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Bronx Health REACH Project Director Charmaine Ruddock Provides Testimony in Support of the New York Health Act

Bronx Health REACH Project Director Charmaine Ruddock Provides Testimony in Support of the New York Health Act

Charmaine Ruddock, the Project Director for the Institute for Family Health’s Bronx Health REACH, provided testimony today in support of the New York Health Act at the third and final public hearing held today at the Bronx Library Center. Ms. Ruddock was one of sixty individuals providing testimony in support of the New York Health Act.

“The New York Health Act, if passed, will mean that people in the Bronx, especially in the south Bronx, will, ostensibly, be able to access the same quality of healthcare as people just a few zip codes away from them whose care now looks very different from theirs and whose outcomes, in many instances, is different from theirs. However, I would be remiss if I did not urge lawmakers to make sure that in crafting The New York Health Act they pay particular attention to eliminating the well documented disparate care that many poor black and brown people experience,” said Ms. Ruddock.

The joint New York State Senate and Assembly public hearing, held at the Bronx Library Center was part of a series of hearings that provided input from New York State residents and organizations. If passed, the New York Health Act would provide comprehensive single-payer health coverage for all New York State residents, removing out of network fees, deductibles and copays that is charged to patients from traditional health insurance coverage. This is part of a series of hearings on this topic to gather input from around the state.

Read the full testimony below.

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