It is essential to the older adults and disabled citizens of this state that New Yorkers and their legislators reject the governor’s extremely damaging proposed cuts to nursing homes and home health care providers.
Imposing a new 10 percent cut to services for seniors and disabled New Yorkers – when health care has already been cut six times in the last three years – is unconscionable. Singling out nursing homes and other long term care for $167.2 million in cuts, or 58.3 percent of the total proposed health care reductions, is unjust.
The impact of this round of proposed cuts to the Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation alone would be more than $4 million!
One of the nation’s leading adult health care institutions, Parker’s 1,000 employees provide post acute care, short-term rehabilitation, long-term care, medical model adult day health care, social model Alzheimer’s day care, long-term home health care and hospice services.
The Institute serves a diverse population of 7,000 adults each year. Parker’s post-acute care and short-term rehabilitation programs, in tandem with its network of community health programs, help adults and their families avoid more costly institutionalization and hospitalization, and remain at home.
An independent, non-profit institute, Parker is also among the leaders in health care education, the training of health care professionals, and geriatric research. Parker not only provides critically needed inpatient and community health services, but is also a very important part of the regional economy.
Quality care depends on a quality workforce. Any new cuts would jeopardize thousands of jobs across New York State, undermining economic stability for countless families, at a time when ensuring a stable employment base is essential.
The proposed cuts to services for seniors and disabled New Yorkers, designated to save $167 million, represents little more than one-half of one percent of this year’s and next year’s probable budget, assuming no growth. It is difficult to believe that this amount of savings cannot be found in areas that do not impact the frailest, most vulnerable citizens.
Health care is not the cause of the current budget shortfall, and it is wrong to ask our seniors and disabled citizens to pay the price of fixing current budget problems, in the form of lower quality and less access to needed care.
We are not asking for a bailout because we did not do the job, just fair treatment so we can continue to do the job.
If you too call for the rejection of the proposed cuts to the health care of older adults and the disabled, write a brief note to your state legislators, or to Parker. We will be pleased to collect your notes and deliver them to all decision-makers, because enough is enough!
(If you write to Parker, address to: Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation, Office of Public Affairs -DRP, 271-11 76th Avenue, New Hyde Park, NY 11040-1433).
Michael N. Rosenblut is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation
