Published: May 09, 2008 12:04 am            

WHEATFIELD: Albany trip is a go

Wheatfield business leaders are gearing up for their trip to Albany later this month, where they plan on making noise over the cost of health insurance.

Approximately 60 people from the area will be joining another busload from the Rochester and Syracuse regions to talk to state lawmakers about an issue they say is dramatically affecting local small businesses.

The trip was organized by Wheatfield Supervisor Tim Demler and Wheatfield Business Association President Tom Stevenson, who have hosted two public forums in Wheatfield on rising health care costs and the lack of coverage under some plans.

It will run in conjunction with a gathering in Albany of the New York Thruway Alliance, a collective of six faith-based organizations pressing Albany for health care and economic development initiatives in upstate New York.

Among the six groups is the Niagara Organizing Alliance for Hope (NOAH), which has also participated in Wheatfield’s health care forums.

Twice over the past few months, Wheatfield’s town officials and business leaders have met with state lawmakers and health care representatives to discuss health care costs in the state.

The Wheatfield contingent is looking for state officials to take action on several fronts, particularly the re-instatement of an oversight board to approve or deny all requests from health care providers to raise their rates.

        

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