Feb 23, 2009
Public Policy Conference in NY
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society-New York MS Coalition Action Network (“NY MS CAN”) represents New York’s four chapters and the approximately 34,000 families in New York affected by multiple sclerosis. Each year staff and volunteers from these chapters travel to the State’s Capitol in Albany to present a legislative agenda to our elected officials.
This year, a group of 30 people from all NY chapters travelled to Albany on February 2 and 3. We had an advocacy training to prepare us for visits and a strategy planning session, prior to our hill visits. Then, six people from the Southern NY Chapter visited with 17 legislators representing our five counties. We discussed topics of healthcare concerns like the proposed budget cuts to Medicaid and the possibility of commercial health insurance companies developing an additional drug tier for high cost prescription medications. During one visit, Assemblyman George Latimer invited us to provide testimony at a public forum in Larchmont regarding Governor Paterson’s proposed budget. So on Feb. 12, we did.