ALBANY, N.Y., September 7 – The first of six public hearings to be held across New York State was held on September 5 in Glens Falls in connection with Governor Eliot Spitzers Partnership for Coverage initiative to make affordable, patient-centered health care available to all New Yorkers.

At the governors direction, New York State Health Commissioner Richard F. Daines, M.D. and Insurance Department Superintendent Eric R. Dinallo conducted the hearing in order to obtain public input on proposals for achieving health system reform and affordable universal coverage. Approximately 20 representatives of patient advocacy agencies, health care providers, the insurance industry, business and labor groups presented testimony.

The goal of the Partnership for Coverage is the development of a comprehensive strategy to move towards universal coverage, said Daines. Improvements in health care quality and affordability must go hand-in-hand with efforts to expand health insurance coverage, because if we dont improve New Yorks health care delivery system, we wont have the resources to achieve universal coverage.

I expect this hearing to be extremely helpful, said Dinallo. It is essential that we hear from stakeholders, experts, and most of all the public on making health care affordable and accessible for all. While there is widespread consensus on the goals, we need everyones wisdom and support for a practical set of building blocks for accessible and affordable health care.

The hearing also featured health care experts: James Tallon, president of the United Hospital Fund; Mark Scherzer, legislative counsel for New Yorkers for Accessible Health Coverage; former Lieutenant Governor Stan Lundine; and Elizabeth Moore, a partner at Nixon Peabody and former counsel to Governor Mario Cuomo.

Additional hearings will be held on October 3 in Buffalo; October 30 in New York City; November 13 in Syracuse; November 26 in Rochester; and December 5 on Long Island.