Health Insurance Law Blog

      On March 9, 2010, attorney Mark Scherzer will participate in the NYS Breast Cancer Network’s 2010 Education and Advocacy Day in a program titled “What’s Next in Healthcare Reform for New Yorkers?” Members of the Breast Cancer Network come together every year in Albany to educate one another and their state legislators and elected officials about the concerns of people with breast cancer, in order to ensure public policy is responsive... Read More

    As Congress debates major health insurance overhauls, we are seeing a number of improvements in consumers’ COBRA rights – that is, their rights to continue medical plan coverage when they lose their jobs, suffer disability, or their hours are reduced.

         Before the current debate on health care and health insurance reform began, New York State had its own very active discussion well underway. Recently, however, New York’s discussion seems to have entered a period of suspended animation, side-lined by a budget crisis and by the apparent belief of state policy makers that it makes no sense to go down one road if the federal government may imminently instruct us to follow a different path.

Mark Scherzer testified on June 8, 2009, at a hearing held by the New York State Assembly Insurance Committee in Albany, in support of a bill that would reinstate the ability of the State Insurance Department to review and approve certain health insurance premium rate increases prior to their taking effect.  Representing Read More

Twenty five thousand workers are losing their jobs every week in New York State.  With unemployment often comes the loss of health coverage and other employee benefits.  To help New Yorkers understand their rights to maintain health coverage after they have been laid off or fired, the United Hospital Fund has published a free guide, " Read More

This week, New Yorkers for Accessible Health Coverage ("NYFAHC") and the New York Immigration Coalition (the "NYIC") jointly published an issue brief co-authored by Mark Scherzer and Jenny Rejeske, examining health coverage for immigrants in New York.

The work was funded by a grant from the New York... Read More

The following letter was submitted to the New York Times on January 20, 2009, in response to an article that appeared on January 19, 2009, "Impact of Paterson's Health Care Plan May be Limited":

To the Editor:

Read More

Presentation by Mark Scherzer

Mark Scherzer addressed a large crowd of state policy-makers, healthcare advocates and insurance industry representatives at the NYSHealth Foundation Conference, “Reforming New York’s Individual Health Insurance Market,” in midtown Manhattan on November 17, 2008.  Mark was a member of a panel of experts commenting on proposals to reduce premiums and restore a viable, affordable “direct pay” market in New York State. Read More

JANUARY 29, 2008:  Testimony Delivered on January 29, 2008 at the New York State Insurance Department Hearing on Proposed For-Proft Conversion of HIP/GHI

Thank you for the opportunity to testify on the application of HIP/GHI, merged entities under the umbrella name Emblem Health, to convert to for-profit status.  New Yorkers for Accessible... Read More

FEBRUARY 19, 2008:  On Friday, February 22, 2008, from noon to 2 p.m., Mark Scherzer will be one of two attorneys conducting a continuing legal education seminar for both lawyers and lay people at the Marriott Courtyard Hotel in Saratoga Springs, New York, entitled "Appealing Health Insurance and Social Security Claims Denials:  Know Your Rights."