An increase in the state's disability benefit cap was removed from New York's $237 billion budget during negotiations, to the dismay of lawmakers.
Workers in New York who require short-term disability can receive benefits of up to $170 per week. This hasn't changed since 1989, which he has for 35 years.
This is a proposal Gov. Kathy Hochul included in her January State of the State address and executive budget, announcing it as a co-priority for this year's legislative session.
“We all agreed this was a priority,” said Rep. Michael Solages, chairman of the state's Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus. “I understand that compromises will happen and negotiations will happen, but I hope that we can all work together to find a solution for the average New Yorker who is really benefiting from this.”
Solage said it would be a mistake not to increase benefits in the budget.
“There are so many people who need this benefit increase,” he said, adding that he knows people who won't accept the lower benefit.
Paid medical leave programs help New Yorkers take time off from work to get the treatment they need. Approximately 30% are related to pregnancy.
Lawmakers say they will work on amending the law and raising the cap by the end of the session in June.
“We are experiencing an affordability crisis,” Solage said. “Right now, low-wage workers who are struggling to live paycheck to paycheck are putting off treatment because they can't afford to live. We need to put these people at the center of this conversation.”
Lawmakers spent hours Friday debating the bills that make up the state's $237 billion spending plan, with two remaining bills still under negotiation. Lawmakers, general counsel and their staffs continue to finalize the final details, including the mayor's control over New York City schools and tax credits for low- and moderate-income New Yorkers.
Disagreement over Medicaid and health spending remained a major issue throughout the budget process. Lawmakers nevertheless passed the health care bill Friday afternoon. However, their concerns did not go unheeded.
Hospitals will receive a total of $525 million in Medicaid reimbursement rates and nursing homes will receive $285 million, which is less than what providers asked for.
“I've always believed that we need to increase and invest in Medicaid rates across the board. The main purpose of that is to provide some stability without these agencies coming to the state as usual.” so that we can do that,” Gustavo Rivera, chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, said during Friday debate.
Rivera has been outspoken about his dissatisfaction with this year's health spending plan, calling it “horrible” the roughly $500 million cut from various Medicaid programs.
The budget would change the state's consumer-directed personal assistance program to a single state financial intermediary, but lawmakers are upset that providers are chosen without oversight from the state comptroller. .
“I agree that we should be able to monitor wherever state funds are being spent,” Rivera said.
State Auditor Tom DiNapoli's office is reviewing the decision but declined to comment.
Republicans held off on the budget for several hours before voting against the bill, including opposition to a plan to temporarily tax long-term managed care providers and receive billions of additional federal dollars to reinvest in Medicaid. did. Rivera said this is a policy also in place in 17 other U.S. states.
New York's waiver awaits federal approval, but Republicans have warned against relying on federal aid.
“Every time we try to solve a problem this way, we're going to keep trying to plug those holes and put a Band-Aid on those gaping gunshot wounds,” said Sen. Jake Ashby, a Republican from Castleton. “I vote 'no'.”
Lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle equally supported a $300 million budget to save the State University of New York from closing its Brooklyn hospital. This reverses Hochul's plan to move many of the facility's inpatient services to the hospital across the street.
The governor told reporters Friday that low-income areas like central Brooklyn need better health care facilities and that he will work with many local officials and stakeholders to develop a plan to prevent hospital closures. Told.
“We have so many people at the table that we will be charting a path to develop recommendations for next year,” Hochul said.
Congress is expected to pass all 10 budget bills by the end of the week and send them to Hochul's desk ahead of a two-week recess.
