Gov. Kathy Hochul proposed a 5% cost-of-living adjustment in Medicaid rates for nursing homes and hospitals in her state budget plan released Wednesday.
Andrew Cruickshank, chief executive officer of Fort Hudson Health System in Fort Edward, said Hochul’s proposed increase is an appreciated “first step,” and urged legislators to insist on a greater cost-of-living adjustment in the process of budget negotiations.
“Our legislators need to carry it forward and put the increase at 20% — nothing less,” he said in a telephone interview after Hochul released her budget proposal.
Cruickshank is a leader of The Alliance for Senior Care Communities, a coalition of nursing homes that has called for a 20% increase in Medicaid rates, which have not been adjusted for inflation in 15 years.
State Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, D-Round Lake, organized a press conference in Albany in support of the 20% request on Jan. 24, and Assemblyman Matt Simpson, R-Horicon, recently wrote a letter to Hochul in support of the 20% increase.
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Woerner reiterated the importance of a 20% increase on Wednesday.
“The paltry 5% proposal from the governor will not prevent our nonprofit nursing home from financial collapse,” she said in a new release.
Hochul, in her budget speech in Albany on Wednesday, said her intention is “to make it a little bit easier for a family living here in New York” facing a likely recession.
Spending concerns
Simpson said he is pleased with a number of Hochul’s proposals, including fully funding school aid, clarifying the state bail reform law and spending $1 billion to improve comprehensive mental health services, but he is concerned about the proposed increase in state spending.
Simpson said the plan does not appear to adequately address high taxes and the high cost-of-living in comparison with other states.
“I don’t see any real measures that address that root cause,” he said in a telephone interview.
State Sen. James Tedisco, R-Glenville, echoed Simpson’s concern.
“While I support some of the things in the governor’s budget proposal such as continuing to fully fund state Foundation Aid and state aid for our local schools, I’m deeply concerned that it doubles down on some of the same bad medicine of higher taxes that will sadly lead to more people escaping from New York to more tax friendly states,” he said in a news release.
Woerner said she is pleased with the governor’s mental health and youth employment proposals, and Hochul’s proposals to clarify the state’s bail reform law, increase funding for district attorneys, increase the number of state police officers and establish new crime analysis centers.
Woerner said in a telephone interview later on Wednesday that she is still working through details of the budget proposal.
“I will have more to say in a few days,” she said. “I need to understand better about her minimum wage proposal.”
Hochul proposed indexing the state minimum wage to inflation.
Gun law changes
State Sen. Dan Stec, R-Queensbury, said he is pleased that Hochul’s proposal includes language that clarifies the state’s recent gun control law to make it clear that historic reenactors and competitors in athletic events that involve shooting can legally use guns at events in the Adirondack Park.
“I’m glad to see that the governor realized this major problem and included language in her budget that matched my proposal to exempt the Adirondack Park from the new gun control laws. I hope my colleagues in the Senate and Assembly show the same common sense to protecting our Second Amendment right and keep this language in their respective state budgets,” he said in a news release. “While I have many concerns surrounding the size and scope of Governor Hochul’s proposal that I’ll outline in the days ahead, this is a welcome development.”