NYRA to administer jockey health insurance plan

Facilitating new access to affordable health insurance coverage, the New York

Racing Association (NYRA) on Friday announced a formal agreement with the

Jockeys' Guild which extends formal health care coverage to New York State

Thoroughbred jockeys. Approved by the New York State Gaming Commission, the New

York Racing Association will administer the new program which will debut in late

November

As recommended by the New York Task Force on Jockey Health and

Safety, included in the state's 2014-15 budget was legislation setting aside a

dedicated funding stream for the program. This dedicated funding stream will

fund the health insurance program, which is expected to cover 50-75 current and

former jockeys.

To be eligible, jockeys must have ridden in at least 250 races at Aqueduct,

Belmont Park or Saratoga during the prior year, or 150 races at Finger Lakes.

The program also covers certain disabled and retired jockeys.  Thoroughbred

jockeys in New York meeting these requirements will be eligible for

reimbursements for their 2014 health expenses. Thereafter, in 2015 and beyond,

Thoroughbred jockeys will purchase and be reimbursed for health insurance

purchased on the exchange operated in New York under the new national health

care program.

Until this law was passed earlier this year, there was no mechanism to fund

health insurance for riders who are based in New York. New York now joins other

states such as Delaware, California, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey offering

financial assistance toward jockey health insurance.

"The New York Racing Association is proud to assist in facilitating health

insurance options for New York jockeys," NYRA CEA and President Christopher Kay

said. "Consistent with Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's goal of expanding health care

insurance coverage to more New Yorkers, the New York Racing Association worked

with the Governor and legislative leaders to further strengthen the safety net

for our jockeys."

"The Jockeys' Guild sincerely appreciates Governor Cuomo, Senate Majority

Co-Leaders Skelos and Klein, Assembly Speaker Silver, and Anthony Bonomo, the

Chair of the New York Task Force on Jockey Health and Safety, for bringing New

York up to the level of other racing jurisdictions," said Terry Meyocks,

National Manager of the Guild. "We look forward to continuing our working

relationship with the racing industry in New York to assure that our riders have

the safest environment possible."

John Velazquez, Chairman of the Guild, reiterated "the jockeys who regularly

ride in New York deeply appreciate the work by Governor Cuomo, legislative

leaders, Dean Skelos, Jeff Klein and Shelly Silver, as well as NYRA Board member

Anthony Bonomo to create a jockey health plan for qualifying New York riders."

The New York Task Force on Jockey Health and Safety was formed in 2013 to

investigate issues involving the health and safety of jockeys racing in New

York, and charged with issuing recommendations for jockey benefits and how they

could best be provided through the resources of the racing industry. Chairing

the Task Force was New York Racing Association Board member Anthony J. Bonomo,

with its members comprising Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez, former jockey

Ramon Dominguez, Alan Foreman, Nancy C. Kelly and David P. Leno.

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