Advocacy

New York lawmakers are currently considering the passage of a massive government takeover of health insurance. The numbers for the New York Health Act, which would enact a single-payer healthcare system, are staggering: more than 160,000 jobs eliminated; $253 billion in new taxes on employers and workers (more than double the entire state budget); business tax increases of over 2,000%.It is no understatement: single payer is an existential threat to our profession. We and a diverse coalition of allies have successfully held this devastating bill at bay for years, but the threat is growing. In the wake of a historic leftward shift in the Senate…

​Given New York's political climate, playing defense is one of the most important ways Big I NY stands up for you in Albany. New York's legislative session concludes in four weeks, and as is typically the case, numerous harmful bills have popped up.Last week, Assemblywoman Helene Weinstein (D, Brooklyn) introduced a bill to create a statutory “bad faith" cause of action, allowing policyholders to sue insurance companies for a wide range of alleged unfair conduct. The bill includes a raft of incentives for trial attorneys, including extra-contractual damages, double and treble damages, attorney fees, interest, and penalties for failing to settle claims in as little…

This week, Governor Cuomo signed the NY-HERO Act into law, the bulk of which will go into effect on June 4th 2021. The bill mandates the Department of Labor (DOL) create sweeping regulations requiring workplace plans, standards, protective equipment, and responses to “airborne infectious diseases", which includes not just COVID-19, but potentially other airborne diseases such as the flu. The regulations could end up mandating costly equipment upgrades, disinfection procedures, modifications to work hours and schedules, and employee health screenings, to name a few. The bill allows any employee to file a civil suit against their employer for any alleged violations of the exposure plan.…