REMARKS
Mercedes Narcisse on the Medicaid Underfunding Crisis in New York Hospitals
0:28:41
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121 sec
Council Member Mercedes Narcisse discusses the healthcare crisis caused by Medicaid underfunding in New York, highlighting its severe consequences for healthcare workers, hospitals, and over four million Medicaid dependents.
- Mercedes Narcisse calls for an increase in Medicaid reimbursements to hospitals to cover 100% of care costs by 2028, starting with a significant increase this year.
- She highlights how Medicaid currently underpays hospitals by 30%, resulting in cuts to mental health services, longer ER wait times, and healthcare staffing shortages.
- Underfunding disproportionately affects low-income New Yorkers, particularly in black and Latino communities, leading to poorer health outcomes and reduced life expectancy.
- Essential hospitals are at risk, with some facing potential sale.
- Narcisse advocates for fully funded Medicaid to improve care quality for all New Yorkers, especially seniors, children, and mothers.
Mercedes Narcisse
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I speak today to Sandalom on behalf of healthcare workers in hospital, of course, our city.
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As a council nurse, I am calling a code blue.
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Doctors, nurses, and hospital staff can handle most emergencies.
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But every now and then, even healthcare work heroes need a lifeline.
0:29:00
We need all hands on deck.
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We are facing a critical issue.
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Medicaid currently pays hospital 30% less than the actual course of care of New York.
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This understanding has created an urgent health care crisis, and it is severely impacting the more more than 4,000,000 New Yorkers who rely on Medicaid for their health care.
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We are seeing severe cuts in mental health services, longer wait times in emergency room, and dangerous health care staffing shortages.
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This underpayment harmed low income New Yorkers, especially in the black and Latino communities leading to worst health care outcomes and shorter life expectancies.
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Safety net hospitals, which are lifeline for many communities, are being pushed to the brink and even worse.
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Some like Sony Downstate and Beth Israel Center are on the shopping block.
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Jobs and lives will be lost.
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So with that, there's hope we have a solution.
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We need governor Hochul to rate met to raise Medicaid reimbursement rates to cover 100 percent, of course, of care by 2028.
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Starting with the sizable down payment in this year's state budget.
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If New York increases Medicaid reimbursement, the federal government will pay for half of the course.
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Fully funded Medicare means hospital can provide quality care and mental health services New York's need.
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It means our seniors children and mothers and babies will receive the best quality care they deserve.
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I urge all my colleagues to send a clear message to Albany by supporting Resolution One Seventy when it come up to for less leisure to fully fund Medicaid.
0:30:42
Thank you.