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ALBANY-- The Healthcare Association of New York State's (HANYS) just-completed hospital-specific analysis of Gov. George Pataki's 2006-2007 Executive Budget proposal has determined that every one of New York State's 229 not-for-profit hospitals would lose critically needed funding under the Governor's budget plan. All told, the budget would cost hospitals in New York State a staggering $431 million in just one year alone.
"This data should startle every New Yorker who relies on their local hospital," said Daniel Sisto, president of HANYS. "Today, many of our hospitals are barely staying afloat, and what they and their patients need from the Governor is a lifeline; they need investment and support. Instead, the Governor, as he has done numerous times in the past, has proposed senseless funding cuts that will only drag vulnerable hospitals down further, imperiling the communities they serve."
The findings of HANYS' analysis are derived directly from the state Division of Budget's 2006-2007 Executive Budget allocation estimates and the state Department of Health's Medicaid payment methodology. This analysis is provided to hospitals each year and is universally recognized by government agencies and health care organizations as accurate and reliable.
Due generally to artificially low government and private insurance reimbursement rates and skyrocketing operating costs, the collective financial health of New York's not-for-profit hospitals has grown increasingly poor over the last decade. In 2004 alone, hospitals statewide lost $127 million, increasing their cumulative losses to $2.3 billion since 1998. Meanwhile, in 2004, New York health maintenance organization (HMO) profits totaled $847 million, bringing their total profits to $3.7 billion over the past six years.
"If there is excess money in the health care system, it obviously isn't within New York's not-for-profit hospitals," Mr. Sisto said. "Our message to the Governor is simple: Enough is enough. Hospitals can't afford, and some simply won't survive, another round of health care cuts."
For a complete listing of the 12-month impact of the Governor's budget plan on every hospital in the state. The list is alphabetized by county and includes the by-county and by-facility impact of the budget plan.
http://www.empirenewswire.com/release/downloads/hanys_budget.pdf
HANYS, the only statewide health care association in New York State, represents more than 550 non-profit and public hospitals, nursing homes, home care agencies, and other health care organizations. 1-26-06
© 2005 North
Country Gazette
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