Legislative Bulletin: LeadingAge NY Publishes SFY 2025-26 Executive Budget Summary
January 31, 2025
LeadingAge NY Publishes SFY 2025-26 Executive Budget Summary
On Tuesday evening, LeadingAge NY released a comprehensive summary of the aspects of the SFY 2025-26 Executive Budget proposal that impact LeadingAge NY members and the people you serve. While this year’s Executive Budget puts us in a better starting place than last year, we have a great deal of work to do over the next few months to ensure that the final budget includes the more meaningful investments our sector so desperately needs.
The advocacy efforts of LeadingAge NY and our members have been constant over the last few years, and we appreciate your efforts as they have been critical to our success in securing more increases than cuts in the last several budget cycles. However, we must further engage now to ensure that the needs of older adults, individuals in need of long-term care or aging services, and the providers that serve them are addressed in the final SFY 2025-26 budget agreement.
LeadingAge NY will provide a variety of ways to engage in advocacy efforts over the coming weeks, but we urge every member to begin by attending our Feb. 4th Advocacy Day to advance our shared budget priorities. We must have a large showing in Albany to convey to the Legislature how critical these issues are to older adults and their families. Budget issue briefs are becoming finalized and available in real-time on our advocacy website here.
Any questions about the Executive Budget Proposal and related issue briefs may be directed to Sarah Daly (sdaly@leadingageny.org) or anyone on the policy team. And again, we hope you review the information below and consider joining us next week in Albany to advocate!
It’s Not Too Late – Join Us for 2025 Advocacy Day!
There is still time to register to join us for our Advocacy Day in Albany on Tuesday! During our in-person advocacy day, we will be urging State legislators to support and appropriately fund the entire continuum of long-term care/aging services providers; including nursing homes, assisted living/adult care facilities, home care agencies, senior housing, adult day health care, managed long-term care and more!
Please join us for our LeadingAge NY Advocacy Day to support our efforts!
When: Tues, Feb. 4, 2025
Where: Meeting Room 5, The Empire State Plaza Convention Center (279 Madison Ave., Albany, NY 12242)
How: CLICK HERE TO REGISTER by 1 p.m. on Mon., Feb. 3rd.
What: During our Advocacy Day, LeadingAge NY will:
- Provide breakfast & lunch;
- be available to join you for your legislative meetings;
- provide legislative materials and “handouts” for legislators;
- assist in any necessary follow-up from meetings;
- provide a meeting room, directions, parking information, logistical support and more!
Who: YOU! We need you to join us for this important Advocacy Day. As LeadingAge NY members and providers of critical long-term care and aging services, you are the best advocate for the consumers and employees who depend on you. Your unique voice and experience are our greatest asset in advocacy. Please consider joining us!
If you have scheduled your own meetings for Tuesday and you have not already shared your meeting schedule with us, please send your meeting details to Sarah Daly at sdaly@leadingageny.org and Saleena Ali at sali@leadingageny.org as soon as possible. This is critical to enhancing our organization, collaboration, and overall advocacy impact.
Finally, to ensure that members are familiar with what is in the SFY 2025-26 Executive Budget Proposal and all details of our 2025 Advocacy Day, LeadingAge NY hosted a Budget and Advocacy Day Prep Call this morning. A recording of that prep call is now available on the 2025 Advocacy Day website here. Please reach out to Sarah Daly (sdaly@leadingageny.org) with any questions.
Nursing Home Temporary Operator Bill Added to Senate Health Agenda
A piece of legislation that LeadingAge NY successfully opposed last year has been reintroduced in the Senate and added to the Senate Health agenda for Tues. Feb. 4th at 12 p.m. The bill, S.1223 (Rivera), would allow the Commissioner of Health to appoint a temporary operator if a nursing facility experiences serious financial instability or conditions that seriously endanger the life, health or safety of residents or patients. However, the legislation would duplicate and likely conflict with existing authorities for temporary operation of nursing facilities and could create a significant disincentive for facilities to seek access to state financial assistance programs to address the effects of inadequate Medicaid rates and rapidly rising costs.
Last year, this bill was passed in the Senate and the Assembly, but we were successful in advocating for the bill’s veto with a letter to the Governor.
The Nursing Home Temporary Operator bill has not yet been reintroduced in the Assembly, but it is already advancing through the Senate. LeadingAge NY has issued our updated memo in opposition to the bill, and we welcome members to call their State Senator to share their opposition, particularly if they sit on the Senate Health Committee.
ACTION ALERT: Urge Congress to Protect Medicaid in 2025!
Congress is preparing to pass a budget resolution to move forward on tax and spending priorities. Using the budget reconciliation process, Congressional committees of jurisdiction will be instructed to reduce spending on mandatory programs, reauthorize expiring tax cuts, and authorize other spending priorities. Budget reconciliation allows Congress to pass legislation without 60 votes in the Senate, and this has the potential to put Medicaid funding at significant risk.
Medicaid, because of its significant budget and concerns from incoming Congressional leadership about the program’s scope and cost, will be a target for spending cuts in the coming months. New York, in particular, could be significantly impacted by the changes that are under consideration.
As you know, the Medicaid program is critical to older adults and the providers who serve them. Cuts or changes that impede access to the program must not be part of the budget resolution.
Click here to write to your members of Congress TODAY, urging them not to include Medicaid cuts or harmful changes as part of budget reconciliation or other legislation!
Consider Joining us in D.C. for LeadingAge National Lobby Effort!
LeadingAge NY members are strongly encouraged to join us in Washington D.C. from April 7th – 9th for LeadingAge National’s 2025 Leadership Summit and Lobby Day! The Summit convenes thought leaders from across the aging services sector for mission-critical conversations. The event provides a valuable networking opportunity, bringing together providers, businesses, and policy experts for three days of keynotes, education sessions, VIP discussions, and meetings with members of Congress.
The final day of the summit, April 9th, will offer attendees the chance to influence national decision-makers through a coordinated lobbying effort on Capitol Hill. During the National Lobby Day, LeadingAge members will meet face-to-face with members of Congress to advocate against potential cuts to Medicaid and stress the need for enhanced federal funding and policies supporting long-term care and aging services for older adults.
LeadingAge NY members are strongly encouraged to join our lobby effort on Capitol Hill so policy makers can hear your stories, challenges, and accomplishments! You do not need to be a lobbyist or policy expert to be an advocacy champion. Your on-the-ground expertise is our most valuable asset in advocacy. Members of LeadingAge New York’s policy staff will be attending the summit and lobby day, attending all lobby day meetings alongside NY member advocates. Together, we can amplify our voice to raise awareness about the most critical issues impacting aging services providers, our employees, and the older adults and families we serve. Click here to register for the Leadership Summit and Lobby Day!
Contact: Sarah Daly; 518.867.8845; sdaly@leadingageny.org