News from New York State Insurance Department

For more information contact: Insurance: David Neustadt - 212-480-5265; Health: Claudia Hutton: 518-474-7354 ext. 1

Partnership for Coverage Public Hearings Expanded

Statewide Phone Hearing and Rochester Added

ALBANY, NY (09/11/2007; 1158)(readMedia)-- The public hearing schedule on ways to expand health insurance coverage and improve the health care system in New York has been expanded to include a statewide telephone call-in session on October 10 and a Rochester hearing on November 26, Health Commissioner Richard F. Daines, M.D., and Insurance Superintendent Eric Dinallo announced today.

Governor Eliot Spitzer directed that the hearings be conducted by the Health and Insurance Departments in connection with the Governor’s "Partnership for Coverage" initiative. The hearings will seek public input to develop proposals for achieving health system reform and affordable universal coverage in New York State.

In addition to the hearings, the public is encouraged to submit testimony, proposals and comments to the website. Documents can be emailed to partnership4coverage@health.state.ny.us. All public testimony submitted will be posted on the website, which is www.partnership4coverage.ny.gov.

“I am glad that a phone-in meeting and a hearing in Rochester could be added to the schedule,” Dr. Daines said. “This demonstrates our willingness to go that extra mile to help more New Yorkers participate in this important discussion. Coverage is the first step to proper health care.”

“Unfortunately, there simply isn’t time to go into every community in the state to discuss this important project. But we want to make it as easy as possible for as many New Yorkers as possible to contribute their thoughts and proposals to this essential project. It’s just not acceptable that about one in six New Yorkers do not have health insurance and that the cost keeps escalating for those who do,” Dinallo said.

At the first hearing on September 4 in Glens Falls, about 170 attended and more than 30 people testified.

The Public Hearing Schedule

Wednesday, October 3, 2007 - 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Location: Erie County Community College, Buffalo, NY

Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 3 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Call-in Hearing

Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Location: Fordham University, 113 West 60th Street, New York, NY

Tuesday, November 13, 2007 - 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Location: Onondaga Community College, Syracuse, NY

Monday, November 26, 2007 - 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Location: Monroe Community College, Room Monroe B, Building 3, R. Thomas Flynn Campus Center, Rochester, NY

Wednesday, December 5, 2007 - 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Location: SUNY Old Westbury, Old Westbury, NY

All individuals planning to attend a hearing or call the phone hearing must pre-register with the New York State Department of Health or the New York State Department of Insurance. To pre-register, please contact:

Ms. Cindy Esterby

Office of Health Insurance Programs

New York State Department of Health

Corning Tower Bldg., Room 1483

Empire State Plaza

Albany, New York 12237

(518) 474-5737

Ms. Deborah Greer

New York State Insurance Department

One Commerce Plaza

Albany, NY 12257

(518) 474-4567

The hearing notice is at www.partnership4coverage.ny.gov/hearings/notice.htm.

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