Brooklyn's Progress
August/September 2006

BY LETICIA THEODORE

On July 26, Governor George A. Pataki signed the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce’s HealthWorks bill into law.  The legislation creates a permanent funding stream – over $2 million annually – from the New York State Insurance Department to enable the Chamber to dramatically expand its Brooklyn HealthWorks program here in NYC and also introduce a new pilot HealthWorks initiative in a community upstate to be determined. 

Apart from the Governor, key supporters in the effort were Senator Marty Golden, Assemblyman Joe Lentol and Assemblyman Pete Grannis, who chairs the Assembly Insurance Committee.  The extra effort in Albany to get the legislation drafted and passed during the waning days of the legislative session in June was provided by Joni Yoswein, the Brooklyn Chamber’s government affairs consultant. 

Over time, the new HealthWorks law will enable thousands of uninsured New Yorkers working in small businesses, especially low-wage workers, to get affordable health insurance from their employers, many of them for the first time. And for small business owners across the city – especially Brooklyn Chamber Members – the organization now has a practical solution for their greatest problem.

Senator Marty Golden, (R-C, Brooklyn), the legislation's sponsor stated, "The Healthworks project provides low-cost health insurance options to small businesses in Brooklyn. Helping small businesses provide their employees with affordable health insurance is a vital step toward ensuring all New Yorkers have access to proper health care. This legislation was the right thing to do for health, for business and for employees."

Brooklyn HealthWorks is based on Healthy New York, a state program designed to make health insurance affordable for small business owners. The initiative created by the Brooklyn Chamber is customized to more effectively meet the needs of small businesses that have not been able to afford health insurance, including a small subsidy to keep the premiums within reach.

“I am thrilled that this legislation has been passed into law,” said Assemblyman Joseph Lentol (D-Brooklyn) who sponsored the Assembly’s bill. “Through a unique alignment of helpful partners led by the Brooklyn Chamber, this brings health insurance premiums down to a level that allows small business owners and their workers to seriously consider buying health insurance.  It is truly an important step for New York."

"The Brooklyn Chamber's commitment to health insurance solutions for small businesses through the innovative Brooklyn HealthWorks program is strongly deserving of state support," said Pete Grannis (D-Manhattan), Chair of the Assembly's Insurance Committee and a sponsor of the legislation.  "The Chamber's focus on keeping out-of-pocket costs down for low-income workers is showing us the way to address the biggest shortcoming of the state's Healthy New York program:  low participation among eligible small businesses, as opposed to individual, uninsured workers."

The program, a partnership between the Brooklyn Chamber and GHI, was launched in Apr. 2004.  Based on their initial experience, the Chamber and GHI introduced two new plans, Brooklyn HealthWorks Total and Max, in Aug. 2005. Small businesses throughout the borough responded so enthusiastically that enrollment outstripped available funding within eight months.  At that point, Brooklyn HealthWorks provided coverage to 730 employees from 156 businesses across the borough.

“I would not be able to provide health insurance for myself or my employees without the support of Brooklyn HealthWorks,” said Sheena Lindahl, Co-Founder/ President, Extreme Entrepreneurship, LLC. “It was virtually impossible for my business to otherwise secure affordable health insurance.”

“We are thrilled to get this bill passed so that we can finally scale up HealthWorks and serve hundreds of more small business owners and their workers,” added Kenneth Adams, President, Brooklyn Chamber.  “This is the number one small business issue across the city – there is a huge need out there.”

Vice President of Member Services Mark Kessler leads the HealthWorks initiative.  He explained the passage of this bill is a demonstration of how effective chambers of commerce can be in this arena.  “In order to get this bill passed, we needed support from an extensive community, including the political leadership of the borough, city, and state; our network of public and private partners, including GHI, HealthPass, the Office of Citywide Health Insurance Access, among others; our Chamber Members, and the businesses enrolled in Brooklyn HealthWorks,” said Mr. Kessler.  “Together, we have created an opportunity to expand access to low cost health insurance to businesses that have been marginalized by escalating premiums.”

The funding is used to subsidize a GHI health insurance product with a basic, but comprehensive benefit plan and GHI’s Tri-State provider network including 72,000 doctors and specialty health care providers and 1,100 hospitals in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.  The two Brooklyn HealthWorks plans open the door to primary, specialty, and hospital care, as well as limited pharmaceutical benefits, and laboratory and diagnostic services for workers who would otherwise be unable to afford health insurance.

“I spend much of my time trying to help small businesses obtain the basic health benefits needed to hire and retain competent and hard-working employees – many times employees who would otherwise be on public assistance,” said Michael Kessler, M.D. of KLS Regent Agency, Ltd. “A program such as Brooklyn HealthWorks has proven itself to be a Godsend to fledgling businesses, including several with whom I have had the privilege of working.”

The two Brooklyn HealthWorks products, Brooklyn HealthWorks Total and Brooklyn HealthWorks Max, offer low monthly premiums ranging from $177 to $221.40 per person. Sole proprietors and companies with 2 to 50 employees are eligible for coverage if they meet certain criteria.  Details on how the Chamber and the State Insurance Department are going to roll out the program’s expansion were not available at press time.

For more information about Brooklyn HealthWorks contact Theresa Reyes at 718 875-1000 or at treyes@brooklynchamber.com.