Emerging Issues

NY Health Act (Single Payer)

StateWide supports the right of New Yorkers to have a universal, single payer health system, eliminating premiums and co-payments for access to quality health care services. For more information please see the following links:

• Campaign for New York Health (nyhcampaign.org)
• FAQ NY Health and Medicare
• VIEW RECORDING of the FEB 18, 2021 Virtual Forum-NY Health Act

Safe Staffing for Quality Care Act

StateWide’s members are advocating that the state must make sure that there is sufficient staff to respond in a timely manner to a hospital or nursing home patient’s call bell.  Safe nursing staff to patient ratios reduce accidents, prevent infections and save lives. 

For more information please see the following link: 

• New York State Nurses Association | (nysna.org)

Medicare Observation Status

Medicare requires 3 days of inpatient placement requirement to qualify for Part A coverage of post acute rehab in a skilled nursing facility.  However, Medicare policies enacted a few years ago dictate that hospitals place many  older persons staying overnight  into “outpatient observation status”  instead of admitting them that thus they areunable to meet the 3 day requirement.  This places them at risk for paying the full cost of such care. Read more…

Home Care Crisis

StateWide is providing leadership to advocate on a new policy platform to address recruitment and retention incentives for home care workers.  We have found significant gaps in services based on a shortage of needed home care workers that allow a senior in need of assistance to remain in their own homes. Read our policy paper and join our coalition of supporters.