Mobilizing LWVUS Concurrence with new NYS positions

Our League is now co-leading an effort to mobilize local Leagues across NYS and the US to support updating the LWVUS Healthcare position (adopted in 1993) by adding excerpts from the 2021 LWVNY Healthcare and Healthcare Financing positions by Concurrence at the 2022 National Convention.

Concurrence is a long-standing and well-respected process to allow Leagues to leverage the rigorous study, review, and consensus processes of other Leagues. By using Concurrence, a League may adopt a new position or update an existing position without expending the extraordinary effort required to do a statewide or nationwide study.

To learn more about the Proposed Healthcare Concurrence process currently underway, click here.

Supporting NYS & US Rural Affairs Caucuses (& Digital Equity Concurrence action)

The Rural Affairs Caucus is spearheading an initiative to have the LWV of Connecticut positions on Digital Equity (Broadband) and Public Access Media adopted by Concurrence at the LWVUS Convention in 2022. Currently, like almost all the state Leagues, the LWVUS has no position on Digital Equity or Public Access Media. New Mexico and Tennessee have positions by Concurrence with Connecticut.

As a founding member of the national Rural Affairs network — which includes League members from 30 states —PWM helped launch an informal survey of these League members in the spring of 2020. It asked respondents to list the most critical needs facing their rural neighbors.  Almost every respondent listed healthcare and 70% listed broadband or high speed Internet, with outreach for voter education listed by about half. The degree of consensus in an open-ended survey was remarkable. The pandemic not only made critical gaps in rural healthcare and digital equity painfully visible, but exacerbated their harm.

The sponsors of the the Healthcare Concurrence and Digital Equity Concurrence are cross-endorsing each other because a stronger LWVUS Position on each one will strengthen opportunities for advocacy for the other. To learn more, click here: Cross-endorsement.

Healthcare through a DEI lens (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion)

Dangerous disparities in access to healthcare and in public health outcomes have been increasing over the past three decades for marginalized populations across our state and our country — rural residents; people of color;  those who suffer from chronic conditions; those who are incarcerated, lack English, or are homeless;  those who cannot afford health insurance, and those who may have insurance but cannot afford cost-sharing (co-pays, deductibles, out-of-network fees, and co-insurance).

The COVID-19 pandemic has made these disparities dramatically more visible.  Not only have vulnerable groups experienced death rates double or triple the rates of other (richer, whiter) groups but, as a country, we have lost ground against our peers, other developed nations.

PWM has led, co-led and helped develop educational events about these DEI issues for local, state and national audiences, including

• • • 2020 LWVNY Convention caucuses on Healthcare Through a DEI Lens  and Rural Health
    • Presentations to groups in Connecticut and Florida

18-month Study to Update LWV NY Positions & 6-month Consensus Process

Our local League actively supports the US and NYS League healthcare positions.  The LWV NY positions — adopted by the State Board in 2021 after an 18-month process of intensive study, followed by 6 months of education and consensus discussions by local Leagues across NYS — were recommended to the Board with virtually unanimous support. They replace the NY positions adopted in 1991 and are aligned with the US position, adopted in 1993.

Our League was active in the Study Committee, in offering education events for local leagues across the state, and in providing Q&A, as needed, to explain the new positions. In large part because of these efforts, the Chair of our Healthcare Committee has been appointed the LWVNY Issue Specialist on Healthcare by the LWVNY Board.

Educational Events & Testimony on Healthcare

PWM has run many educational programs on single-payer healthcare:

• • • • For our PWM communities at local venues
      • At state-wide virtual events, such as caucuses at 2021 NYS Convention (on Rural Health and on Health Disparities)
      • At national events, such as assisting with the healthcare caucus on Medicare for All at the 2020 LWVUS Convention
      • In conjunction with a national network of League members from 45 states who advocate for publicly funded universal healthcare:  Health Care Reform for US

PWM has also testified and helped prepare testimony at hearings on the NY Health Act:

• • • Testimony on October 23, 2019, in the Bronx — Hearing by Joint Health Committees
    • Testimony on May 18, 2019, in Albany — Hearing by Joint Health Commitees
    • Testimony on February 8, 2019, in Albany — Hearing by the Budget Committee
    • Testimony on December 6, 2018 in NYC — Hearing by NYC Council on Resolution 470