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 link: https://www.nyhcampaign.org/learn or view our  NY Health and Medicare FAQ.

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. 

Petition 2019 staff to patient ratios. 

For more information please see the following link:  https://www.nysna.org/what’s-proposed-law#.W2TMbPZFz8w

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.