The New York State budget is under discussion, and access to quality healthcare for millions of New Yorkers is at the center of the debate.
As a legislator, you have first-hand experience of how critical Medicaid is to your constituents. Medicaid enables safety net hospitals to serve your constituents. In particular, we would like to draw your attention to the aspect of mental health and substance abuse services provided by these institutions, for which there is a critical need for healthcare professionals.
These safety net hospitals serve low-income and vulnerable members among your constituents, and are operating on narrow financial margins, with Medicaid funding them 65 cents on the dollar. The ability of these institutions to continue to serve these communities is at risk.
We urge you to support closing the Medicaid coverage gap with a 10% rate increase as you participate in the budget negotiations.