RAND Study Finds Single-Payer Viable in New York, But with Big Caveats

By Dan Goldberg, Nick Niedzwiadek and Amanda Eisenberg

ALBANY — A bill that would establish a single-payer health system in New York is financially feasible and could curtail spending in future years, if assumptions that range from the questionable to the improbable take place, according to a long-awaited study unveiled Wednesday.

The New York Health Act would provide universal insurance coverage with no copays, deductibles or premiums for all New Yorkers, regardless of immigration status, and would lead to higher utilization while lowering health plan and provider administrative costs — saving the system $15 billion, or about 3.1 percent, by 2031, compared to current policies, according to the report.

The paper, which the RAND Corp. compiled upon a commission from the New York State Health Foundation, is a boon for single-payer advocates because it shows most individuals and employers would save money over the long term. But the findings come with several caveats that could bog down any effort to pass and implement single-payer in New York, particularly if Republicans continue to wield power in Albany and Washington.

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Source: Politico (via Empire Report New York)