Associations to push for increased NYS Safety Net Funding
GNYHA President Kenneth Raske to testify at Budget Hearing in Albany.
GNYHA President Kenneth Raske to testify at Budget Hearing in Albany.
February 27, 2023 - Kenneth Raske, the President of the Greater New York Hospital Association (GNYHA), is set to testify at The New York State Legislature's Health/Medicaid Joint Budget Hearing. This annual forum examines the health care provisions in Governor Kathy Hochul's proposed State fiscal year 2023-24 budget.
Raske's testimony will focus on the ongoing crisis facing New York's hospitals. He will highlight the severe fiscal and workforce challenges that hospitals are facing, including uncontrollable expense increases, a national healthcare worker shortage, and fewer places to safely discharge patients.
According to a recent survey by New York's state and allied regional hospital associations, New Yorkers are losing access to healthcare services amid escalating care delivery costs and persistent workforce shortages. The survey's findings reveal that four out of five hospitals in New York report negative or unsustainable operating margins, and hospitals' dire fiscal crisis is likely to only get worse.
Already-strained hospitals cannot absorb their escalating expenses, and negotiations with commercial insurers leave little room for hospitals to address escalating expenses in a timely or meaningful way. Most hospital care is paid for based on prices set by Medicare and Medicaid, and healthcare prices are under heavy public scrutiny.
Raske's testimony will call for immediate action from the state and federal governments, including new funding, common-sense policy changes, and no cuts to existing vital healthcare funding. The consequences of inaction could be severe, with hospitals closing, patients losing care, healthcare workers losing their jobs, and communities losing their lifeblood.
In conclusion, Raske's testimony at The New York State Legislature's Health/Medicaid Joint Budget Hearing highlights the urgent need for action to address the ongoing crisis facing New York's hospitals. With escalating expenses and persistent workforce shortages, hospitals are in dire need of support to sustain their services and provide crucial healthcare to communities across the state.