Governor Kathy Hochul of New York has proposed a significant increase in the maximum disability payment for workers. On Tuesday, she proposed that the disability benefit increase to $1,250 a week, up from the $170 set 35 years ago. This benefit assists workers who are unable to work due to an off-the-job injury or illness with New York being one of the few states to offer such a benefit.

Funding for this benefit comes from a state fund of mandated contributions by workers and their employers. Hochul has also proposed a prohibition on health insurance companies from charging copays for insulin, a medication required by approximately 1.6 million New Yorkers.

Under Hochul’s proposed measures, people with substantial hospital bills would also receive financial relief. She suggests limiting the size of monthly payments and interest that finance providers can demand from patients. The proposal aims to protect low-income patients from lawsuits by bill collectors and to extend hospital financial assistance programs to benefit more patients.

Hochul’s initiatives will be formally presented in her State of the State address, which outlines the year’s legislative agenda. Though appreciated by many, these proposals are likely to increase costs for employers, hospitals, and some loan companies. Further details of the proposals will be released along with Tuesday’s State of the State address.