Governor Hochul Announces Major Health Care Investments in New York State – FY 2025 Budget Highlights

NEW YORK – Governor Kathy Hochul on Monday announced major investments to support New York’s health care system as part of the Fiscal Year 2025 Executive Budget, including higher investments in Medicaid and new policies that protect pregnant mothers, diabetics and low-income people seeking medicine. care

“No one should be afraid to seek medical care because of the costs involved or the time lost at work,” Governor Hochul said. “From supporting mothers who are pregnant with to lower insulin costs, we are taking steps to ensure that New Yorkers can get the care they need.”

Big investments in Medicaid for New Yorkers

The new 2025 budget provides maximum funding to keep New Yorkers healthy, while establishing a sustainable long-term fiscal foundation for the Medicaid program. A historic $37 billion investment in Medicaid sustains New York’s commitment to supporting the health care safety net and transforming the health care delivery system, while making bold investments to improve access has expanded services and support for the workforce. The budget also includes support for the recently approved Medicaid Waiver 1115 amendment by the State, investing $7.5 billion in federal and state funds to promote health equity across the State.

To improve maternal health

By requiring a separate sick leave bank for prenatal care, New York goes further than any other state to ensure that pregnant women receive the health care necessary to create healthy outcomes for both parents and children without jeopardizing employment. Employees can now receive an additional 20 hours of sick leave for prenatal care on top of existing sick leave.

Studies show that prenatal health care is strongly associated with better health outcomes for mothers and babies; and that pregnant mothers who have access to regular prenatal medical visits are less likely to die during childbirth and the newborn is more likely to be healthy.

Providing prenatal leave builds on Governor Hochul’s previous actions to support new parents and improve maternal health outcomes, including offering 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave benefits to more than 80 percent of state employees and extending postpartum coverage for up to a full year after the end of pregnancy for Medicaid and Child Health Plus enrollees.

In addition, the budget also includes financial incentives for hospitals to reduce the number of unnecessary C-sections and eliminate cost-sharing for certain pregnancy-related expenses, such as prenatal visits. -birth and postpartum, for those enrolled in the Essential Plan and the qualified Health Plan. .

Elimination of insulin co-payments

Governor Hochul signed legislation to eliminate insulin cost-sharing for any New Yorker with a state-regulated health insurance plan. This initiative will introduce the most comprehensive cost-sharing ban on insulin in the country, providing financial relief to New Yorkers and improving adherence to these life-saving medications. With 1.58 million New Yorkers diagnosed with diabetes, the proposal is estimated to save New Yorkers approximately $14 million in 2025 alone.

According to the American Diabetes Association, people with diabetes have medical costs 2.3 times higher than people without diabetes, and the impact is even greater for communities of color, whose rates high to high judgment.

Fight medical debt

The FY25 budget includes bold new legislation to protect low-income New Yorkers from medical debt lawsuits by prohibiting hospitals from suing patients who earn less than 400 percent of the federal poverty level, or $120,000 for a family of four. The legislation also expands hospital financial assistance programs for low-income New Yorkers, limits the amount of monthly payments and interest on medical debt, implements other protections to improve access to financial assistance, and reducing the harmful effects of medical debt in New Yorkers. .

More than 700,000 New Yorkers have medical debt in collections. People with medical debt are less likely to seek essential medical care and report being forced to cut back on essential social determinants of health, including food, heat and rent. As a result, high levels of debt threaten not only the financial stability of many individuals and families, but also undermine the State’s commitment to improving equity and health outcomes.

Invest in SUNY Downstate

The budget includes $300 million in capital funding and up to $100 million for SUNY Downstate’s operating expenses. It also establishes an advisory board to evaluate and provide scalable options for a modern and financially strong SUNY Downstate; The advisory board may consider 250% of the state capital commitment and guaranteed federal dollars in their planning efforts.