THE (UP)STATE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

Cooperstown, N.Y., July 22—New York State Senators Tom O’Mara (R/C/I-Big Flats) and James L. Seward (R/C/I-Oneonta), whose Upstate, rural legislative districts are being hurt by state-level changes underway in the management of Non-Emergency Medical Transportation, are holding a “New York Medicaid NEMT Roundtable Discussion” today in Cooperstown.

The Senate roundtable began at 11:00 a.m. at the Cooperstown Village Library on 22 Main Street.  The senators received testimony from local leaders and transportation management officials from Central and Western New York, the Mohawk Valley, the Hudson Valley, the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions, and the North Country to testify on how state reforms are negatively impacting public transportation in the rural communities they serve.  

In a joint statement, O’Mara and Seward said: “The state’s ongoing Medicaid redesign effort in Non-Emergency Medical Transportation represents a significant shift and major changes in public transportation services in many areas, but especially in the rural, upstate regions we represent. The future of public transportation is being put at risk by Albany’s attempt at a statewide, one-size-fits-all approach to these local systems.  It’s a developing crisis for many rural residents.  So we’re trying to bring more widespread attention to the changes underway, fully assess the consequences for our counties, and do what we can to ensure that the impact on rural public transportation at least receives a full and a fair hearing.”

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