Final Week of Planned Budget Negotiations - Critical Outreach Needed!
The Situation Report | March 24, 2025
As Legislative and Executive budget negotiators move into this final week to reconcile a final, on-time state budget by April 1, HCA members need to continue full-ahead in their home care, MLTC and hospice advocacy contacts to their state Senate and Assembly officials.
At stake this week are all budget areas, but, in particular, the areas where the Senate, Assembly, and Executive differ in their positions. For these areas, the sides are now at deadline to decide which items of funding and language will be included in the final budget, and which will fall off the table.
HCANYS continues to advocate for all of the 2025-2026 State Budget Priorities targeted throughout the session.
HCANYS notified members Friday that, notably one of the CHHA budget items that is in substantial flux continues to need timely member grassroots reinforcement.
Responding to months of HCANYS advocacy, both the Senate and Assembly have included supplemental CHHA funding of $30 million in combined state-federal shares in their respective one-house budget proposals. The one-house proposals were adopted by each respective house on March 13, but have a complex path to in the final budget.
At this time, the Assembly proposal is unclear how the funds would be provided to the CHHAs, though it is anticipated that the funds would be delivered through Medicaid rate increases; the Senate proposal more definitely appears to be intended to be distributed in this manner.
Ultimately, if and at what final amount this funding lands, and by what mechanism it would be distributed, are far from certain. Advocacy must continue be focused on both the funding level and language for this CHHA proposal.
HCANYS' CHHA supplemental funding request in this budget has been for $70 million in state and federal shares, and for these funds to be distributed through the annual “State Aid for Home Health Community Need” program reflected in HCANYS' Bill A.1493.
To advocate this item, please go to HCA’s Legislative Action Center and access this auto email to urgently request your local Senator and Assemblymember’s support for the $70 million in funding, and as distributed through the A.1493 State Aid for Home Health Community Need program.
Members can send this directly to your official. The email system is set up to customize to the district that matches your service area zip codes.
On this and all the 2025-2026 State Budget Priorities, members can also use the above link to look up your district Senator and Assemblymember to call to make the same request directly.
As we have previously advised, when you contact your Senate and Assembly office, you need to speak to your legislator/legislator’s staff as their constituent, requesting specific support for the thousands of his/her constituents you are serving in the district, and in a couple sentences, explain why their support are consequential to both the patients and the local health system in the district.
You and every co-member must speak up for home care priorities – do it now, do it today, as soon as you receive this alert, and continue your outreach.
It is essential to make your contacts throughout this week. HCANYS will provide updates as we learn of the developments.
If you need assistance, contact a member of the HCA program and policy team:
Please visit HCANYS' Advocacy webpage for further resources.