For PNHP-NY Metro press inquiries, contact morgan [at] pnhpnymetro.org.

For media generated by the national office in Chicago, visit PNHP's national press page.

The NY Metro Chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program Calls for an Immediate and Permanent Ceasefire in Palestine and Israel

Read our statement here.

 

Check out some of the media coverage we've been generating for our work toward health care for all!

Albany can make a healthier N.Y.: A doctor says high health care costs are harming his patients, New York Daily News, Dr. Marc Lavietes, June 5, 2023

Reject the cruelty of Medicare Advantage, NYC, New York Daily News, Dave Newman, June 16, 2022

Albany debe tomar medidas para derribar las barreras al aborto, El Diario, Eugenia Montesinos, Certified Nurse-Midwife, May 31, 2022 // English translation is here.

It’s time for Albany to help New Yorkers in mental health crisis, amNY, by Dr. Michael Zingman, May 26, 2022

Our healthcare system has too many barriers for Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian and poor New Yorkers, Amsterdam News, by Dr. MaryLouise Patterson, May 12, 2022

Our Healthcare System Is Making My Patients Sicker, The River, by Dr. Reena Agarwal, Apr 28, 2022

 

 

PRESS ARCHIVE

With ObamaCare Under Attack, New York could fight back with single-payer plan, Salon.com, May 9 2017

Universal healthcare supporters see their chance, "There has never been this much support," The Guardian, April 11, 2017 

What we can learn from the failure of the AHCA, Connections (radio), WXXI, April 5, 2017

Health Care Industry Support for Single-Payer, Capital Tonight (video), April 5, 2017

Activists Rally: Demand Albany Pass NY Single-Payer Bill, WAMC, April 5, 2017

Support Growing for NY Single Payer Bill, NPR Public News Service, April 4, 2017 

Albany will get hoped-for $12.5 million, Times Union, April 4, 2017

Senators, State, pushing for single-payer action, Benefits Pro, April 3, 2017

Letter: Syracuse area doctors, clergy, support healthcare for all, Syracuse.com, March 20, 2017

Letter: New York Health Act is smartest way to go, Buffalo News, Feb 6, 2017

Letter: All people are entitled to quality healthcare, Buffalo News, Feb 2, 2017

To Save Lives and Billions of Dollars, NY State Must Pass Universal Healthcare. Village Voice, Jan 31, 2017

Times Ledger, May 2016, All New Yorkers need access to health care, OpEd by Drs. Marc Lavietes and Oscar Marcilla, PNHP NY Metro Board Members

New York Can Lead the Way on Single Payer, by Liza Featherstone for AM New York, "the most-read free daily newspaper paper in New York."

Student-Led Events Highlight Key Issues in Health Care, CUMC Newsletter, December 2015, features student leaders from Columbia's Mailman School of Public Health SNaHP Chapter and the day of action on October 1st, 2015.

NY Metro Board Member, Dr. Donald Moore explains the Affordable Care Act and the need for single-payer universal health care on WBAI's Building Bridges program, December 2015

2015 marked the passage of the New York Health bill in the Assembly, a banner event in our efforts to win the right to health care.

“Assembly Votes for Single Payer Healthcare,” by Michael Virtanen, Associated Press, via Times Herald Record, May 27.

“Adios, Private Insurers?  Assembly Votes for Single Payer,” by Fred Mogul, WNYC, May 27.

“New York Assembly Passes Single Payer Health Care,” Thom Hartmann Radio Program, May 29.

“Passing Universal Healthcare,” interview with Liz Benjamin,Capital Tonight, Time Warner Cable News.

“Long Story Short,” by the Editorial Board, Albany Times-Union, May 31.

“Assembly OKs Single Payer Bill,” by Claire Hughes and Matthew Hamilton, Albany Times-Union, May 27

“Assembly Passes Universal Healthcare Bill,” by Dan Goldberg,Capital New York, May 27..

“NYS Assembly Approves Universal Healthcare,” by Jessica Corso, Law360 (subscription), May 27.

“Buffalo Workers Applaud Assembly Passage of Universal Healthcare Bill,” by Tracey Drury, Buffalo Business First, May 29.

“Guest Viewpoint: Supporting NY Health Act,” by Sarah Jane Blake, League of Women Voters, Ithaca Journal, May 28.

“NY Assembly Passes the New York Health Act,” “Quote of the Day” by Don McCanne, Physicians for a National Health Program blog, May 28

“Single Payer is the Answer” (letter), Post-Star, May 27

"Speaker to Allow Vote on Universal Health Care" by James Gormley, Legislative Gazette, May 5, 2015

 

Opinion & Letters

“Single payer plan can aid tax cut,” by Darius Shahinfar, Albany Times-Union, January 28, 2015.

“N.Y. Health Act would give control to doctors, patients,” by Assembly Member Richard N. Gottfried & Senator Bill Perkins, Albany Times-Union, December 18, 2014.

“Universal Healthcare in NY Can’t Wait Any Longer,” by Assembly Member Barbara Lifton, Ithaca Journal, December 3, 2014.

“Health care: Insurers’ limited networks distort the marketplace,” by Robert Kaprove, MD, Buffalo News, November 30, 2014.

“Letter: State Should Approve NY Health Act,” by Roger Chenez, Buffalo News, December 3, 2014.

“Why We Need Universal Healthcare in NY,” by Ellie Donnally, Syracuse Post-Standard, December 10, 2014.

“View: Ensure health coverage for all New Yorkers,” by Elizabeth Rosenthal, Journal-News, December 12, 2014.

“Fixing Healthcare Means Fighting for People’s Rights,” by Ken Hall, Times Herald-Record, December 13, 2014.

“Another Voice: Single-payer system would improve health care,” by Jessica Bauer Walker, Buffalo News, December 16, 2014.

“Letter: NYS could model single-payer plan,” Newsday, December 17, 2014.

 

General Coverage

“In New York, Single-Payer Hopeful Isn't Giving Up,” by Chris Kardish, Governing, February 2015

“For lawmakers, health initiatives are a long game,” by Dan Goldberg, Capital New York, December 23, 2014.

“NY To Debate Single Payer Health Coverage,” by David Robinson, Albany Business Review, November 12, 2014.

“Setting the Agenda: Health,” by Ashley Hufpl, City & State, November 25, 2014.

“Connections: Single Payer Healthcare,” WXXI Rochester, December 8, 2014 (1 hour radio program).

“Gottfried Continues Upstate Single Payer Push,” by Ashley Hulpfl, City & State, December 9, 2014.

“Capital Tonight”, Time Warner Cable News Albany, December 9, 2014 (video).

“Richard Gottfried on Single Payer,” interview with Morgan Pehme, City & State, December 12, 2014 (video).

“Why Some Doctors Support Single Payer,” Crain’s Health Pulse, December 16.

“Northern NY Assembly Members Disagree on Proposed Single-Payer Healthcare Bill,” by Timothy W. Scee II, Newzjunky.com, December 17, 2014.

 

Local Hearing Coverage

NYC & Long Island:

“Heads up: Insurance hearings spotlight health costs,” by the Editorial Board, Newsday, November 30, 2014.

“Health insurance kvetch-fest coming to NYC,” by Irina Ivanova, Crain’s, December 15, 2014.

“Single Payer Healthcare Bill Gets Wide Support,” by Irina Ivanova, Crain’s, December 16, 2014.

“Will New York Get Government-Run Universal Healthcare? New Yorkers Show Support,” by Annie Wu, Epoch Times, December 16, 2014.

“Assembly Health Committee chair pitches universal health care in Nassau,” by Robert Brodsky, Newsday, December 17, 2014.

 

2014

• People's Climate March: Our chapter was one of the many endorsing organizations of the historic People's Climate March in New York City on September 21, 2014.  We helped organize the health contingent, which helped to organize health care workers, health experts, and activists around the connections between climate change and health. 
  • Time Magazine: "A cohort of doctors marched in lab coats to protest the global health effects of climate change. “It’s one of the most important threats to world health, and it’s completely preventable,” said Dr. Erica Frank, who specializes in preventative medicine in British Columbia. “It would be irresponsible for us to do nothing." "Carbon pollution directly results in asthma, heart disease and cancer,” said Dr. Steve Auerbach, a New York City pediatrician who also marched in his lab coat. “From a micro and macro point of view, climate change is a global health issue.”
  • Democracy NOW livestream: Dr. Oli Fein and Katie Robbins at 54 minutes 
  • Democracy NOW 9/22/14: Dr. Steffie Woolhandler at 39 minutes and 30 sec:
  • EcoWatch - Photo on Page 3 - "300,000+ Demand Climate Action Now at Largest Climate March in World History" 
  • Socialist Worker: Hannah Moreira, a medical student, marched with Physicians for a National Health Program, which promotes a single-payer health care system for the U.S. Warning that "climate change is definitely a health care issue," she explained, "More natural disasters means more people showing up in the ER. We're seeing lots of mosquito-born tropical diseases like Dengue Fever spreading to areas that they haven't been before."
  • Fairfield Sun:  Lori Pelletier, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Connecticut AFL-CIO, one of the labor organizations supporting the march, said the AFL-CIO sent a mailing to all their affiliates encouraging people to go. She sees it as a “health and safety issue.” Pelletier said, “Firefighters and other first responders, health care workers, because of the issue of climate change, are facing more fierce fires, more stress on the health care system, more stress on everyday work life. That’s why we’re getting involved with it.”
  • Yahoo News:  “Climate change is a health crisis,” said Catherine Thomasson, executive director of Physicians for Social Responsibility, a principal organizer of the health care hub of the event. Thomasson was one of dozens of doctors marching in lab coats to call attention to the ways in which she said “extreme weather events disrupt electrical systems, ruin hospitals,” and destroy the infrastructure on which effective health care depends.

• Hobby Lobby: In the wake of the Supreme Court decision on the Hobby Lobby contraception case, PNHP Board members spoke out on how a single payer system would protect access to reproductive heath care and remove employers from healthcare decisions. Here's a sample of some appearances by our Board: 
  • You can hear Dr. Linda Prine on Dennis Bernstein's Flashpoints program, KPFA, starting at 46:00. Linda also spoke to Esther Iverem for On the Ground on WPFW Pacifica (you can listen under "A Right Wing Gang on the Supreme Court" at starting at 12:30). Dr. Elizabeth Rosenthal appeared on Rob Lorei's show on WMNF-FM in Tampa, Florida. 

• Annual Lobby Day in Albany: 250 New Yorkers descended upon Albany on May 6th to lobby for the New York Health bill. WCNY's Capitol Pressroom interviewed our board member Dr. Danny Lugassy and New York Health bill sponsor Assm. Gottfried (the 13-minute segment is at the end of the hour-long program). The day's activities were also covered by The Albany Times Union, The Legislative Gazette, and our rally was listed on the schedules of influential outlets such as City and State's First Read and Capital Tonight's State of Politics. The following day, the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus endorsed the New York Health bill, announcing their support at a press conference covered by the Legislative Gazette.

• The Chief Leader and LaborPress covered the Health-Care Summit sponsored by LaborPress in February. Dr. Oliver Fein of Physicians for a National Health Program NY Metro spoke at the conference.

• On Tuesday, February 11th, a press conference jointly organized by PNHP-NY Metro, Assemblyman Gottfried, and Senator Perkins was held on the growing support for the New York Health bill. Speakers included representatives from the Working Families Party, 1199SEIU, NYSNA, and more. Times Union, Albany's paper of record, covered the story.

• Laurie Wen, Executive Director of PNHP-NY Metro, was quoted in the Daily Beast about the New York City run of the one-man show, Mercy Killers, which powerfully tells the story of one person's tragic encounter with the broken U.S. health care system.

• Dr. Betsy Rosenthal is featured on Fox Business News arguing for a universal, single-payer health care system.

• 70 medical students from across New York State, over half from New York City, showed up in force in Albany for the first ever Medical Student Advocacy Day supporting single-payer, universal health care. Excellent coverage of the day can be found in the Times Union and the Oneida Dispatch.

• Dr. Winthrop Dillaway's letter to the editor is featured in the New York Times advocating for single-payer health care. 

• Board member Dr. Mary O'Brien is interviewed with Assemblyman Richard Gottfried on WBAI's Building Bridges to discuss bringing single-payer, universal health care to New York State. Listen here. 

2013

• Board member Dr. Marc Lavietes wrote a compelling op-ed for the Asbury Press: "Medicare system for all best health care option"

• Board member Dr. Daniel Lugassy spoke to Heritage Radio Networks' How to Behave about universal health care 

• Board member Dr. Betsy Rosenthal's op-ed appeared in The Journal: "Treat Health Care as a Social Need Not a Commodity"
• Board member Dr. Alec Pruchnicki featured in West View News on the Affordable Care Act and Single Payer Health Care
• PNHP co-founder Dr. Steffie Woolhandler and PNHP-NY Metro Board member Dr. Steve Auerbauch featured on Huff Post Live commenting on the link between health care and poverty in the U.S.    
• "10,000 Signatures for Universal Health Care," Legislative Gazette
• "We need health care for all": Board member Dr. Steve Auerbach on Fox News 
• Assemblyman Phil Steck on why single-payer health insurance is good for business on WAMC 
  
  
• "Universal Health Care for New York Introduced in State Legislature": Legislative Gazette

2012

October 18: PNHP-NY Metro organized a demonstration opposing cuts to Medicare at the Al Smith dinner, which both presidential candidates Obama and Romney attended.

• AP TV segment was picked up by many major national news outlets: Washington Post, USA Today, LA Times, Good Morning America, Yahoo News, Huffington Post, AOL News as well as dozens of local TV stations and newspapers' websites across the country, including outlets in OH, FL, KY, OK, CA, MA, IN, IL, NC, SC, VA, NV, WA, GA...

• Democracy Now! 

• WBAI News 

• AP Photos 

• Black Agenda Report

• The Real News  

• La Jornada

• Viewpress Photos

• photos by movement photographer Anthony Perez

 June 27-29, Supreme Court Decision on the ACA

• Democracy Now!, Board Chair Dr. Oliver Fein speaks on the Supreme Court decision on the ACA

• Viewpoint with Elliot Spitzer, Board member Dr. Mary O'Brien on why the ACA does not go far enough
• New York Times, Board member Dr. Betsy Rosenthal gets real about the Supreme Court decision