New 1199SEIU-GNYHA HEP Ad Pushes Albany to Shore Up Healthcare Funding 

March 29, 2019

Coalition TV ad fights back against Trump’s threat to destroy ACA

  New York, NY- As New York State’s budget deadline gets closer, and as Washington tries to destroy the Affordable Care Act in the courts, on ACA, The 1199SEIU-Greater New York Hospital Association Healthcare Education Project (HEP) have released a new ad calling on Albany to stand firm and pass a budget that protects access to healthcare for all state residents, especially those who are most vulnerable. HEP is a joint project of 1199SEIU and GNYHA.

Roughly 8,000 1199SEIU healthcare workers held a massive rally at the Capitol on March 19th, where attendees heard from nurses, home care workers, doctors, and other caregivers determined to save $1.1 billion from being cut from the state budget.  This newest ad also calls on the Legislature to go further by codifying two major areas of healthcare funding that would be cut by Washington’s attacks on the ACA:  the ACA-created health insurance exchange, the New York State of Health and a ban on excluding New Yorkers with pre-existing conditions from live-saving insurance.

These protections are essential to the peace and stability everyday New Yorkers are entitled to. That the Trump Administration is trying one more time to destroy the ACA is bad enough. This coalition is calling on Albany lawmakers not to compound bad decisions coming out of our nation’s capital. We applaud Governor Cuomo for fighting to insure that the provisions of the ACA remain in place for the most vulnerable in our state.. Our elected officials must follow suit, and put healthcare funding in a “lock box”, so that healthcare workers can do their jobs without fear that they may lose them. Our members work hard. We simply want those we put in office to work hard for us.

1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest union in New York and the largest healthcare workers union in the nation. They represent over 200,000 healthcare workers in the greater New York City area and over 400,000 total members throughout the East Coast. Their mission is to achieve quality healthcare and good jobs for all.