SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
"No one should have to live in fear. No one should go without the healthcare they need. Healthcare is a human right. In this city, we're going to make that a reality," New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio declared during a press conference at Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx. (Photo: NYC Mayor's Office/Screengrab)
'Huge Step in Right Direction' as de Blasio Unveils Guaranteed Healthcare Plan for All NYC Residents
One progressive organizer said the bold plan "clears a path toward statewide single-payer" in New York
Jan 07, 2019
Declaring that healthcare is "a right, not a privilege reserved for those who can afford it," New York City's Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday unveiled a plan that he said will guarantee comprehensive medical coverage to all 8.6 million city residents, including undocumented immigrants.
Officially named "NYC Care," de Blasio first announced the plan and discussed some of its basic details Tuesday morning during an interview on MSNBC's "Morning Joe":
Proponents of a nationwide Medicare for All system were quick to applaud de Blasio's plan as a major victory for health justice and a significant step toward the establishment of a statewide single-payer system in New York.
"Under NYC Care, 600,000 New Yorkers, including our undocumented brothers and sisters, will have access to healthcare," declared Winnie Wong, founder of the advocacy group People for Bernie. "This is huge step in the right direction and it clears a path toward statewide single-payer."
"This is a big step in the right direction--but healthcare is still a human right, and must be extended to everyone in the state!"
--New York Immigration Coalition
Described by de Blasio as a bold healthcare initiative that "has never been done before in this country in this kind of comprehensive way," NYC Care would build upon the city's existing MetroPlus insurance system and spend an estimated $100 million per year to provide physical and mental health coverage, pediatric care, and other necessities to all residents.
While NYC Care will not provide free coverage to everyone in the city, the program will be priced on a sliding scale according to individuals' ability to pay.
"When this plan is fully implemented, every New Yorker who needs a doctor will have an actual doctor with a name and a place, they're going to have a card that will empower them to go to that doctor whenever they need," de Blasio said during Tuesday's press conference. "A primary care doctor, an actual person that you can turn to that's your doctor, and the specialty services that will make all the difference. You name it. The things that people need will be available to them."
In a tweet on Tuesday, the New York Immigration Coalition applauded de Blasio's effort to provide healthcare to all New York City residents and argued that comprehensive coverage "must be extended to everyone in the state."
During his presser on Tuesday, de Blasio said he will continue to support statewide and national efforts to move toward single-payer, and characterized NYC Care as an immediate solution for hundreds of thousands of uninsured New York City residents.
"We're gonna work for those bigger changes," the mayor said. "But our people need healthcare right now. They need it right now. And we can get it to them."
Watch de Blasio's full press conference below:
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Declaring that healthcare is "a right, not a privilege reserved for those who can afford it," New York City's Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday unveiled a plan that he said will guarantee comprehensive medical coverage to all 8.6 million city residents, including undocumented immigrants.
Officially named "NYC Care," de Blasio first announced the plan and discussed some of its basic details Tuesday morning during an interview on MSNBC's "Morning Joe":
Proponents of a nationwide Medicare for All system were quick to applaud de Blasio's plan as a major victory for health justice and a significant step toward the establishment of a statewide single-payer system in New York.
"Under NYC Care, 600,000 New Yorkers, including our undocumented brothers and sisters, will have access to healthcare," declared Winnie Wong, founder of the advocacy group People for Bernie. "This is huge step in the right direction and it clears a path toward statewide single-payer."
"This is a big step in the right direction--but healthcare is still a human right, and must be extended to everyone in the state!"
--New York Immigration Coalition
Described by de Blasio as a bold healthcare initiative that "has never been done before in this country in this kind of comprehensive way," NYC Care would build upon the city's existing MetroPlus insurance system and spend an estimated $100 million per year to provide physical and mental health coverage, pediatric care, and other necessities to all residents.
While NYC Care will not provide free coverage to everyone in the city, the program will be priced on a sliding scale according to individuals' ability to pay.
"When this plan is fully implemented, every New Yorker who needs a doctor will have an actual doctor with a name and a place, they're going to have a card that will empower them to go to that doctor whenever they need," de Blasio said during Tuesday's press conference. "A primary care doctor, an actual person that you can turn to that's your doctor, and the specialty services that will make all the difference. You name it. The things that people need will be available to them."
In a tweet on Tuesday, the New York Immigration Coalition applauded de Blasio's effort to provide healthcare to all New York City residents and argued that comprehensive coverage "must be extended to everyone in the state."
During his presser on Tuesday, de Blasio said he will continue to support statewide and national efforts to move toward single-payer, and characterized NYC Care as an immediate solution for hundreds of thousands of uninsured New York City residents.
"We're gonna work for those bigger changes," the mayor said. "But our people need healthcare right now. They need it right now. And we can get it to them."
Watch de Blasio's full press conference below:
Declaring that healthcare is "a right, not a privilege reserved for those who can afford it," New York City's Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday unveiled a plan that he said will guarantee comprehensive medical coverage to all 8.6 million city residents, including undocumented immigrants.
Officially named "NYC Care," de Blasio first announced the plan and discussed some of its basic details Tuesday morning during an interview on MSNBC's "Morning Joe":
Proponents of a nationwide Medicare for All system were quick to applaud de Blasio's plan as a major victory for health justice and a significant step toward the establishment of a statewide single-payer system in New York.
"Under NYC Care, 600,000 New Yorkers, including our undocumented brothers and sisters, will have access to healthcare," declared Winnie Wong, founder of the advocacy group People for Bernie. "This is huge step in the right direction and it clears a path toward statewide single-payer."
"This is a big step in the right direction--but healthcare is still a human right, and must be extended to everyone in the state!"
--New York Immigration Coalition
Described by de Blasio as a bold healthcare initiative that "has never been done before in this country in this kind of comprehensive way," NYC Care would build upon the city's existing MetroPlus insurance system and spend an estimated $100 million per year to provide physical and mental health coverage, pediatric care, and other necessities to all residents.
While NYC Care will not provide free coverage to everyone in the city, the program will be priced on a sliding scale according to individuals' ability to pay.
"When this plan is fully implemented, every New Yorker who needs a doctor will have an actual doctor with a name and a place, they're going to have a card that will empower them to go to that doctor whenever they need," de Blasio said during Tuesday's press conference. "A primary care doctor, an actual person that you can turn to that's your doctor, and the specialty services that will make all the difference. You name it. The things that people need will be available to them."
In a tweet on Tuesday, the New York Immigration Coalition applauded de Blasio's effort to provide healthcare to all New York City residents and argued that comprehensive coverage "must be extended to everyone in the state."
During his presser on Tuesday, de Blasio said he will continue to support statewide and national efforts to move toward single-payer, and characterized NYC Care as an immediate solution for hundreds of thousands of uninsured New York City residents.
"We're gonna work for those bigger changes," the mayor said. "But our people need healthcare right now. They need it right now. And we can get it to them."
Watch de Blasio's full press conference below:
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.
To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good.
News & Opinion
Trending
Common Dreams, Inc. Founded 1997. Registered 501(c3) Non-Profit
Privacy Policy