Voters will head to the polls on Tuesday, November 6 to vote in one of the most consequential elections in years. While the State Assembly will remain solidly Democratic, control of the State Senate, where Senator Simcha Felder of Brooklyn currently provides Republicans with a razor-thin majority, is very much in play. While Democrats say…

GNYHA has developed the attached Improving Residency Program and Community-Based Organization Collaboration: A Guide to Developing Innovative Partnerships toolkit to help residency programs engage in mutually beneficial partnerships with community-based organizations (CBOs) to train residents on social determinants of health. Residents who understand the importance of addressing social determinants of health can better address the needs…

GNYHA convened a conference call briefing for members last week on a proposed Federal rule issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on “public charge,” a determination that makes certain legal immigrants ineligible to change their status. GNYHA, member hospitals and health systems, and immigrant communities believe the proposed rule, issued in the Federal…

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Initiative to Reduce Avoidable Hospitalizations among Nursing Facility Residents Phase One evaluation last October showed reductions in all four utilization categories (all-cause hospitalizations, potentially avoidable hospitalizations, all-cause emergency department [ED] visits, and potentially avoidable ED visits). The October 1, 2018 issue of the journal Health Affairs includes…

On October 10, New York State Department of Health (DOH) Commissioner Howard A. Zucker, MD, JD sent the attached letter on organ donation, requesting hospitals’ commitment and leadership to help New York increase organ donor enrollment. Commissioner Zucker outlined the components of a robust organ donation program, which includes leadership, education and awareness, institutionalization and…

The Senate passed the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act (H.R. 6) last week by a vote of 98-1. This legislation, which the House passed by a vote of 393-8 last week, was the product of the “conference committee” formed by Congressional leaders to reconcile the House- and Senate-passed packages to address the opioid crisis….

In response to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) outpatient prospective payment system proposed rule for 2019, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have warned about the proposal’s harmful effects. The proposed rule includes “site-neutral” payment provisions that would slash reimbursements paid to hospitals for evaluation and management services delivered in off-campus…

The New York City Council Committee on Hospitals met on October 3 to discuss the industry-wide shift from inpatient to outpatient care. Representatives from NYC Health + Hospitals, GNYHA Executive Vice President David Rich, and various advocates testified. (GNYHA’s written testimony is attached here.) Both H+H and GNYHA described how hospitals are working to reduce…

GNYHA hosted a roundtable meeting on October 2 with New York State Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs Executive Director Denise Miranda. Ms. Miranda, who assumed the leadership role in 2017, detailed changes implemented during her tenure that support the Justice Center’s mission and values, including consistency, timeliness, and collaboration. The…