Save the Date 10/27 for Affordability in Action: Joining Forces To Lower Hospital Prices
-
This union negotiated hospital prices to save on healthcare
-
Why Healthcare’s Future is Direct
-
U.S. Accuses New York-Presbyterian of Reaching Deals That Kept Costs High
-
Justice Department Files Antitrust Lawsuit Against NewYork-Presbyterian
-
DOJ files antitrust lawsuit against New York-Presbyterian
-
Northwell, 32BJ cut out insurance middleman in new direct contract
-
Northwell and NYC Union Make Deal to Save on Health-Care Costs
-
Northwell, New York City union’s direct-care deal: 6 things to know
-
Why New York Hospitals Will Soon Be More Transparent About Pricing
-
Bill to promote hospital price transparency sails through City Council
-
New York City Seeks to Unravel the Secret Mystery of Hospital Costs
-
Labor Union Health Fund Targets Hospital Prices, Looks to Form Purchasing Coalition
Serving SEIU 32BJ Union Members and Their Families
The 32BJ Labor Industry Cooperation Trust Fund (LICF) is dedicated to containing healthcare costs, including healthcare pricing, for 32BJ members and employers in New York City and surrounding areas. We understand that the leading cause of skyrocketing healthcare costs for individuals, employers, and other payers is uncontrolled and irrational hospital pricing, which is not linked to higher quality.
At the LICF, we are leading the clarion call for hospital price transparency and accountability by dedicating resources to effect policy and other changes that lower healthcare costs. With the 32BJ Health Fund, we are committed to sustaining easy access to high-quality and lower-cost healthcare for 200,000+ union members and their families.
Every Dollar Spent on Healthcare Is a Dollar Not Spent on Wages
The results are clear when employers and unions partner to lower healthcare costs: there is more room for wage growth. Healthcare costs grew 37% in NYC residential collective bargaining agreements from 2014-2023, while wages grew 55%. In 2024-2030, healthcare costs in those agreements will only grow 24%, while wages will grow 69%.
32BJ Health Fund and Northwell Direct Announce Largest Direct Healthcare Contract of Its Kind in the Country
32BJ Health Fund and Northwell Direct announce a groundbreaking partnership to expand access to care and cut healthcare costs by 20% in the first year.
32BJ members along with all New Yorkers—and all Americans—deserve quality healthcare that is affordable and accessible. We are grateful to our colleagues at Patient Rights Advocate for helping us showcase the hard-working people on whose behalf we work hard.
Our Current Policy Work & Our Legislative Accomplishments
As part of our work, the LICF has brought together labor unions, healthcare providers, community organizations, and social justice advocates committed to using our collective power to lower hospital prices. The LICF is a leader in the Coalition for Affordable Hospitals, which was established in New York in 2021. In 2022, the Coalition for Affordable Hospitals expanded its Hospital Price Campaign to New Jersey—forming the New Jersey Coalition for Affordable Hospitals.
In New Jersey, we introduced bills to codify, strengthen, and enforce both federal hospital price transparency and the New Jersey Office of Healthcare Affordability and Transparency.
The introductions of the Health Care Accountability Law (A1729/S3012) in New Jersey and the Fair Pricing Act (S.705A/A.2140A) in the New York state legislatures represent the latest steps that we and our partners have taken toward real change in healthcare, building on a series of strong policy efforts to date:
- In December 2022, Governor Hochul signed the Hospital Equity and Accountability Law (HEAL)—with active urging by our Coalition for Affordable Hospitals—to ban certain anticompetitive contracting terms in New York
- We worked with the New York City Council to introduce and pass The Healthcare Accountability and Consumer Protection Act (HACPA)—to establish the nation’s first municipal Office of Healthcare Accountability. It passed unanimously and was signed by Mayor Adams in June 2023
- In December 2023, Governor Hochul signed the Healthcare Data Transparency Act for the New York State Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP)-to allow New York State to benchmark the amount that NYSHIP is paying for hospital prices and to track price variation among hospitals