Care in New York is in crisis. Half of New Yorkers cannot access health care because they cannot afford health insurance, or their health insurance does not cover the care they need. Many of our rural hospitals are at risk of financial insolvency and closure. Care for your constituents. Support and ask your colleagues to vote for and pass the New York Health Act A1466/S3425.
I’m your constituent and I vote.

The New York Health Act would:

  • Guarantee health care to everyone living or working in New York
  • No medical bills, no medical debt
  • Cover dental, vision, hearing, mental health, medications, long-term care — and all doctors are “in network”
  • Allow workers to change jobs or start their own businesses without worrying about loss of coverage
  • Everyone is in the same plan, including our elected officials!
  • Eliminate role of health insurance companies (NY State would be the “single payer”)
  • Lower administrative costs from around 25% to around 3%
  • Increase payments to health care professionals
  • Eliminate premiums, co-pays, deductibles and prescription costs
  • Be financed with a simple, sliding-scale tax
  • For those on Medicare, the first $50K in income would be untaxed
  • The richest 5% of New Yorkers would pay more than now
  • The rest of us would pay less—first $25K in income would be untaxed

Learn more at nyhcampaign.org

The LWVUS’ Position on Health Care

The League of Women Voters of the United States believes that a basic level of quality health care at an affordable cost should be available to all US residents.  Our Health care system should include the equitable distribution of services, efficient and economical delivery of care, advancement of medical research and technology, and a reasonable total national expenditure level for health care.

The League supports the single-payer concept as a viable and desirable approach to implementing League positions on equitable access, affordability, and financial feasibility.  In any proposed health care financing system, the League favors health insurance access independent of employment status.

The League is opposed to a strictly private market-based model of financing the health care system.  The League is also opposed to the administration of the health care system solely by the private sector or the states.

The league supports increased taxes to finance a basic level of health care for all US residents, provided health care reforms contain effective cost-control strategies.

The League believes that the ability of a patient to pay for services should not be a consideration in the allocation of health care resources.

The League supports public input as integral to the process for determining health care coverage and funding.  To participate in public discussion of health policy and share effectively in making policy decisions, residents must be provided with information on the health care system and the implications of health policy decisions.