The New York Hotel Trades Council (HTC) and Hotel Association of New York City (HANYC) scored big with lawmakers today as they introduced their new health care facility on the outskirts of the BAM Cultural Center in Fort Greene.
Nearly 200 people gathered to witness the ribbon cutting ceremony of the new Brooklyn Health Care Center, 620 Fulton Street. Among the officials attending included Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Mayor Bill de Blasio, Public Advocate Letitia James, City Comptroller Scott Stringer, City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and the local district lawmakers City Councilmember Laurie Cumbo and Assemblymember Walter Mosley. They came to laud HTC President Peter Ward for the organization’s new building and health care model.
The healthcare and pension arm of HTC and HANYC will replace their existing Boerum Hill location with a $90 million, 12-story building outfitted with doctor, dentist and pharmaceutical offices to accommodate all union-employees and their family members. The 132,000-square foot building will also include positioned on the ground floor. The former parking lot, on which the new building stands, was purchased for $19 million in 2013.
“We own and we operate and we manage everything ourselves,” said Ward, reflecting on the evolution of the Union’s health care system from its modest beginnings that initially sought to “provide a low-level of healthcare for as little money as possible to as many people as possible.”
The union provides 100% medical and dental coverage to 90,000 individuals including its members and their families. Ward also noted that contributions from the 33,000 union members are still 35% less expensive than it would be to purchase health care on the open market.
The plan’s operational ethos promotes primary care and a change in behavior to foster better long-term health care outcomes, he said.
“When we concentrate on their health care on the front end, not only do we get better healthcare outcomes, but we save millions and millions of dollars on catastrophic illness,” said Ward.
As the future of Affordable Care Act looms in the hands of the U.S. Senate, both the governor and the mayor took the opportunity to bash D.C. lawmakers on their intentions to repeal Obamacare.
“Healthcare in this nation, now, is a crisis,” said Cuomo, claiming the most recent GOP-led healthcare proposal, “would decimate 22 million Americans and 3 million in [New York State]” and suggested they consider the HTC approach to healthcare.
“This is an example of the future,” said Cuomo. “This is a model that says we can give working people beautiful, quality health care –– second to none –– the Cadillac of health care plans. The facility is beautiful and we can do it economically and efficiently and effectively.”
De Blasio also advocated working together to stop the repeal of Obamacare, noting that while the new HTC facility has been erected, hospitals in rural America could close should the proposed health care system be approved. “What a painful irony that we’re standing here – everything good is happening right here in this building and everything bad is happening in Washington D.C. right now,” said de Blasio.
Like the governor, the mayor praised the efforts of Ward and the HTC calling them out as the forefront of progressive change in the city.
“Be very proud that even with the challenges we face in Washington [D.C.] this is an example of New York City continuing to move forward,” said de Blasio.
