Buffalo Ledger

Senator Patrick M. Gallivan (R-C, Elma) and members of the Senate Minority Conference have expressed their support for legislation (S.6914A) aimed at amending public health law in relation to residential health care facility rates. Senator Gallivan, who serves as the Ranking Member of the Senate Standing Committee on Health, is a co-sponsor of the bill.

The proposed legislation addresses concerns about nursing homes in New York State, specifically highlighting the need to update Medicaid reimbursement rates to reflect current costs. Medicaid serves as the primary payer for nursing home care and is a major revenue source for providers serving vulnerable populations. However, the "expense basis" calculation for Medicaid reimbursement has not been updated since 2007.

“Nursing homes in New York State are providing care to Medicaid patients but are being reimbursed for only about 70 percent of the actual cost of services,” Senator Gallivan stated. “The state must address these outdated rates and provide adequate reimbursements to ensure nursing homes are financially able to provide the quality care residents deserve.”

The letter advocating for this bill was sent to Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Finance Committee Chair Liz Krueger, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, and sponsors of the bill Senator Gustavo Rivera and Assemblywoman Amy Paulin. The Senators urged them to support this bill and advance it to a floor vote.

The letter from the Senators states, “This bill, which is strongly supported by the nursing home industry, establishes a much-needed schedule requiring the DOH to rebase expenses and update Medicaid rates at least every five years. With this legislation, the DOH and Division of the Budget (DOB) can ensure that reimbursement better reflects current costs and prioritize providers with the resources necessary to recruit and retain quality direct care staff.”

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