Emergency Spending Bill Impacts Health Care Costs

By Amy Young, Rochester YNN

The New York State Legislature passed an emergency spending bill Monday night that includes an additional $385 million in health care reimbursement reductions.

The cuts are in addition to the nearly $4.5 billion in health care cuts and increased taxes implemented statewide through six separate budget actions over the past two years.

The move isn’t sitting well with those who rely on affordable health care.

“A lot of people with disabilities, of course, have been worried about cuts in health care, and while we’re relieved that legislators have chosen not to cap personal care, an important service that lets us stay at home and not be forced into facilities, we’re still worried about what happened yesterday in the Legislature. Another extender bill was passed in order to keep government going,” said Center for Disability Rights Director of Advocacy Diane Coleman.

Coleman said the move provided no process for analyzing how it would impact those affected and called for massive cuts to health care in general.