New York NOW | The Fight for Children’s Healthcare in New York | Season 2024

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. >> NOW, FROM YOUR PURVIEW, WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS PARTICULAR BILL AND HOW WILL IT IMPACT THE LIVES OF EVERY DAY NEW YORKERS? >> COMING OUT OF THE COVID PANDEMIC WE SAW SO MUCH TRAGIC OUTCOMES. THE POSITIVE OUTCOMES THAT DID COME FROM THE PANDEMIC IS SOME OF THE EMERGENCY MEASURES. THERE WAS A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY ISSUED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND IT ALLOWED FOR CHILDREN WHO ARE ENROLLED IN CHIP, WHICH IS THE STATE CHILDREN’S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM, OR MEDICAID, TO BE CONTINUALLY REENROLLED WITHOUT HAVING TO RECERTIFY EVERY SINGLE YEAR. THIS ALLOWED CONTINUITY OF CARE, AND IT ELIMINATED A LOT OF BURDENS ON FAMILIES THAT WERE STRUGGLING. NOW, THAT PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY ENDED IN MAY, AND WE HAD TO DO A LOT OF OUTREACH WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. IN FACT, I GOT TO CO-AUTHOR AN OP-ED WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH, AND WE PUSHED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTOOD THAT NOW YOU HAVE TO START RECERTIFYING AND REENROLLING. WHAT HAPPENED IS THAT 400,000 PEOPLE WERE DROPPED FROM THE MEDICAID ROLLS, AND MANY OF THOSE HAVE BEEN CHILDREN. OFTEN IT’S NOT BECAUSE OF ELIGIBILITY. IT WASN’T LIKE THEIR FAMILIES WERE MAKING SO MUCH MORE MONEY THAT THEY WERE DISQUALIFIED. IT WAS SIMPLY BECAUSE OF PAPERWORK. SO WHAT MY BILL WOULD DO WITH THE SENATE IS ALLOW FOR CONTINUAL ELIGIBILITY FROM ZERO TO 6 YEARS OLD TO ELIMINATE THAT BURDEN, INSURE CHILDREN ARE HEALTHY, AND ACTUALLY SAVE THE MONEY — SAVE THE STATE MONEY. >> AND THE BILL FOCUSES ON CHILDREN AGE 0 TO 6, BUT IS THERE ANY OPPORTUNITY OR ANY ROOM TO EXTEND IT BEYOND THE AGE OF 6? I KNOW THAT YOU MENTIONED THE 400,000 NEW YORKERS WHO WERE NOT ELIGIBLE BECAUSE OF ISSUES. IS THERE ANY ROOM TO ADDRESS THAT ROOT CAUSE AS IT RELATES TO PAPERWORK? >> WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IN ORDER TO GET THIS PASSED IS IMPLEMENT SOMETHING CALLED 1115 WAIVER, WHICH IS A FEDERAL WAIVER THAT ALLOWS FOR IMPROVEMENT OF HEALTH CARE ACCESS AND REDUCING COSTS. NOW, MANY STATES HAVE ALREADY IMPLEMENTED THIS WAIVER, SO WE’RE REALLY TRYING TO INSURE THAT WE’RE MODELING WHAT’S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. OREGON AND WASHINGTON HAVE GOTTEN APPROVAL FOR THIS, AND MANY STATES ARE MOVING FORWARD AS WELL. IT’S BEEN SORT OF A MODEL. I CERTAINLY BELIEVE THAT HEALTH CARE IS A HUMAN RIGHT. I’M FIGHTING FOR THE NEW YORK HEALTH ACT, WHICH WILL PROVIDE UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE, BUT UNTIL THEN, THIS IS A MODEL THAT WE’RE IMPLEMENTING TO INSURE THAT CHILDREN PRIOR TO MANY OF THEM GOING TO SCHOOL, THAT THEY’RE ABLE TO GET THAT CONTINUAL CARE OF HEALTH CARE. >> RIGHT. WILL THIS COST THE STATE ANYTHING, OR IS IT PARTICULARLY FOCUSED ON THE WAIVER THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WOULD PICK UP THE COST? >> THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL PICK UP MUCH OF THE COST. THE WIN WAS THAT THE GOVERNOR DID PUT IT IN HER EXECUTIVE BUDGET, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING. WE DID GET SOME COST ESTIMATES. IT’S ABOUT $7.5 MILLION, BUT THAT IS A DROP IN THE BUCKET IN THE $200 BILLION-PLUS BUDGET FOR THE STATE. THIS WILL CERTAINLY SAVE US MONEY BECAUSE IT REDUCES THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS FOR WORKERS HERE IN NEW YORK AND INSURES, AGAIN, CONTINUITY OF CARE AND THEN OUR CHILDREN ARE HEALTHY. >> I DID SEE, OF COURSE, THE GOVERNOR DID PUT IT IN HER EXECUTIVE BUDGET, LIKE YOU SAID. THAT’S A WIN. >> IT’S A BIG WIN. WE WERE ADVOCATING, AGAIN, AS THE SENATOR AND I ARE BOTH MOTHERS. WE CALLED ON OUR FIRST MOM GOVERNOR TO INCLUDE THIS IN HER BUDGET, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING. IT WAS ROLLED OUT RECENTLY, AND WE SEE THAT IT’S IN THERE. WE WANT TO INSURE. THERE’S BUN U ONE PIECE MISSING THAT ALLOWS FAMILIES TO MOVE FROM S-CHIP, THE STATE CHILDREN’S HEALTH AND INSURANCE PROGRAM TO MEDICAID IF IT PROVIDES BETTER CARE FOR THEIR NEEDS. THAT PROVISION ISN’T IN THERE, BUT AGAIN, THAT’S PRETTY MINOR PROVISION. WE’LL CONTINUE TO ADD ROW INDICATE FOR THAT IN OUR ASSEMBLY ONE HOUSE AND SENATE ONE HOUSE. >> WHAT ARE YOUR CONVERSATIONS LIKE WITH THE ASSEMBLY SPEAKER TO INCLUDE IT IN THE ONE HOUSE BUDGET AND POTENTIALLY BRING IT ON TO THE FLOOR? >> WE’VE BEEN STARTING TO MEET AS A CONFERENCE. THE SESSION JUST BEGAN ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO. SO THIS CAME UP ACTUALLY YESTERDAY BECAUSE WE’RE REVIEWING THE GOVERNOR’S BUDGET. AGAIN, THERE’S POSITIVE FEEDBACK ON IT. I BELIEVE THAT WE’LL BE ABLE TO INCLUDE IT IN OUR ONE HOUSE AND, AGAIN, GET IT OVER THE FINISH LINE TO MAKE SURE IT’S IN THE FINAL ENACTED BUDGET. >> THIS, OF COURSE, IS A VERY BUSY LEGISLATIVE SESSION. THERE ARE SO MANY LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES. WHAT IS THE STRATEGY TO INSURE THAT IT DOESN’T GET LOST IN THE POLITICS OF THIS SESSION? IT IS AN ELECTION YEAR. WHAT ARE YOU AND THE SENATOR GOING TO BE DOING TO CONTINUE TO GARNER SUPPORT AS THE SESSION PROGRESSES? >> WE’RE CERTAINLY NOT RESTING ON OUR LAURELS. AGAIN, IT’S A REALLY BIG WIN TO HAVE IT IN THE EXECUTIVE BUDGET, BUT WE’RE CONTINUING TO ADVOCATE FOR THIS. WE’VE BROUGHT UP THE WHOLE COALITION OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS UP TO ALBANY LAST WEEK TO LAUNCH A PRESS CONFERENCE. WE’RE HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS. WE’RE MEETING WITH OUR FELLOW LEGISLATORS. WE’RE REALLY CONTINUING TO PUSH TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN’T FALL OFF, AND AS, AGAIN, WE COME OUT OF THIS PANDEMIC AND STARTED TO SEE THE ELIMINATION OF MANY OF THE PROGRAMS, INCLUDING FOOD ACCESS PROGRAMS AND HEALTH ACCESS PROGRAMS, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE’RE CAPTURING THOSE FAMILIES AND THOSE COMMUNITIES AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE HEALTHY IN NEW YORK BECAUSE, AGAIN, UNHEALTHY FAMILIES COST THE STATE MORE MONEY. IT’S IN OUR BEST INTEREST TO DO SO. AGAIN, AS SOMEONE WHO BELIEVES HEALTH IS A HUMAN RIGHT, IT IS OUR DUTY TO DO THAT. >> WHAT HAVE YOU HEARD FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS IN YOUR DISTRICT ABOUT THIS? HOW ARE YOU SAYING IT WOULD HELP THEM? >> YES. CERTAINLY THE BURDEN OF COMPLETING PAPERWORK OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN HAS BEEN REALLY TOUGH. AGAIN, MANY OF THE CHILDREN THAT HAVE BEEN DISENROLLED ARE NOT DISENROLLED BECAUSE THEY’RE INELIGIBLE. IT’S SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE PAPERWORK BURDEN. THIS WOULD RELIEVE SUCH A BURDEN ON SO MANY FAMILIES. I REPRESENT A LARGE WORKING CLASS, IMMIGRANT-RICH COMMUNITY. THIS, AGAIN, WILL BE VERY HELPFUL FOR THOSE THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN ENROLLED IN THE PROGRAM, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE TO GET OUT THE WORD AND MAKE SURE FOLKS WHO ARE NOT YET ENROLLED GET ENROLLED, AND THEN THEY’RE ABLE TO STAY ENROLLED THROUGH THE AGE OF 6. THEN IF THEY CONTINUE TO BE ELIGIBLE, THEY’LL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO RE-ENROLL. >> THIS, OF COURSE, STARTED BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC OR IN THE MIDST OF THE PANDEMIC, WHICH IS INTERESTING TO ME THAT IT WAS AN EMERGENCY MEASURE THAT WE ARE HOPING GETS EXTENDED. ARE THERE ANY OTHER EMERGENCY MEASURES THAT YOU THINK WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO EXTEND, JUST LIKE THIS BILL WOULD POTENTIALLY BE DOING AS WE MOVE INTO A POST-PANDEMIC WORLD? >> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. THERE’S A LOT OF MEASURES AROUND FOOD SECURITY THAT WAS AVAILABLE TO FAMILIES DURING THE PANDEMIC. WE’RE LOOKING AT SNAP AND MAKING SURE TO RAISE THE MINIMUM BENEFIT, AS I TALKED ABOUT HERE BEFORE. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT SOME OF THE POSITIVE POLICY OUTCOMES FROM THE PANDEMIC DON’T GET LOST SIMPLY BECAUSE THE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY IS OVER. WE KNOW COVID IS STILL VERY REAL. IN FACT, THE RATES ARE GOING UP. I THINK THERE WAS A LOT OF POSITIVE OUTCOMES IN TERMS OF THE POLICY MEASURES THAT CAME DURING THAT EMERGENCY, AND WE HAVE TO MAKE INVESTMENTS AS A STATE TO INSURE THAT OUR COMMUNITIES ARE HEALTHY AND HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO THRIVE. HOCHUL HAS TALKED ABOUT A LIVABLE, SAFER, AFFORDABLE NEW YORK. HEALTH IS SO CRITICAL TO THAT BEING ABLE TO LIVE AND THRIVE IN THIS STATE. THESE ARE MEASURES THAT WE WANT TO CONTINUE AND ADVOCATE FOR AND MAKE INVESTMENTS ON. >> A HUGE PORTION OF THIS BILL, AS YOU MENTIONED, IS FOCUSED ON A WAIVER THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WOULD PICK UP. JUST IN CASE THERE IS ANY PUSHBACK FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WHAT ARE SOME CONTINGENCIES THAT WOULD PUT IN PLACE TO INSURE THAT WE ARE STILL HELPING CHILDREN FROM AGES 0 TO 6, BUT WE MAY NOT GET THE HELP FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. WHAT WILL YOU BE DOING TO INSURE THAT THEY GET THAT ASSISTANCE? >> I ACTUALLY FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL APPROVE THIS WAIVER. WASHINGTON STATE AND OREGON ALREADY GOT APPROVAL. AGAIN, THAT MODEL OF THE 0 TO 6 IS SOMETHING THAT WE’RE SEEING SOME STATES IMPLEMENT AND START TO MOVE FORWARD. THE WAIVER IS DESIGNED TO INSURE THAT WE HAVE CONTINUITY CARE AND WE’RE ADDRESSING HEALTH INEQUITIES AND SAVING THE STATE MONEY. WE DO FEEL CONFIDENT IT’S ABOUT GETTING THAT LANGUAGE IN, GETTING THAT WAIVER SUBMITTED AND MAKING SURE THAT WE’RE ACTUALIZING THE PROGRAM. WE FEEL PRETTY CONFIDENT. AGAIN, IT’S A VERY SMALL COST TO THE STATE AND. OF IT WOULD BE PICKED UP BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WHICH IS A WIN-WIN FOR THE STATE AND THE COUNTRY. >> WHAT IS AT RISK IF, FOR EXAMPLE, THIS DOESN’T MAKE IT OVER THE LEGISLATIVE FINISH LINE? I KNOW YOU ARE GOING TO TRY YOUR BEST TO GET IT PASSED THIS SESSION. IF IT DOESN’T MAKE IT THIS SESSION, OF COURSE, BRING IT BACK YEAR AFTER YEAR. WHAT IS THAT RISK? WHAT WOULD BE THE IMPACT? >> WELL, THE IMPACT WOULD BE THE HEALTH OF OUR CHILDREN. AS A MOM I KNOW THAT TENDER AGE BETWEEN 0 AND 6 YOU ARE CONSTANTLY GETTING CHECK-UPS AND CONSTANTLY GETTING VACCINES. AS CHILDREN ENTER THE PRESCHOOL AND PRE-K, YOU ARE EXPOSED TO MORE GERMS. IT’S REALLY CRITICAL THAT CHILDREN HAVE ACCESS TO THE FULL RANGE OF HEALTH CARE. ESPECIALLY AT THE TENDER AGE. THROUGHOUT THEIR WHOLE LIFE, OBVIOUSLY. THOSE ARE THE AGES YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THEY’RE MEETING THE VACCINATION REQUESTS, THE NEEDS AND REQUIREMENTS AND EVERYTHING THAT INSURES THAT THEY’RE HEALTHY. THAT MEANS THE HEALTH OF THEIR COMMUNITIES TOO AND OUR COMMUNITIES. SO IT WOULD BE TRAGIC, ACTUALLY, TO SEE THIS FALL OFF. I DON’T BELIEVE IT WILL. I BELIEVE WE’RE REALLY COMMITTED TO IT, AND WE’LL GET IT DONE. IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ACTING. >> WELL, THERE’S A LOT HERE AND AS YOU UNDERSCORED, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT BILL. WE’LL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO CHECK IN WITH YOU AS THE SESSION PROGRESSES. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. >> ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. >> WE WERE SPEAKING WITH ASSEMBLY MEASURE JESSICA GONZALEZ ROJAS.

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New York NOW | The Fight for Children’s Healthcare in New York | Season 2024 | Episode 5

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