Assembly SFY 2019-20 Budget Restores Critical Health Funding

Speaker Carl Heastie and Health Committee Chair Richard N. Gottfried today announced the Assembly’s State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2019-20 Budget would make nearly $700 million in restorations to the Medicaid program and $54 million in restorations to public health programs that were eliminated from the Executive Budget.

“New York continues to lead the way in providing high quality health care for all New Yorkers. Despite the fiscal challenges we are facing, the Assembly Majority is committed to ensuring that New Yorkers have access to the critical health care services they need,” said Speaker Heastie. “Our budget recognizes the simple fact that cuts have consequences, and we have made every effort to protect our hard fought gains.”

“The Assembly Majority knows that health care is a human right,” said Assemblymember Gottfried. “New Yorkers cannot afford the massive proposed cuts to Medicaid and critical public health programs. Within our resources, we are proposing to protect and strengthen programs to provide health care to all New Yorkers, especially the elderly and people with disabilities, while supporting the health care providers we all depend on.”

Medicaid Restorations

Although the state is faced with limited resources, the Assembly remains committed to making sure New Yorkers have access to the vital services they need. The spending plan would restore $550 million in Medicaid cuts that were made in the governor’s 30-day amendments, including $222 million to restore the two percent rate increase for hospitals and a 1.5 percent increase for nursing homes. The plan also includes $190.2 million to restore 0.8 percent across-the-board Medicaid claims cuts.

The plan would also restore $31 million in pharmacy reductions, including $18.7 million for existing prescribing prevails provisions, and $12.3 million to maintain coverage for over-the-counter drugs.

The proposed spending plan would restore $54.75 million cut from the governor’s spending plan, including:

• $17.5 million to reject the proposal to cap reimbursement for deductibles, ambulance and psychologist services for individuals dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid at the Medicaid rate;
• $24.5 million for Major Academic Centers of Excellence; and
• $7.75 million to fund for the Population Health Improvement Program.

An additional restoration of $5.9 million is included to protect community spouses from impoverishment.

The Assembly includes $25 million for enhanced safety net hospitals, for a total of $75 million.

The Assembly also includes an additional $3.5 million to expand the executive’s five percent increase for certain Early Intervention (EI) service providers to include all EI providers.

Public Health Restorations

Other critical public health investments by the Assembly include:

• $26.9 million to restore public health funding for New York City;
• $3.82 million to restore funding for School Based Health Centers;
• $500,000 to expand coverage for children’s behavioral health services to Child Health Plus; and
• $500,000 to restore funding for the Nurse-Family Partnership program.