New York has a rich history of health care. Manhattan’s Bellevue Hospital is considered to be the oldest public hospital in the country. In my neighborhood, Kings County Hospital has been serving patients since 1831. But we can’t let this years-long tradition of care go to waste as Congress makes urgent decisions about access to health care in next year’s budget and Omicron variants are on-the-rise.
All our health facilities have been stretched during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our healthcare heroes, including the hardworking and courageous members of 1199 SEIU and NYSNA, have sacrificed so much. So many of our neighbors have needed care. This long health scare has proven that for any New Yorker, access to meaningful health care is a vital priority. Without it, families are unable to get the care they need, and communities suffer.
