The New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) was able to score victories in the upcoming state budget, according to a statement released the previous week.

Representing some 42,000 nurses all across the state of New York, NYSNA worked with its allies and supporters to secure additional financial aid to better sustain patient care in hard-hit hospitals and making sure that New Yorkers maintain access to hospital care.

These efforts to strengthen public health care in the entire state are among the provisions included in the New York state budget for the fiscal year 22, set to take effect later this year - the renewed commitment from the NYSNA and the state government will be critical in the ongoing battle against the coronavirus pandemic.

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An Essential Plan for New Yorkers

Among the provisions added in the upcoming state budget plan is a $4.3 billion revenue drawn from increased taxes on the wealthiest New Yorkers and the most profitable corporations in the state. The new tax program is a step towards social equality, with those getting more having to pay more in taxes. Additionally, the Empire State is also set to receive $24 billion in direct unrestricted federal funding, which should help New York push back austerity measures left standing on its table.

Additionally, New York's State Essential Plan, originally implemented to cover lower-income New Yorkers, now no longer requires premium contributions or co-payers for dental and eye care needs. This improvement, according to the NYSNA, is a vital stopgap measure as the association continues to fight towards a single-payer system for the state's Health Plan.

The upcoming New York State Budget will also include groundbreaking legislation that will require all nursing home owners to direct at least 70 percent of their revenues toward direct patient care, with 40 percent of it on staffing. This measure is expected to cut excess profits and spending on outsourced and agency-provided staff and encourage the hiring of permanent staff, nurses, and aides. With this legislation, NYSNA hopes to turn this into a model for all health care providers.

Winning Some, Losing Some

A review of the FY22 New York State Budget reveals that the NYSNA was not victorious on all fronts. One "disappointment" for the group was the state's decision to retain the GLobal Medicaid Cap. The legislation limits annual increases in Medicaid spending to about 2 percent per annum but poses a threat to safety net providers and Medicaid recipients themselves. The nurses' association notes the sharp increase in registrations - an additional 800,000 new enrollees increasing the total from 6.2 million to 7 million. However, Medicaid spending is not proportionate with the increasing costs of care and patient needs.

Also, the state budget was not yet able to address the needs for state and federal Indigent Care Pool and DSH funding for safety-net hospitals - facilities that provide the most care to the uninsured and Medicaid-supported patients. NYSNA expressed a renewed commitment in fighting to "address these structural imbalances."

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