New York State Assemblyman Steve Labriola has called the recent passage of the Health Care Reform Act of 2000 a "plus" for the uninsured, poor and small business owners in New York State. The historic health care bill will ensure an additional one million uninsured New Yorkers, reimburse hospitals for the care of the poor and help small business owners provide health insurance to employees.

"New York's reputation as the nation's leader in health care is exemplified with the passage of HCRA 2000," said Labriola. "No longer will the health and well-being of the uninsured or poor in New York be subject to compromise."

The health plan will ensure that affordable health benefits are accessible for small business owners in New York State. According to Labriola, the plan subsidizes the insurance premiums for a new benefits package for businesses that have 50 or fewer employees. The package will include essential coverage for employees such as inpatient and outpatient services, maternity care, physician diagnostic and treatment care, lab services, and a prescription drug benefit.

"Too often, small businesses cannot afford to offer their employees basic health benefits because of hefty costs," said Labriola.

Also under HCRA, New York state hospitals will continue to be reimbursed with $765 million annually for their true costs of treating these patients who are uninsured or who cannot afford to pay. In addition, funding in the amount of $48 million annually will be made available to fund charity care provided by clinics.

One of the centerpieces of HCRA includes initiating Family Health Plus, a free or low-cost health plan that would be available to families earning up to 150 percent of the poverty level (about $25,000 for a family of four) and single adults earning up to 100 percent of the poverty level.

Other aspects of HCRA 2000 include:

* Saving consumers and businesses more than $110 million in their health care costs.

* Initiating a $37 million anti-smoking advertising campaign, the largest in state history.

* Guaranteeing no major increase or decrease in spending on the state's $25 billion Medicaid health plan.

* Allocating most of the state's proceeds from tobacco litigation, worth roughly $500 million per year, for health-related purposes.

* Allowing more funding to be directed toward physician training at New York's premier academic medical centers.

"HCRA 2000 is truly a landmark piece of legislation that will provide coverage for nearly one million uninsured New Yorkers, allowing them to make a better life for their families," said Labriola.