Congresswoman Clarke leads bipartisan measure to prevent Medicaid cuts to NY hospitals

Caribbean-American Democratic Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY) and Rep. Nick LaLota (R-NY), joined by Reps. Larry Bucshon, M.D. (R-IN), Doris Matsui (D-CA), Mike Lawler (R-NY) and Frank Mrvan (D-IN), on Wednesday introduced the bipartisan Save Our Safety-Net Hospitals Act to prevent massive cuts to New York hospitals’ Medicaid payments.

‘“New York’s safety net hospitals are an invaluable resource for our state’s most vulnerable patients, and Medicaid DSH funding is necessary for keeping their operations running,” Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, told Caribbean Life. “We cannot stand by as devastating funding cuts loom and threaten the health, wellbeing, and futures of the millions of New Yorkers who rely on these vital hospitals to access the healthcare services they need. 

“I am proud to stand with my colleagues across the aisle in support of a solution that will keep their doors open and protect the underserved patients they care for,” she added. “The time to pass the SOS Hospitals Act is now.”

LaLato said, “New York’s safety-net hospitals, like Stony Brook University Hospital, are the backbone of our healthcare system, providing essential care to our most vulnerable communities. 

“The potential $53 million cut in Medicaid funding threatens the very foundation of these institutions,” he warned. “My bipartisan Save Our Safety-Net Hospitals Act would prevent massive cuts to the nation’s most vulnerable hospitals without any cost to the taxpayer and ensure they can continue to deliver critical services. 

“This is a bipartisan and common sense fix to an issue directly impacting hospitals on Long Island and safeguards healthcare access for those who need it most, ensuring that no one is left behind due to bureaucratic oversights,” he added. 

Bucshon said safety net hospitals in Indiana and across the nation “help care for the most vulnerable patients. 

“As a physician, I know how critical these facilities are, particularly in rural and underserved urban communities,” he said. “It is critical that these safety net hospitals have the resources they need to provide care for these patients, and Congress must work to ensure the federal government is appropriately providing the resources necessary to support the important work that they do.”

Lawler said, “Hospitals that serve our most vulnerable populations are facing deep and unnecessary cuts, including hospitals right here in the Hudson Valley. We cannot let that happen and that’s why I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing the Save our Safety-Net (SOS) Hospitals Act. 

“This common sense legislation will ensure these hospitals continue to receive the funding they are due so patients can continue to receive care at these facilities,” he added.

Bea Grause, RN, JD, president of the Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS), applauded Reps. LaLota, Clarke and Lawler for championing the Save Our Safety-Net Hospitals Act, “which would safeguard resources essential to preserving care for New York’s most vulnerable populations.

“This bipartisan legislation would fix an inadvertent cut of Medicaid DSH resources for some New York hospitals that treat a significant portion of Medicaid and Medicare patients,” she said. “HANYS thanks our delegation members for their leadership in protecting patients’ access to care.”

Wendy Darwell, CEO of the Suburban Hospital Alliance of New York State, said the measure “takes an important step toward righting a wrong.

“The DSH program compensates hospitals for the extraordinary costs they incur for caring for our most vulnerable residents,” she said. “Three years ago, a minor change in law significantly reduced what New York’s hospitals could receive under the program. 

“Care provided to those who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid – typically very low-income seniors and the disabled – was no longer counted,” Darwell added. “The consequence of that change is tens of millions of dollars in cuts to Stony Brook, NUMC, and other public hospitals in New York. We’re grateful to Congressman LaLota for his initiative to stop these cuts.”

Kenneth E. Raske, president of the Greater New York Hospital Association, said Medicaid DSH payments are “an essential lifeline for New York’s safety net hospitals, but the current DSH cap calculation will severely harm them financially and disrupt access to care.

“The Save Our Safety Net Hospitals Act will help ensure that safety net hospitals can continue to serve the most vulnerable patients and communities,” he said. “The entire hospital community strongly supports this bill and thanks Representatives LaLota, Bucshon, Clarke, Lawler, Matsui, and Mrvan for their advocacy and leadership.”