Advocacy Day Participants Urge Lawmakers to Reject Cuts; Continued Advocacy Needed

TO:
Trustee Leaders

Health care board chairs and trustees were among the more than 350 leaders representing hospitals and health care organizations from across the state in Albany on Wednesday urging lawmakers to reject Governor Paterson’s proposed $1 billion in health care provider taxes and cuts.

The Governor’s $1 billion in proposed health care provider taxes comes on top of nearly $4 billion in cuts already enacted through six different budget actions over the last two years.

Health care leaders at the HANYS/HTNYS Leadership Advocacy Day appealed to legislators to protect jobs, preserve access to vital health care services, and encourage economic recovery in their communities. After morning meetings with legislators organized by the allied associations, participants gathered in the Empire State Plaza Convention Center to hear from state legislative leaders.

HTNYS’ Chair Sarah Schermerhorn, a trustee at Ellis Medicine in Schenectady, recommended that trustees do three things to protect health care:

• make sure advocacy is an agenda item at every board meeting;
• engage your local community and advocate on your facility’s behalf with everyone you come in contact with; and
• approve the board resolution that HTNYS drafted for all boards that expresses opposition to the Governor’s health care cuts and taxes.

If your hospital or health care system’s governing board has not yet passed the HTNYS resolution, please do so as soon as possible. Customize the resolution by adding your hospital or health system name, the date your board approved the resolution, and board signatures. Once approved, please send copies to your state legislators and to Sheila Taylor, Executive Assistant, at staylor@hanys.org or via fax at (518) 431-7812.

Also, HTNYS joins HANYS in encouraging all New Yorkers to visit helpyourhospital.org and helpyournursinghome.org, where they can find out how the Governor’s proposed budget cuts will harm their health care providers in their communities, and send letters to their local state legislators. Please spread the word to your colleagues and community.

Thank you for your continued support of our advocacy efforts.

For More Information

Contact Sue Ellen Wagner, Executive Director, Healthcare Trustees of New York State and
Vice President, Community Health, HANYS, at (518) 431-7837 or at swagner@hanys.org.