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Accomplishments

1972

StateWide forms at a meeting in Glens Falls of senior leaders from around the state, offices established in New York City, Syracuse and Rochester with Robert O’Donnell as Executive Director

1970’s

StateWide works on energy, Social Security and health issues.

1979

StateWide plays a role in the passage of the Community Services for the Elderly (CSE) program which provides the core state funding for area agencies on aging programs; Board President Rev. Howard Hills leads an effort to push for state funding to assist with utility bills. This legislation passed in a special session of the state Legislature and then was vetoed by Governor Hugh Carey. In the only unanimous override of a veto in state history the funding is approved.

1981

StateWide members are among those attending White House Conference on Aging; Rose Kryzak takes bullhorn to the floor to try to be heard.

1982

StateWide moves its main offices to Albany and the organization became more directly involved in legislative issues.

1984

StateWide works with a coalition that succeeded in getting legislation passed banning mandatory retirement; StateWide joins lawsuit against the state for diverting home heating funds to other purposes.

1986

StateWide plays a major role in finally getting the Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage Program (EPIC) passed after several rallies including one led by President Rose Kryzak outside the office of Governor Mario Cuomo.

1987

Medicare Patients Rights Hotline established; StateWide works extensively on regulations protecting consumers regarding hospital discharge policies.

1990

StateWide leads campaign for Mandatory Medicare assignment which limits doctor overcharges

StateWide helps pass reforms to EPIC Programs.

1993

StateWide plays a role with children’s organizations in the passage of Child Health Plus.

1994

StateWide members take part in White House Conference on Aging; StateWide plays a leadership role in passing Pre-Need Funeral Protections.

1995

StateWide urges action after hundreds of seniors die in heatwave in Chicago; StateWide joins fight against Medicare cuts proposed by Newt Gingrich.

1996

StateWide works for reforms of HMOs and passage of managed care bill of rights.

1997

StateWide plays a role in urging the Attorney General to become more active in health care consumer protections.

1999/2000

StateWide plays a key role in helping to expand the EPIC Program’s income eligibility limits.

StateWide and Coalition Partners helped secure almost $6 million in additional funding for SNAP, CSE, CSI, EISEP, LTC ombuds Program, Social Model Adult Day Care and Senior Center Renovation and Construction.

Helped to urge Senate to hold hearings on the high cost of prescriptions.

2005

Statewide is awarded a federal grant to conduct outreach and education on the new Medicare Part D drug benefit, and its interface with EPIC. The project focuses on establishing monitoring teams throughout the state, providing Helpline support to Seniors and community members, and meeting directly with seniors

2009

Statewide is named lead organization in the roll out of the New York State Elder Economic Security Index in conjunction with WOW and the U-MASS

2011

Statewide and coalition partners successfully advocated to restore budget funding for senior centers through Title XX, reduce budget cuts to the EPIC program and provide an additional year of services through NYConnects.

2012

Statewide receives a grant from Atlantic Philanthropies to establish our Patient Advocates Program.

2013

Statewide identified that Medicare beneficiaries were being denied information on their hospital admission status, resulting in a new law in NYS requiring hospitals to disclose if a patient was assigned to observation status. The law, first in the nation, went into effect in January 2014.

2014

Statewide and coalition partners advocated for expansion of income limits for the state EPIC (Elderly Prescription Insurance Coverage Program) to $75,000 for single people and $100,000 for couples, and for an increase in state funding for the local Offices for Aging services. Both initiatives were included in the 2014 State Budget.

2016

StateWide, along with its partners Mercy Care of the Adirondacks & the Franklin County Office for the Aging organized the NYS Home Care Crisis Campaign to bring attention to the growing workforce shortage in the field of home health care in New York State.  This coalition, made up of over 140 organizations that serve consumers, continues to be active at public hearings, in the press, and in the community as we strive to come up with a common solution to this burgeoning problem.

2018

StateWide received the Senior Medicare Patrol grant from the U.S. Administration on Community Living to help prevent Medicare and Medicaid Fraud among seniors in New York State.

2020

All meetings and the StateWide 2020 Annual Convention went virtual.

Statewide, in partnership with the Health Foundation for Western & Central New York, established eight Central New York Health Task Forces to help identify, address, and solve problems in health care services and delivery in CNY counties and across the Central New York Region.

2021

StateWide, along with 2-1-1, the library system and our local partners pioneers a telehealth access initiative offering Wi-Fi access at community sites throughout eight counties in Central New York. 

2022

StateWide celebrates 50 years of success at our in-person 2022 Convention and Gala on September 12-14 in Saratoga Springs.

2023

StateWide secures funding for the SMP State Project Grant, covering the project period from 2023 to 2028. Funding granted by the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living.

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