REMARKS
Council member stresses importance of sleep apnea data and intervention
1:07:13
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91 sec
Council Member Abreu emphasizes the lack of attention to sleep apnea in NYC and the importance of collecting data to inform interventions. He introduces his bill proposing free screenings for uninsured or underinsured New Yorkers.
- Abreu highlights the serious health consequences of untreated sleep apnea
- He proposes a bill for free sleep apnea screenings for eligible New Yorkers
- Abreu expresses hope for collaboration with DOHMH and H+H to implement the program
Shaun Abreu
1:07:13
I I think that the the fact that the Department of Health as an agency doesn't have data on sleep apnea speaks to the level of inattention that there has been to sleep apnea in New York City for a very long time.
1:07:28
And and that's why this bill, our campaign about this being more than a snore is very important.
1:07:35
I think that folks don't tend to realize that when they're asleep and they're snoring, you usually think, oh, I had a good sleep.
1:07:44
I was snoring all night.
1:07:45
No.
1:07:46
Not having air get through to the places, not having oxygen to to your brain or having air get blocked through the passageways can have very serious debilitating consequences.
1:08:00
And as a city, I think that we need to have this data and not only have this data, use it to inform intervention.
1:08:06
And that's why we're we're doing a bill that would provide, a free screening for New Yorkers who are uninsured or whose insurance would require them to pay a $100 or or more out of pocket.
1:08:19
I wanna thank you for the feedback.
1:08:20
While I understand that DOHMH may not directly have access to clinical testing, our bill envisions a program that works with H and H or other contracted parties to make this pilot possible and reach uninsured and underinsured New Yorkers.
1:08:37
So I certainly hope we can discuss how to make this possible, especially as we gear up for another budget cycle in the coming months.
