Kingston Common Council supports New York Health Act

KINGSTON – The City of Kingston Common Council unanimously adopted a memorializing resolution Tuesday evening to support the New York State Legislature’s approval, and the governor’s signing, of the New York Health Act.
The New York Health Act would support the under-insured, or uninsured, residents of the state, giving them an out to having to deal with the astronomical costs incurred by care provided without insurance. The legislation would also keep residents with pre-existing conditions from being put into high-risk pools.
Jess Robie, a registered nurse and member of campaign for New York Health, was among several people who attended the council session to show their support for the resolution.
“I feel so hopeful,” said Robie. “On many levels, it’s amazing to see a community come together, be respectful, speak politely to each other and voice their opinions, and then to hear the aldermen speak with such compassion and care and integrity about their community is really hopeful,”
Alderman Reynolds Scott-Childress said it isn’t a matter of politics but rather healthcare is a basic human right and it would be against the best interest of the constituency to continue to support a healthcare system that is based on profit, rather than care.
“When we have an insurance system that we have now that is based on paying private companies, we abdicate that responsibility. We abdicate as elected officials our responsibility to provide quality healthcare at the lowest possible cost,” said Scott-Childress. “Moving to the program that is embodied in the New York Healthcare Act is going to do precisely that.”
In addition to Scott-Childress, Aldermen William Carey and Anthony Davis both agreed that Albany is listening to the City of Kingston and the act of passing a memorializing resolution won’t be lost on the state’s legislators.