Shortly after the Auburn Memorial Hospital staff breathed a sigh of relief because it wasn't on a list calling for the closing of medical institutions, cuts outlined in the proposed federal budget are inciting more concerns.
U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer expressed disappointment at the slashes to health care expenditures, specifically in Medicare, a program to assist the elderly, and Medicaid, a program to assist the poor. President George W. Bush's administration released its budget proposal Monday.
"This budget is far and away the worst thing I've seen in my 28 years as far as health care cuts," Schumer said during a teleconference with reporters Wednesday.
The federal government spends $1 out of every $4 on the two health care programs, with New York as the largest recipient.
If the proposal receives the congressional stamp of approval, the state will lose $60 million, keeping its allotment at around $25 billion.
Schumer predicted the president's plan will amount to a loss of $2.7 billion in payments to the state's hospitals. He also estimated Auburn Memorial Hospital would receive nearly $3 million less in reimbursements.
"The bottom line is the budget is a dagger to the heart of upstate hospitals," Schumer said.
Schumer, a member of the finance committee, promised to fight the belt tightening "tooth and nail." It endangers the quality of health care, instead of allowing the health care industry to grow and modernize, he said.
Another issue is hospitals are already counting on the money previously given to them based on the predetermined formula for reimbursements.
"And all of the sudden the rug is pulled out from under them," Schumer said.
The Commission on Health Care Facilities in the 21st Century recommended the closings of certain hospitals to improve costs of the state's health care sector. The commission in December 2006 called for the closure of the AMH's maternity ward.
The Bush administration says the budget proposal will increase the transparency of medical costs and ensure Medicare will have money to function for years. The plan also allows a "focus on Medicaid program integrity efforts that promote sound financial practices, increase market efficiencies, and eliminate Medicaid waste, fraud and abuse."
But Schumer disagrees, saying the proposal offers no "rational plan" to improve health care.
A representative from the White House's press office did not return messages Wednesday.
Read the full report in Thursday's edition of The Citizen.
"This budget is far and away the worst thing I've seen in my 28 years as far as health care cuts," Schumer said during a teleconference with reporters Wednesday.
The federal government spends $1 out of every $4 on the two health care programs, with New York as the largest recipient.
If the proposal receives the congressional stamp of approval, the state will lose $60 million, keeping its allotment at around $25 billion.
Schumer predicted the president's plan will amount to a loss of $2.7 billion in payments to the state's hospitals. He also estimated Auburn Memorial Hospital would receive nearly $3 million less in reimbursements.
"The bottom line is the budget is a dagger to the heart of upstate hospitals," Schumer said.
Schumer, a member of the finance committee, promised to fight the belt tightening "tooth and nail." It endangers the quality of health care, instead of allowing the health care industry to grow and modernize, he said.
Another issue is hospitals are already counting on the money previously given to them based on the predetermined formula for reimbursements.
"And all of the sudden the rug is pulled out from under them," Schumer said.
The Commission on Health Care Facilities in the 21st Century recommended the closings of certain hospitals to improve costs of the state's health care sector. The commission in December 2006 called for the closure of the AMH's maternity ward.
The Bush administration says the budget proposal will increase the transparency of medical costs and ensure Medicare will have money to function for years. The plan also allows a "focus on Medicaid program integrity efforts that promote sound financial practices, increase market efficiencies, and eliminate Medicaid waste, fraud and abuse."
But Schumer disagrees, saying the proposal offers no "rational plan" to improve health care.
A representative from the White House's press office did not return messages Wednesday.
Read the full report in Thursday's edition of The Citizen.
