Albany, NY – Assemblywoman Amy Paulin’s bill which would require hospitals and residential healthcare facilities to implement a pressure ulcer (bedsore) prevention program has been vetoed by Governor Hochul. The program makes bedsore prevention in healthcare facilities a priority and ultimately mitigates the prevalence of patients getting bedsores. Paulin’s legislation also mandates that the NYS Health Commissioner evaluates the current reimbursement policy for pressure ulcer prevention programs and reports on the current reimbursement options.

“With the right resources, healthcare facilities have the ability to prevent pressure ulcers and the added pain for patients,” said Assemblywoman Amy Paulin. “Pressure ulcers are not an inevitable consequence of limited mobility, they are a failure of care. The program proposed by my bill would have created a systematic approach to prevention, training healthcare providers to be proactive against pressure ulcers.”

Pressure ulcers, also known as bed sores, occur when there is prolonged pressure on one spot on the skin which harms the tissue underneath. Individuals with limited mobility or those who are completely immobile may develop pressure ulcers due to not being able to change positions when lying down. Pressure ulcers can lead to more serious conditions like sepsis and bone infections if left untreated. In the United States, there are more than 2.5 million cases of pressure ulcers each year.

The bill idea was brought to Paulin by New York resident Richard Ancowitz, who noticed a difference in care between a hospital in Florida, that provided a large bandage to his father to prevent pressure ulcers, and a New York City hospital which did not provide the same preventative measures to his mother while she was in their care.

“I am very disappointed that Governor Hochul chose to veto this legislation that would lower healthcare costs and reduce patient suffering,” said State Senator Liz Krueger. “In spite of the Governor's claim that current measures are ‘robust,’ those measures clearly aren't working given the exceptionally high rate of unnecessary pressure sores in nursing homes and hospitals. Any new costs to administer a pressure ulcer program would be outweighed by the savings from decreased infection rates across New York's healthcare institutions, not to mention alleviating the suffering of New Yorkers dealing with a painful but easily preventable problem.”

“While I'm disappointed by the Governor's veto,” said Paulin, “I remain committed to protecting vulnerable patients and raising awareness about the serious health risks posed by pressure ulcers.”