EmblemHealth’s contract with Northwell Health has expired despite our efforts to come to an agreement that prioritizes members and access to care. Instead of supporting the communities it serves, Northwell is asking for rates 30% above existing rates, which will directly lead to increased employer and consumer health care costs. We have been working hard to obtain a new contract with Northwell Health that ensures affordable, high-quality care for City workers and their families. Unfortunately, Northwell’s proposed rates will put New York City under significant financial stress.
Northwell Health, already New York State’s largest healthcare system, is aggressively pursuing unchecked expansion—operating two dozen hospitals and 900 outpatient care centers, and now stretching into New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania after its merger with Nuvance. Northwell Health’s relentless expansion is inflicting a heavy toll on New York City and its public servants—teachers, police officers, firefighters, and countless others—who are being forced to absorb escalating costs. Northwell’s request for increased rates is funding their expansion instead of accessible health care services for patients. Healthcare providers like Northwell have an obligation to take action and work collaboratively to help the City and employers preserve healthcare access for hardworking New Yorkers.
