GOVERNOR CUOMO RELEASES BUDGET TO CLOSE $10 B GAP

Wednesday, February 2nd, 2011

Governor Cuomo released his proposed Budget for the 2011-12 Budget year which seeks to close a $10 billion budget gap.  The proposed Budget includes all funds spending of $132.9 Billion, or 2.7% ($3.7B) less than the funding allocated for the 2010-11 Budget year.  Notably, the Budget proposal calls for reducing State Funds Medicaid spending by $2.85 billion for the 2011-12 fiscal year, and $4.6 billion for the 2012-13 fiscal year based upon initiatives identified by the Governor’s Medicaid Re-Design Team, and limiting spending growth to the 10-year rolling average of the medical care component of the CPI (currently 4%).

While staff is continuing its review of the Budget bills released by the Governor, among the notable items in the proposed Budget include:

• Continuing Excess Medical Liability Insurance program for next 3 years
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• Continuing superintendent’s medical liability insurance rate-setting authority for 3 years
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• Continuing $990,000 allocation for MSSNY’s Committee for Physician’s Health
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• Continuing $1.7 million in funding for the physician loan forgiveness program
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• 10% cut to early intervention services
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• Funding for Cancers Services Program is reduced by $650,000 to reflect the elimination of non-direct care components of certain programs. Estimated savings for 2011-12 is $320,000.
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• Restructure the General Public Health Work Program:  Reimbursement for the General Public Health Work program will be limited to basic services and reimbursement for all optional services will be discontinued.   Optional services include Medical Examiners, Early Intervention Service Coordination, Dental Services, Home Health Service, Long Term Care, Emergency Medical Services, other environmental services, radioactive materials licensing, radioactive equipment inspection and housing hygiene.   Estimated Savings for 2011-12 is $10.5 million
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• Would limit EPIC coverage for drugs when an enrollee has entered into the Medicare Part D coverage gap.   Effective July 1, 2011 EPIC enrollees will be responsible for paying Part D premiums or their full deductible.  Produces savings in the program estimated at $58.4 million.
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• No new health care taxes, assessments or fee increases
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COLLECTIVE NEGOTIATION LEGISLATION Re-Introduced

Tuesday, January 25th, 2011

Assembly Majority Leader Ron Canestrari has re-introduced legislation (A.2474) that would permit independently practicing physicians the ability to negotiate collectively patient care terms with health insurance companies, under close state supervision. With nearly 80% of the enrollees in the commercial managed care market in New York State enrolled in just six health insurance behemoths, and most regions of the state dominated by just one or two health plans, most physicians face “take it or leave it” contracts that do not afford them any realistic ability to negotiate important plan participation terms. Enactment of this legislation is one of MSSNY’s highest priorities for the 2011 Legislative Session.

Co-sponsors of this legislation are Assemblymembers: Gottfried, Cahill, Colton, Magnarelli, Galef, Paulin, Schimel, Lifton, Cusick, O’Donnell, Abbate, Aubry, Bing, Brennan, Cook, Cymbrowitz, Destito, Dinowitz, Englebright, Glick, Heastie, Hikind, Hooper, Jacobs, Latimer, V. Lopez, Lupardo, Magee, Markey, McEneny, Meng, Millman, Morelle, Ortiz, Pheffer, Pretlow, Raia, Scarborough, Spano, Sweeney, Towns, Weinstein, and Wright. Physicians are urged to contact sponsors from their area to thank them for their sponsorship. Please urge your local legislators to join on as co-sponsors of this legislation if not listed already!

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NEW YORK Launches Website on Federal Health Care Reform

Monday, August 2nd, 2010

Governor David Paterson recently announced the launch of a new state website on federal health care reform. The website, www.HealthCareReform.ny.gov, includes descriptions of health care reform, how it will benefit New Yorkers, and the progress of implementation in the state. The website also includes information on how residents can obtain health insurance coverage and the public programs already in place in New York State.

The website further includes a timeline of when specific provisions of health care reform go into effect. Several reforms have or will take effect this summer, including a temporary high risk pool for people with medical conditions that are expensive to treat, an early retiree reinsurance program that will help offset the cost of providing health insurance to retirees age 55 and over who are not eligible for Medicare, and the mailing of rebate checks to Medicare Part D enrollees who reach the “donut hole” coverage gap.

“This website is a useful resource for New Yorkers to learn about the new reforms as they take effect throughout the next several years,” said Governor Paterson.

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Contact Gov. to Assure Coverage for Treatment to Intoxicated Drivers

Monday, July 26th, 2010

Physicians are urged to contact the Governor in support of a measure (S.7845, Breslin/A.11116, Dinowitz) passed by the Legislature to require No-Fault carriers to cover the costs of providing emergency care to intoxicated drivers.  MSSNY strongly supports this legislation. The bill would at last rectify an anomaly in the law whereby under federal law physicians and hospitals are required to provide emergency care to all patients, but a separate state law permits insurers to deny coverage for care provided to intoxicated drivers. As a result, many physicians have experienced the situation where they are not paid for providing this often-life saving treatment. Perhaps most importantly this bill would eliminate the current disincentives to testing patients for alcohol and better assure that patients can obtain the counseling they need.  Please indicate your support for this legislation by asking the Governor to sign this measure into law.

The bill was delivered to the Governor for his consideration this past Monday, so by law he must take action by the end of next week. Physicians can send a letter to Governor Paterson by clicking here.

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GOVERNOR PATERSON ANNOUNCES “EXTRAORDINARY” SESSION ON WEDNESDAY 7/28

Monday, July 26th, 2010

Governor Paterson has just announced that he will be calling the legislature into “extraordinary session” on Wednesday to “consider legislation to complete the state budget.”  He stated:  “The State budget is 15 weeks late, we have yet to close our $9.2 billion current year deficit or reduce our out year gaps, and have no plan to address an additional billion dollar problem that may arise if the Federal government does not provide FMAP contingency funds. New Yorkers cannot afford to wait any longer for a final State budget.”  Governor Paterson will call the Legislature into extraordinary session on Wednesday, July 28, at 6 p.m., to consider legislation required to complete the State budget, as well as other critical policy issues that were not addressed in the regular session of the State Legislature.

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PHYSICIAN COLLECTIVE NEGOTIATION LEGISLATION ADVANCES TO SENATE FLOOR

Monday, June 7th, 2010

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