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Bill de Blasio on Health Care

NYC Mayor; Democratic Presidential Challenger

 


It's a myth that people like employer-based insurance

Sen. Kamala HARRIS [to V.P. Biden]: Your plan leaves out almost 10 million Americans.

Joe BIDEN: Harris' plan costs $3 trillion [annually]. Secondly, it will require middle-class taxes to go up, not down. Thirdly, it will eliminate employer-based insurance.

DE BLASIO: I don't know what the vice president and the senator are talking about. The folks I talk to say that their health insurance isn't working for them. There's tens of millions of Americans who don't even have health insurance, tens of millions more who have health insurance they can barely make work because of the co-pays, the deductibles, the premiums, the out-of-pocket expenses. There's this mythology that somehow all of these folks are in love with their insurance in America. What I hear is anger at private insurance companies that skim all the profits off the top and make it impossible for everyday people to get coverage like mental care, dental care, the things that would be full coverage for all Americans.

Source: July Democratic Primary debate (second night in Detroit) , Jul 31, 2019

Private insurance hasn't worked for many; let voters decide

Q: What about Medicare-for-All?

Sen. Michael Bennet: We need to be honest about what's in this plan. It bans employer based insurance.

De Blasio: If Democrats say we're done with private insurance, has only hurt the American people in so many ways, we're going to give them something that works for their family's full coverage that they can depend on. This should be the party that stands for universal health care and says we're not going to accept anything less. So many people don't have the health care they need. Tens of millions of people, including middle class people. Give them a chance to make that decision through an election.

Source: July Democratic Primary debate (second night in Detroit) , Jul 31, 2019

Don't defend private health insurance; it's not working

Q [to Rep. O'Rourke]: Would you replace private insurance?

O'ROURKE: No. I think the choice is fundamental to our ability to get everybody cared for. Our plan says that if you're insufficiently insured, we enroll you in Medicare. But if your health care plan works for you and your family, you're able to keep it.

DE BLASIO: Wait, Congressman O'Rourke; private insurance is not working for tens of millions of Americans when you talk about the co-pays, the deductibles, the premiums, the out of pocket expenses. It's not working. How can you defend a system that's not working?

O'ROURKE: That's right. So for those for whom it's not working, they can choose Medicare.

DE BLASIO: You've got to start by acknowledging the system is not working for people. You are defending private insurance.

Source: June Democratic Primary debate (first night in Miami) , Jun 26, 2019

Wife runs ThriveNYC for mental health reform

As First Lady of New York City, Chirlane McCray has redefined the role of First Lady, managing a robust portfolio to advance an ambitious agenda in support of all New Yorkers. Nationally recognized as a powerful champion for mental health reform and dubbed one of TIME Magazine's 50 Most Influential People in Health Care for 2018, Ms. McCray created ThriveNYC, the most comprehensive mental health plan of any city or state in the nation. She also spearheads the Cities Thrive Coalition, with more than 200 mayors, county officials and thought leaders from all 50 states, advocating for a more integrated and better-funded behavioral health system.

As Chair of the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City, Ms. McCray brings together government, philanthropy and the private sector to work on some of the most pressing issues of our time, including mental health, youth employment and immigration.

Source: Mayoral website NYC.gov Office of the Mayor , May 3, 2019

Require measles vaccinations, even for religious schools

Q: In 2019, we had a measles outbreak in New York City, in Brooklyn. Can you give us an update on the efforts to mandate vaccinations?

Q: It was time to be very aggressive. We tried hard to use the normal public health outreach efforts and education efforts but there is a strong anti-vaxxer movement that really was affecting particularly one of our neighborhoods in Brooklyn, Williamsburg. And we couldn't let that go unanswered. So I ordered that we would mandate vaccinations. Now since that order almost 1,000 kids have gotten vaccinated. And we believe over the next few weeks we will see this crisis end. But we have had to close a few schools, in fact the religious schools that had too many kids coming to school unvaccinated. We had to give out violations to individuals with real fines attached. This is not something you ever want to do, but measles can be fatal. So it was time to be tough and time to show there would be consequences.

Source: Transcript of "Morning Joe," NBC News morning news , Apr 22, 2019

Everyone has a right to health care

We are guaranteeing health care for every New Yorker. I don't care who you are, I don't care if you're young or old, I don't care if you are a citizen or undocumented--you need health care.

deserves the right to health care. From this point on every New Yorker gets a health care card. If they don't have insurance they get a simple health care card, they get a primary care doctor, they get a specialist when they need it, they actually get to go to the doctor not just the emergency room.

Source: Speech transcript from National Action Network Convention , Jan 21, 2019

Health care is a human right; fight for single-payer

It all starts with health care. Somehow, in the richest city on earth, we have diabetics rationing their insulin. And women who have never had a pap smear. People whose preventable health problems turn into catastrophic ones that end up in an emergency room and an astronomical bill. Now, thank God Obamacare has driven down the number of uninsured Americans to record lows. But 600,000 New Yorkers still don't have insurance--600,000 people. My fellow New Yorkers, we're going to fix that, for a very simple reason--we believe health care is a human right.

Now, we want people to get it right all over the country. So we need to say yes to Medicare For All in Washington. We need to say yes to single payer in Albany.

But until they say yes back, New York City will lead the way. We will literally guarantee health care for every single New Yorker.

Source: 2019 State of the City address , Jan 10, 2019

MetroPlus: public option for every single New Yorker

We will guarantee health care for every single New Yorker. Let me tell you how it works. If you don't have insurance, it's going to be simple. If you're eligible, we'll get you enrolled in the City's public option, MetroPlus and get you a doctor.

We'll get you a doctor at one of our 70 public health centers. And if you're not eligible, like hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers, including our undocumented neighbors, we'll take care of you too. It's the right thing to do.

Now, remember, our public hospitals already treat anyone who walks into an emergency room. But an emergency room is no replacement for comprehensive health care. So this year, Health + Hospitals will launch NYC Care, a sweeping package of health services guaranteed on an affordable sliding scale to anyone without insurance. And this is quality care: you'll be able to make an appointment, just like someone who has insurance, to see a primary care doctor, or a pediatrician--whatever you need, it will be there.

Source: 2019 State of the City address , Jan 10, 2019

Guarantee health care for every New Yorker

Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced his administration will launch the largest, most comprehensive plan in the nation to guarantee health care for every New Yorker. The plan will serve the 600,000 New Yorkers without insurance by strengthening NYC's public health insurance option, MetroPlus, and guaranteeing anyone ineligible for insurance--including undocumented New Yorkers--has direct access to NYC Health + Hospitals' physicians, pharmacies and mental health and substance abuse services through a new program called NYC Care. All services will be affordable on a sliding scale.

"Health care is a right, not a privilege reserved for those who can afford it," said Mayor de Blasio. "While the federal government works to gut health care for millions of Americans, New York City is leading the way by guaranteeing that every New Yorker has access to quality, comprehensive access to care, regardless of immigration status or their ability to pay."

Source: Mayoral press release, "Health Care for all," NYC.gov , Jan 8, 2019

Recruit & train nurses without need to go overseas

Bill de Blasio is committed to ensuring that our own trained workers are filling nursing job openings without the need to go overseas, and he will work to create comprehensive career paths in the health sector. Given the importance and demand for new employees in the health sector, de Blasio will ensure that the city recruits and trains New Yorkers for these jobs and creates opportunities for current health workers to upgrade their skills and take higher-paying jobs
Source: 2013 Mayoral campaign website, www.billdeblasio.com , Oct 22, 2013

Enroll 600,000 more New Yorkers in ObamaCare by 2018

While an estimated 500,000 additional NYC residents will gain coverage under the Affordable Care Act, nearly a million more will still lack coverage.

However, since 67% of those uninsured are projected to be eligible for but not enrolled in ACA programs, a full-scale campaign mobilizing all city agencies and supporting community-based organizations to do outreach will not only increase coverage for New Yorkers, but increase federal dollars flowing to the city that can help free up resources for other health care initiatives for the remaining uninsured. The city's health department has created a detailed outline of ways to create a comprehensive "navigator" program that will supplement state efforts to enroll the uninsured.

Bill de Blasio will commit every financial and human resource needed--which will be repaid through the new federal dollars flowing to the city-- to enroll 600,000 more New Yorkers in ACA-covered health insurance programs by 2018.

Source: 2013 Mayoral campaign website, www.billdeblasio.com , Oct 22, 2013

Train New Yorkers to fill 16,000 nursing positions

Fill the Nursing Shortage With Health Care Workers Trained Here in New York City: Health care is one of the fastest-growing parts of our economy, and the expansion of coverage in coming years will just increase the need for health care workers. While there are tremendous opportunities for those with the right skills, right now New York hospitals and health facilities need to recruit abroad to fill 16,000 nursing positions, because too few New Yorkers have the necessary skills. By investing in training programs in our high schools and at the City University of New York, Bill de Blasio will ensure New York City graduates have the skills needed to fill health care positions created in coming years and deliver care to those who need
Source: 2013 Mayoral campaign website, www.billdeblasio.com , Oct 22, 2013

Other candidates on Health Care: Bill de Blasio on other issues:
2020 Presidential Democratic Primary Candidates:
Sen.Michael Bennet (D-CO)
V.P.Joe Biden (D-DE)
Mayor Mike Bloomberg (I-NYC)
Gov.Steve Bullock (D-MT)
Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN)
Sen.Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Secy.Julian Castro (D-TX)
Rep.John Delaney (D-MD)
Rep.Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI)
Sen.Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Mayor Wayne Messam (D-FL)
Gov.Deval Patrick (D-MA)
Sen.Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
CEO Tom Steyer (D-CA)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
Marianne Williamson (D-CA)
CEO Andrew Yang (D-NY)

2020 GOP and Independent Candidates:
Rep.Justin Amash (Libertarian-MI)
CEO Don Blankenship (C-WV)
Howie Hawkins (Green-NY)
Gov.Larry Hogan (R-MD)
Gov.John Kasich (R-OH)
V.P.Mike Pence (R-IN)
Gov.Mark Sanford (R-SC)
CEO Howard Schultz (I-WA)
Pres.Donald Trump (R-NY)
Gov.Jesse Ventura (I-MN)
V.C.Arvin Vohra (Libertarian-MD)
Rep.Joe Walsh (R-IL)
Gov.Bill Weld (L-NY,R-MA)
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External Links about Bill de Blasio:
Wikipedia
Ballotpedia

2020 Withdrawn Democratic Candidates:
State Rep.Stacey Abrams (D-GA)
Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-NYC)
Sen.Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Sen.Mike Gravel (D-AK)
Sen.Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Gov.John Hickenlooper (D-CO)
Gov.Jay Inslee (D-WA)
Rep.Seth Moulton (D-MA)
Rep.Beto O`Rourke (D-TX)
Rep.Tim Ryan (D-CA)
Adm.Joe Sestak (D-PA)
Rep.Eric Swalwell (D-CA)





Page last updated: Dec 14, 2019