Positive Health: The Human Right to Health Care Under the New York State Constitution

35 Fordham Urban L.J. 479 (2008)

82 Pages Posted: 28 Jul 2015

See all articles by Alan Jenkins

Alan Jenkins

The Opportunity Agenda

Sabrineh Ardalan

Harvard Law School

Date Written: July 1, 2008

Abstract

This article argues that the New York State Constitution creates a legal right to equal access to quality health care for all New Yorkers, drawing on both the historical context and the legislative history of the State Constitution to support this interpretation. Next, the article outlines the dimensions of the right to health care required under the text and history of the State Constitution, as informed by parallel provisions of international and federal law, as well as social science research. The article then provides an overview of additional laws that guarantee equal access to quality health care, focusing on racial, linguistic, socioeconomic, and geographic equity. The article concludes that New York State has failed to live up to its obligations to protect and promote New Yorkers’ health and suggests a series of remedies that can help ensure that the State fulfills its obligations.

Keywords: racial equity, language access, immigration, health care, human rights

Suggested Citation

Jenkins, Alan and Ardalan, Sabrineh, Positive Health: The Human Right to Health Care Under the New York State Constitution (July 1, 2008). 35 Fordham Urban L.J. 479 (2008), Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2636419

Alan Jenkins

The Opportunity Agenda ( email )

568 Broadway
Suite 701
New York, NY 10012
United States

Sabrineh Ardalan (Contact Author)

Harvard Law School ( email )

6 Everett Street
Wasserstein Hall 3103
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States
617-384-7504 (Phone)
617-495-8595 (Fax)

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
61
Abstract Views
1,326
Rank
635,260
PlumX Metrics