(ALBANY, NEW YORK) - Hospital and Nursing Home Workers from Western New York traveled to Albany, joining other Health Care Workers from across the State to lobby the New York State Senate and New York State Assembly for Medicaid Equity this week. 

Caregivers attended the joint Legislative Hearing on Healthcare, listened to testimony given by 1199 Service Employees International Union (SEIU) President George Gresham and Greater New York Hospital Association (GNYHA) President Kenneth Raske and later lobbied New York State Senate and Assembly Members.  

The Health Care Workers came to Albany on behalf of their patients and residents to draw attention to drastic cuts in Governor Kathy Hochul’s proposed budget and to addresses the dire Medicaid funding crisis by urging leaders to fully fund Medicaid Health Insurance Program.  

Juliette Negron, a Registered Nurse at Kaleida Health’s Oishei Children’s Hospital in Buffalo, said: “I came to Albany to support change and to encourage the legislature and the Governor to fix the budget.  I’m not only advocating for Safety Net Hospitals that provide care to babies in the Neonatal ICU, but also for their families.”  

In testimony, 1199 SEIU President Gresham said: “We believe that all New Yorkers deserve equal access to quality health care, no matter their income or zip code.  Yet, New York State’s Medicaid Program pays hospitals (30%) less than the full cost of the care they provide.” 

Chronic underfunding of Medicaid has created a crisis that is pushing New York Hospitals to their fiscal breaking point and severely threatening care for our most vulnerable New Yorkers, said Gresham: “Failure to fully fund Medicaid is not an option.  The time is now to take action to fix this crisis and close the gap before it’s too late.”

Mor than seven million New Yorkers rely on Medicaid for their health care, the majority of whom come from Black and Latino Communities. 

New York’s Medicaid (Health Insurance) coverage pays hospitals 30% less than the actual cost of care hospitals provide, 1199 SEIU Representatives said.

This chronic underfunding not only endangers Health Care Providers like hospitals and nursing homes, but also jeopardizes health outcomes to low-income patients, including seniors, children, mothers and people with disabilities, who rely on the underfunded insurance for their care, Union Officials said. 

Grace Bogdanove, who serves as 1199 SEIU Vice-President for WNY Nursing Homes, said: "The Governor’s proposed budget ignores and further exacerbates the crisis in our nursing homes.  Without immediate and significant investment in the long-term care industry, nursing homes across the State and several in Western New York will close, critical services will be cut, and the most vulnerable members of our communities will be left without care.” 

To Read This Labor News Report In Its Entirety, Go To: Local Hospital & Nursing Home Workers Join Statewide Effort in Albany Demanding Full Funding for New Yorkers Covered by Medicaid Health Insurance Program (1199seiu.org)

Photo Of Union Members Meeting With State Assembly Member Jon Rivera Courtesy Of 1199 SEIU.