NYS Healthcare Workers Call for Governor Hochul, NYS Leaders to Uphold Medicaid Increases in FY25 Budget: “Protect Patients, Protect Hospitals, Protect Healthcare Workers”

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, March 20, 2024
Media Contact: CWANY@berlinrosen.com

NYS Healthcare Workers Call for Governor Hochul, NYS Leaders to Uphold Medicaid Increases in FY25 Budget: “Protect Patients, Protect Hospitals, Protect Healthcare Workers”

CWA D1 Healthcare Workers, Union Leaders & Allies Lobby for Medicaid Increases that Will Ensure Quality of Care for Patients, Stabilize Hospital Budgets  and Improve Safe Staffing Levels for Workers

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Nearly a hundred healthcare workers with Communications Workers of America District 1 (CWA D1), joined by union allies including members of the New York State Nurses Association, held a rally and press conference at the State Capitol on Wednesday to urge Governor Hochul and NYS leaders to uphold the Medicaid reimbursement rate increases proposed last week in the FY25 one-house budget resolutions. The full event can be viewed here. 

“NYS’s healthcare system is on the brink of collapse, with hospitals closing at an unprecedented rate, healthcare workers leaving the industry in droves in search of better working conditions, and patients failing to receive the quality care that they deserve. After underfunding Medicaid for decades, NYS leaders now have an opportunity to address this crisis,” said Dennis G. Trainor, Vice President of CWA District 1. “That’s why CWA members, allies and members of our community came together today to call on the State to do what’s right and pass the critical Medicaid increases included in the one-house budgets.”

Hospitals across NYS are severely underfunded due to inadequate Medicaid reimbursement. In fact, NYS’s current Medicaid reimbursement rates cover just 70% of the cost of providing care, forcing hospitals to cut costs and jeopardizing patient care and essential services. As a result, low-income and communities of color who rely on Medicaid often lack access to quality care and hospitals across NYS continue to face service reductions, threats of closure and rampant understaffing. This cycle has been continuing for decades and is threatening the health and well-being of NY communities.

"Fair hospital funding would support the public and safety-net hospitals that care for our most vulnerable patients in low-income communities, rural communities and communities of color,” said NYSNA President Nancy Hagans, RN, BSN, CCRN. “Increasing Medicaid funding would also help address understaffing in New York's hospitals and stem the tide of closures of vital healthcare services like maternal and child health services. We urge New York's lawmakers to invest in New York healthcare.

Last week, the NYS Assembly and Senate included a 10% increase in Medicaid reimbursement rates across New York State hospitals in the one-house budgets to address this growing healthcare crisis, ensuring hospitals can provide quality care to all New York residents regardless of socio-economic status. This funding would also stabilize hospital finances, which is necessary to allow hospitals to make the required investments in the workforce to reduce unsafe staffing. At Wednesday’s rally and presser, CWA District 1 called on Governor Hochul and New York State leaders to ensure these increases in the Medicaid reimbursement rates remain in the final FY25 budget and support the healthcare workforce and a stronger healthcare system for all New Yorkers.

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CWA District 1 represents 145,000 workers in 200 CWA local unions in New York, New Jersey, New England, and eastern Canada. CWA members work in telecommunications, health care, higher education, manufacturing, broadcast and cable television, commercial printing and newspapers, state, local, and country government.