Senator Montgomery Acclaims Budget Restorations For 18th Senate District Hospitals And Nursing Homes

Albany, NY (April 9, 2007): "New York has reaffirmed its commitment to patients and healthcare workers," said State Senator Velmanette Montgomery (D-Brooklyn), in announcing the adoption of the 2007-08 State Budget, which includes more than $37 billion in spending for direct medical services, including Medicaid and community health care.

Montgomery expressed particular satisfaction with the Legislature’s ability to stave off the lion’s share of cuts to hospitals and nursing homes in her Senate District and statewide, which would have compromised patient care and resulted in a loss of jobs for many workers in the health professions.

The Senator noted that more than $400 million of the Governor's $1.3 billion proposed Medicaid cost-containment measures was restored, with $377 million of the restorations going to hospitals and nursing homes.

"This is great news," said Montgomery, "and it gets even better because the federal government has committed to matching the state’s share dollar-for-dollar. This means that New York’s hospitals and nursing homes can count on a restoration of nearly $800 million."

The State’s restorations to hospitals and nursing homes serving Senator Montgomery’s district are:

Hospitals:

Brooklyn Hospital, $8.9 million; Interfaith Medical Center, $8.2 million; Long Island College Hospital, $2.4 million; Lutheran Medical Center, $810,000; and New York Methodist Hospital, $1.3 million.

Nursing Homes:

Bishop Francis Mugavero, $1.2 million; Bishop Henry B. Hucles EPI, $1.2 million; CABS Nursing Home Company, $436,126; Concord Nursing Home, Inc., $578,708; Greenpark Care Center, $815,916; New Carlton Rehab and Nursing, $174,868; and Oxford Nursing Home, $212,870.

Some of the other key healthcare initiatives in the 2007-08 State Budget are: an increase of $675,000 for school-based health centers, bringing total state spending to $21 million; expansion of the Child Health Plus program so New York’s 400,000 uninsured children can be eligible for health coverage, and $600 million, allocated over 11 years, to establish a stem cell research institute and grants program.