Candidates Forum: Dems Debate Health Care

Dobbs Ferry's Anna Sterne and Greenburgh's Tom Abinanti are both vying for the Democratic bid for New York State Assemblyman to represent the 92^nd District which includes Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow.

This week their signed petitions were verified, meaning there will be a primary for the Democratic nomination on September 14, the winner of which will go on to face Republican candidate Tom Bock November 2.

Patch interviewed both Democrats about their positions on health care—including: personal connection to the issue, past legislative record and future goals if elected to the Assembly.  This is the first installment of a series of head-to-head debates, which will present unaltered accounts of candidates' statements regarding important issues.

Patch:  What is your personal connection to the current health care system that makes you believe change is needed?

Sterne: I have been a nurse since 1977, and worked in many hospitals.  One difference among hospitals I noticed in terms of state legislation was that California has staff-to-patient ratios laws, whereas New York does not.  I can tell you, the quality of care is so much better with six patients to one nurse versus 12.

I have also worked in home care for the elderly for many years, 90 percent of whom are on Medicaid.  I know that when governments cut home health aide services too much, the elderly people can't take care of themselves.  Then they break a hip… or worse, and the government spends more money to put the patient into a nursing home."

Abinanti: I confront problems with the health care and insurance industries every day as the parent of a child with autism. They don't understand people with disabilities—insurance companies exclude them—so I live with these concerns every day.  In 2006, I went to Albany, and argued for them to change the law no longer to discriminate against people with autism.

My parents died at the ages of 93 and 97, so again I confronted the health care system, lived its horror stories. It's these experiences that motivate me to make changes.

Patch: What is your past political record with regard to health care?

Sterne: Since this is my first time entering formal politics, I do not have a past record. However, I know I will be able to go to Albany and reach my goals by surrounding myself with people who have experience. I want to hit the ground running.  Since I am someone with definite ideas, I will seek out the committees that address these issues.

Abinanti: I am chair of the Legislative Health Committee for the Westchester Board of Legislators, with health care being one of my primary concerns. We wrote and passed a law that banned smoking in workplaces and restaurants in Westchester, which is stronger than the state law because it extends to the areas outside restaurants as well.

I am a member of the National Association of Counties Health and Steering Committee, for which I helped create an agenda to lobby before congress.

We're currently lobbying for an extension of additional Medicaid monies that would give Westchester significantly more money.

I led the Westchester Board of Legislators unanimously to support the retention of Dobbs Ferry Hospital—many of whom didn't even know what it was before—but I got them to rally behind it because of my strong support of community health centers.

I was the Westchester legislator who led the team to make Westchester Medical Center a freestanding institution, saving residents millions of dollars in taxes. In 2008, I was very involved in renegotiating the agreement between the medical center and the county, setting up an oversight board that oversees the medical center's expenses—I also sit on that board.

And I have been a strong supporter of neighborhood health centers that serve underprivileged populations.

Patch: If elected to go to Albany next year, which issues regarding healthcare would you most want to tackle?

Sterne: My most important goal is to make sure everyone is covered by insurance, and to keep rates from rising insanely. I think it's ridiculous for insurance companies to say children are covered under their parents' plans, but the cost is almost as mush as COBRA.  I think companies need quite a bit of regulation.  They made record profits this year, and yet are still raising rates.

I also would work to stop cuts to home care aides, as a preventative measure.  By helping to get people insured before they need to go to the emergency room and keeping the elderly from needing hospitalization, I believe we can save the state a lot of money.

Abinanti: My first goal would be to reconfigure the health care system to provide greater access at a lower cost.  There are too many people who can't afford access to everyday services. And there are too many people flooding ER's with problems that could have been prevented from escalating.

Along those lines, I would want to ensure that everyone was covered by health insurance, and make sure that services were reasonably distributed throughout the state.  That's why I fought so hard for Dobbs Ferry Hospital—residents need that facility.

I would also work to ensure that a stronger reproductive rights act passes, because I believe women's rights must be preserved.  When you cut back on rights to reproductive services, it is the women in need of medical care who suffer.

My third goal would be to change the insurance law to be fairer to families who pay high premiums but don't get what they deserve. They pay in so much money, and then find themselves excluded from services they require.  It's a question of fairness.