The Cost of Health Insurance in NYS

by Scott Miller

Senator Seward and esteemed members of the Insurance Committee, thank you for providing this forum to discuss the various forces that are driving up the cost of health insurance. My name is Scott Miller and I am the owner and president of Miller Printing & Litho in Amsterdam. I also chair The Employer Alliance for Affordable Health Care. Our organization is the largest, single-issue business grassroots coalition in New York State. The Alliance has more than 1,200 members, primarily sole proprietors and small businesses owners like me who represent more than 100,000 employees. We believe that everyone is entitled to basic, affordable health insurance and oppose legislation that requires carriers to provide specific treatments or services.

New York State lawmakers consider more than 100 health insurance mandate bills in each legislative session. For example - A.1479/S.4003 that covers costs related to hearing aids - can be expected to increase health insurance premiums by one percent and A.376, which provides scalp prosthesis, would increase premiums by one-tenth of a percent. At first glance it would seem that the impact of a single mandate is minimal, however, the combined cost of all mandated benefits is significant and will impact the ability of employers to access health insurance.

Studies show that for every one percent increase in the cost of health insurance premiums, another 30,000 people lose their coverage. With close to three million New Yorkers lacking any kind of health insurance even though 63 percent work full-time, even one more person without health insurance is one too many.

Much more in the link.