May 4, 2009                                                

Weitzman named to advisory council on state health insurance

Nassau County Comptroller Howard Weitzman today was appointed to the New York State Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP) Participating Agency Advisory Council (PAAC). Nassau County is the largest local government participating agency in NYSHIP and prior to Weitzman’s appointment, no one from Nassau County had served on the board.

 “I am very proud that I have been named to the Participating Agency Council,” Weitzman said. “I will work to keep quality health care benefits for our County employees without increasing the costs borne by local property taxpayers.”

Comptroller Weitzman has been calling for reform of the current NYSHIP system for years. In 2008, he and County Executive Suozzi released a report showing that NYSHIP was over-collecting premiums from local governments and had accumulated an excessive $540 million on top of statutory reserves. The State agreed and applied some of the excessive premium to keep the 2009 rate increase to an average 1%, instead of the 7% originally forecasted by NYSHIP. This effort saved Nassau County taxpayers approximately $11 million in health insurance premiums for 2009 and approximately $116 million for local schools and governments. The vast majority of Nassau’s schools and local governments also participate in NYSHIP.

"I will continue my call for an outside review of NYSHIP,” said Weitzman. “I believe there is more opportunity for savings.”

The Council includes representatives from other participating agencies, such as local school districts. Nassau County Director of Risk Management John Brooks was also named to the PAAC.  

The first meeting is May 19.