HealthAlliance is failing Ulster County residents

Dear Editor: David Scarpino, president and chief executive officer of HealthAlliance of the Hudson Valley, should not receive any benefits, support or anything from residents of Ulster County and the government of Ulster County until HealthAlliance understand’s this is not Westchester County.

We need to have HealthAlliance and our county representatives know this, understand this. Many locals who have lived and worked in Ulster County for generations have been left with no local hospital, while BlueCross BlueShield since the end of May 2016 remained without an agreement with the hospital. (Editor’s note: A new, tentative agreement was announced July 31, 2017.)

HealthAlliance slammed the doors and locked out those of us who work and have retired from law enforcement and other civil service professions, state county and local, and call Ulster County home. Many county residents with insurance in the private sector also have been affected by the loss of local hospital services.

What is really a shame is Westchester Medical Center Health Network, HealthAlliance’s parent company was assisted in the takeover of Benedictine and Kingston hospitals by County Executive Mike Hein and the Ulster County Legislature.

United Health Insurance, which many of us have, is accepted in Dutchess County and other surrounding county hospitals. But because of possible greed, it is not accepted at HealthAlliance in Ulster County.

My wife, our three sons, myself, as well as many other family members were all born in Benedictine Hospital. My family (five generations in Ulster County) has used Kingston and Benedictine hospitals since they were built in the 19th and early 20th century. Now, being shut out by a corporation from outside Ulster County is revolting.

Seeing Scarpino speaking and soliciting support for their medical village is just sickening. And worse is that our county executive and legislators encourage the expansion at the expense and hardship of county residents having to travel outside of the county for medical outpatient treatment.

Ray Bryant SUNY New Paltz chief of police, retired

Accord