Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
Q&A
Addressing healthcare provider discrimination and ensuring access to care
0:55:40
ยท
142 sec
Council Member Shahana Hanif raises concerns about healthcare provider discrimination, particularly regarding appointment cancellations at hospitals like NYU Langone and Mount Sinai. Ronald Porcelli discusses the city's response and available resources.
- The City Commission on Human Rights and the state attorney general's office are involved in addressing discrimination issues
- H&H (NYC Health + Hospitals) is working to fill gaps in care and provide services to affected patients
- Patients whose appointments were canceled at private hospitals have been able to access care at H&H facilities
- The administration is committed to ensuring access to gender-affirming care
Shahana Hanif
0:55:40
Got it.
0:55:41
Yeah I would really appreciate that and I think that information should be made available to us irrespective of what the political climate is because this is one of CCHR's like main a main task because these protections are in our city and for us not to notice a trend or for us to not like really be more proactive I think is an issue that I have.
0:56:12
I want to ask about the denials at the various hospitals, NYU Langone and Mount Sinai.
0:56:23
I had heard from families in my district who've had pre existing appointments, their appointments were canceled.
0:56:31
What steps is the city taking to ensure healthcare providers are not discriminating against patients?
0:56:37
And if you could just be succinct since I have
Nadia Swanson (they/them)
0:56:39
two more Yes,
Ronald Porcelli
0:56:41
I will be succinct.
0:56:42
So that is obviously a sensitive and challenging issue now.
0:56:48
For that in particular, two bodies I would refer to is the City Commission on Human Rights with regards to enforcement there.
0:56:56
I would also point you to the state attorney general's office who has also opined on this particular issue.
0:57:02
And then H and H is doing an extraordinary job to fill the gap here, and they have continued to do an extraordinary job, and so folks can avail themselves of H and H and then likewise for concerns reach out to
Shahana Hanif
0:57:20
the city commissioner.
Mason Crawford (he/him)
0:57:20
So do
Shahana Hanif
0:57:21
you know if these families, patients were able to receive the care they needed?
0:57:29
Like was the administration in touch given how much of a this was big news in our city and there was a big uproar.
Ronald Porcelli
0:57:38
Absolutely.
0:57:40
So with regards to the specifics of that, I don't I can't say definitively and so I don't want to offer that or offer speculation.
0:57:50
My understanding is that that indeed has happened and that those patients have been able to access care at H and H, that is my understanding.
Shahana Hanif
0:58:00
At H and H?
Ronald Porcelli
0:58:01
Correct.
0:58:01
Okay.