Urgent Advocacy Message

As a nursing home provider, we are sure that you are not prepared for any more unfunded mandates. They may be heading your way if we don’t stop the Legislature from enacting legislation related to patient handling and staffing ratios. This week, both the Senate and Assembly began taking action on these bills.

Safe Patient Handling A.2180-A (Gunther)-S.1123-A (Maziarz): would create a Statewide Safe Patient Handling Policy for all health care facilities in New York State, and require facilities to establish the Safe Patient Handling Work Group to assist with compliance and training requirements reflecting the statewide policy. While LeadingAge New York supports the underlying concept, we believe this bill does not fully consider the individual care needs of residents and would impose significant costs on providers and the state Medicaid program. It also opens the door to patient abandonment. Click here for the memo of opposition.
 

• The Assembly has reported the bill to the Assembly Calendar, to be taken up any day now.
• The Senate Health Committee reported the bill to the Senate Finance Committee this week.

Staffing Ratios A.6571 (Gottfried)-S.3691-A (Hannon): would create specific staffing ratios for nurses and other direct-care staff in hospitals and nursing homes. The fact is that research does not reflect that high staffing levels produce higher quality of care or quality of life. In fact, the only outcome of this legislation will be higher Medicaid costs and less quality of life programming for nursing home residents. Click here for the memo of opposition.

• The Assembly bill was reported out of the Health Committee and Codes Committee this week. It is currently being considered by the Assembly Ways & Means Committee.
• The Senate recently amended their bill to match the Assembly version.

There are only 8 session days remaining and legislators are back in their district offices Thursday and Friday of this week. Please call your lawmakers and tell them how these bills will impact your facility and ask them to oppose them. The memos of opposition linked above should assist you with your discussion.

Please contact Ami or Alyssa if you need any assistance with your advocacy efforts.