by On Wednesday, thousands of health care workers in New York City, including upstate New York, were protesting Governor Kathy Hochul’s proposed state budget for 2024. They said her budget neglects key health needs. health care and does not capture the current state of New York’s health care. care system. “It’s important that we maintain jobs and maintain care,” said Mary Wilsey, vice president of 1199 SEIU North Country. “Where will our patients and residents go if they don’t have access to onsite health care?” as emergency rooms are overflowing, wait times for home care services are long, and hospitals and safety net care homes are not getting the funding they need. CVPH healthcare worker Kris Eney said. These healthcare workers said the governor’s proposed state budget for fiscal year 2024 cuts $700 million in safety net funding, cuts wages for homeworkers and failing to provide the proper funding to support nursing homes. They are calling on New York City officials to invest $2.5 billion in health care. In addition, they are asking them not only to restore the $700 million in backstop funding, but increase it by an additional $600 million For North Country defenders, one of the biggest issues they’re fighting for is closing the coverage gap increase in Medicaid reimbursement, which would be the largest increase in two decades.However, some health officials and local elected officials have said that this increase is entirely offset by the elimination of the 340B drug pricing program and the reduction of the pool of indigent care. the people are calling on the governor to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates by 10% for hospitals and 20% for nursing homes without compensation. dollar spent. How does he buy supplies, invest in technology to improve care, and compensate his employees when he never gets paid for the labor provided by the hospital and nursing home? Hochul responded to state protests against his proposed budget, telling NBC5: The 2024 Executive Budget takes steps to expand coverage, improve health outcomes and reduce unnecessary financial burdens on our state’s health care system.” It’s a very reasonable proposition to close that gap,” Jones said. “We haven’t asked for everything all at once, but we’re closing that gap. Certainly, we don’t want to see the zeros widen. “Officials from 1199 SEIU, a local health care union, also said they hope the governor will consider their proposal. They said their points must be considered if they want to maintain health care. quality available in the north of the country.
On Wednesday, thousands of healthcare workers in New York, including the North Country, were protesting Governor Kathy Hochul’s proposed state budget for 2024.
They said his budget neglects key health care needs and fails to take into account the current state of New York’s health care system.
“It’s important that we maintain jobs and maintain care,” said Mary Wilsey, vice president of 1199 SEIU North Country. “Where will our patients and residents go if they don’t have access to health care? »
Some healthcare workers said the aftermath of the pandemic had not been addressed and was still affecting them to this day.
They cited issues such as overflowing emergency rooms, long wait times for home care services and the safety net of hospitals and nursing homes not receiving the funding they need. .
“I’ve seen small hospitals close and then people have to travel over an hour to get quality healthcare,” said CVPH Healthcare worker Kris Eney.
These healthcare workers said the governor’s proposed state budget for fiscal year 2024 cuts $700 million from safety net funding, cuts wages for homeworkers and fails to provide adequate funding. to support nursing homes.
They are calling on New York City officials to invest $2.5 billion in health care.
Moreover, they are asking them not only to restore the $700 million safety net funding, but to increase it by an additional $600 million.
For North Country advocates, one of the biggest issues they’re fighting for is closing the Medicaid coverage gap.
They said upstate New York was getting 25% less than other parts of the state due to their patient numbers.
Hochul’s budget includes a 5% increase in statewide Medicaid reimbursement, which would be the largest increase in two decades.
However, some health officials and local elected officials said this increase was fully offset by the elimination of the 340B drug pricing program and the reduction of the indigent care pool.
The people of North Country are calling on the governor to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates by 10% for hospitals and 20% for nursing homes without compensation.
A healthcare worker told NBC5: “I can’t think of a business that would stay open and be paid 75 cents for every dollar spent. How do they buy supplies, invest in technology to improve the care and does it pay its employees when it is never paid for the work provided by the hospital and the retirement home?
Hochul responded to statewide protests against his proposed budget, telling NBC5:
“The FY2024 Executive Budget takes action to expand coverage, improve health outcomes, and reduce unnecessary financial burdens on our state’s health care system.”
However, New York Assemblyman Billy Jones disagrees. He hopes that Hochul will readjust his proposal with their counter-suggestions.
“It’s a very reasonable proposition to bridge that gap,” Jones said. “We didn’t ask for everything all at once, but we are closing that gap. Certainly, we don’t want to see the zeros widening.”
Officials from 1199 SEIU, a local health care union, also said they hoped the governor would consider their proposal.
They said their points needed to be taken into account if they wanted to keep quality health care available in the north of the country.
