| A few more groups have stepped forward with their responses to Governor David Paterson's much-talked about State of the State Address.
Home Care Association of New York State:
The home care community couldn't agree more with Governor Paterson's assertion in today's State of the State address that "we must shift funding to primary, preventive and community-based care" - but it is impossible to accomplish this goal while proposing nearly a half-billion dollars in cuts to home care services, as the Governor has done.
While the Governor's ledger may in fact show $200 million in home care cuts, the actual bottom line is far worse for patients who would end up taking an astounding $460 million hit under the Governor's plan, once the loss of federal Medicaid matching dollars, resulting from these cuts, is accounted for. Every dollar in home care reimbursement reductions that the Governor counts as savings to the state is actually two dollars taken away from essential services for vulnerable patients who are disabled, chronically ill, or recovering from an illness, and who prefer to receive care at home rather than in a facility.
When the Governor today says that "we still incentivize the wrong care in the wrong setting at the wrong price," we ask: how does he intend to right the situation by cutting almost a half-billion dollars in home care services?
Patients who rely on home care services cannot sustain a double hit like this one, after past years of underfunding, inadequate reimbursement and rising health care costs have already taken their toll on essential services.
According to a recent study conducted by HCA and the New York Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (NYAHSA), 71 percent of programs serving long-term home health care needs and 53 percent of programs serving patients with post-acute/preventive home care needs reported operating losses in 2006, due to inadequate reimbursement and rising costs.
The report, entitled Unstable Ground: The Fiscal Instability of Home Care in New York State, also found that nearly half of home care providers would seriously consider closing their doors under a ten-percent Medicaid funding cut. This is already a reality throughout much of the state, particularly in rural New York . Since 2004, 14 New York home care agencies have already closed or have been consolidated through mergers.
In recent months, Governor Paterson has advocated strenuously for an increase in the federal Medicaid match provided to New York State . But with nearly a half-billion dollars in cuts on the table, we cannot wait for federal relief - while today's policies decimate New York 's home care community and its capacity to provide services to patients in greatest need.
Legal Services Funding Alliance:
Advocates for civil legal services (CLS) reacted strongly today to Gov. David Paterson's State of the State message and his earlier proposed budget that cuts civil legal services funding to zero, completely eliminating state funding for the legal services that low-income New Yorkers depend on, particularly in difficult economic times.
"We commend Gov. Paterson for delivering a sobering State of the State address and we recognize that the state is in the midst of a serious economic crisis," said Anne Erickson, president and CEO of the Empire Justice Center, speaking on behalf of the Legal Services Funding Alliance, a coalition of the 20 legal services programs outside of New York City.
"However, the Governor's complete elimination of civil legal services funding in his budget, especially at this urgent time of need, runs counter to his personal record of advocating for poor, disabled and distressed New Yorkers, as well as, his message today that recognized the need for community service programs," Erickson continued. "We know Gov. Paterson has been a strong advocate for access to justice and the delivery of legal assistance to those most in need, and today said that the best ethical decisions lead to the best policy decisions. We agree and urge the Governor to heed his own words and make the right ethical and policy decision by restoring critical CLS funding, at least to last year's level."
In the 2008-09 budget, state funding for civil legal services was reduced to just under $8 million, a 55% cut to the just under $16 million in funding for 2007-08. Adding to the pain is the continuing attempt to cut current year funding through the deficit budget which calls for a 44% cut to any unspent funding in the 2008-09 budget.
Below the fold is a chart that shows funding levels for civil legal services in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia. You can see how New York measured up in 2007 and how they will measure up according to Governor Paterson's budget proposal. |
