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News
Dowling College Analysis: Senate Finance Committee Health Care Reform Benefits Few Long Islanders
OAKDALE, NY – On October 16, 2009, at Dowling College's Long Island Economic and Social Policy (LIESP) Institute Roundtable concerning Federal Health Care Reform, LIESP Director Martin Cantor disclosed that most Long Islanders will see little benefit from the proposal approved by the United States Senate Finance Committee.
Mr. Cantor said "his analysis indicates that the greatest benefit will be for those at, or just above, the poverty level who will become eligible for Medicaid. These include 11.1% of Long Island families, and 6.4% of single households." Mr. Cantor's analysis also revealed that another 20% of households and 23% of families would be eligible for tax credits to offset the cost of health insurance. He added, "For the remaining 74% to 77% of Long Islanders, health care reform is not for them."
However, Mr. Cantor noted that, "this version of health reform is silent as to how it will offset, in a significant way, the employer-provided health insurance premiums which, since 2002, have risen 40% for families and 39% for individuals, when, during the same period, median income for families and individuals increased by 4% and 5.5%, respectively, and 11% since 1997 for median household incomes." Further, Mr. Cantor said, "because single coverage is proportionally more expensive, some Long Islanders will find that they may have to pay between $400 and $700 in tax, since their health insurance premiums will exceed the $8,000 threshold set by the Finance Committee."
Mr. Cantor added, "what individuals and families will do when the insurance premiums, that they are required exceed 8% of their income, as the Finance Committee bill stipulates, is poorly addressed. In a high health cost region, such as Long Island and New York State, this will surely happen, given the increase in employer-provided health insurance premiums, and the 127.2% and 43% net premium increases for not-for-profit and for-profit insurers."
Mr. Cantor closed saying, "using cuts in Medicare, which provides health care for 13% of Long Islanders, a demographic that will increase to 17% in only ten years, unfairly impacts senior citizens financing their health care. Additionally, cutting Medicaid, to cover insuring the poor, will impact the funds sent to New York State to cover its share of Medicaid, thus impacting Long Island municipalities."
Unraveling how federal health care reform brings no relief to most Long Islanders will be discussed at the LIESP roundtable by Mr. Robert McMillan, Mr. Kevin Dahill, and Mr. Thomas McAteer.
About Dowling College
Dowling College is an independent, coeducational college that serves more than 6,500 students at
its historic Rudolph Campus on the banks of the Connetquot River in Oakdale, NY, and the 105-acre
Brookhaven Campus in eastern Long Island and a business center located near the Nassau-Suffolk
border in Melville. Dowling offers Bachelor′s, Master′s, and Doctoral degrees in several
disciplines through its four schools: Arts and Sciences, Aviation, Business, and Education.
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