MDNews - Central New York

BEFORE THE MEMBERS of the State Legislature left Albany for their annual Easter-Passover break, they passed the state budget for the new fiscal year, which began on April 1. It marked the seventh time in eight years that the budget was approved on time — a far cry from years past when budgets were passed months after the state constitutional deadline. The new budget of $168 billion was complicated by a $4 billion deficit at the start of negotiations. The final document included a substantial increase in aid for education and $3 million for the annual PGA senior men's golf tourney this summer in Endicott. That item was for "economic development." Important funding for physicians and the Medical Society of the State of New York (MSSNY) was part of the final budget. The Excess Medical Malpractice program was extended through June 30, 2019. With the ever-increasing costs of this vita l protection for medical providers, the importance of this coverage can never be taken for granted. MSSNY also received continued funding for the Committee for Physicians Health, which does an excellent job of assisting doctors in need of the committee's valuable services. MSSNY secured a new $150,000 allocation for its Veterans Mental Health Initiative. Physicians and MSSNY were pleased to see that a number of issues they had opposed were not in the final budget. The following items were rejected: + Expanding the scope of practice of certified nurse anesthetists + Authorizing health services o-ered by retail practices + Allowing nurse practitioners and pharmacists to provide com- prehensive medication management to patients + Repealing "Prescriber prevails" for Medicaid presciptions + Eliminating the Empire Clinical Research Investigator Program (ECRIP) + Steep Medica id cuts to the Patient-Centered Medica l Home program + Authorization for EMT's to provide nonemergency care in patient homes without any express coordination requirement with that patient's treating physician + Prov ision which wou ld have reduced from seven days to three days the length of an initial prescription for acute pain During my years as a county medica l society executive and a sta-er in the State Senate, I saw first-hand the dedication a nd ta lent of MSSN Y's O…ce of Governmenta l A -a irs in A lbany. Members and nonmembers, I strongly believe, have little knowledge of what MSSNY does for them and their patients. W hen the Senate and the Assembly returned to the State Capitol on April 16, there were only two months remaining before both houses plan to recess for the summer. This is an election year for the Governor and the entire Legislature, key consideration for a ll involved. Control of the State Senate could change. With the aid of the Independent Democrat caucus headed by Senator Je-rey K lein, a g roup with a rea State Senator David Va lesky in their ranks, Republicans currently control that house. The March guilty verdict of Joseph Percoco, a longtime close friend and ally of Governor Andrew Cuomo, certainly has not helped the Governor's re-election chances. The overwhelming number of enrolled Democrats statewide, however, makes it quite a challenge for Republicans to regain the o…ce of Governor. State Senator John DeFra ncisco, Senate deput y majorit y leader of Sy racuse, a nnounced his ca ndidacy ea rly in the session. Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro, 42, who at first had declined to be a candidate for the Republican nomina- tion, reconsidered this winter a nd off icia lly a nnounced his ca ndidacy on April 2. State Republica ns will meet later this month to select their nominee. They hope to avoid a prima r y. Mov ie sta r Cy nt hia Ni xon of Sex and T he City fa me is seeking the Democrat nomination. New York Cit y Mayor Bill DeBlasio, who is frequently at odds with Cuomo on ma ny issues, is backing Nixon. A Democrat prima r y for Governor is a distinct possibilit y. Gerald "Jerry" N. Homan was chief executive o•cer of the Onondaga County Medical Society from 1981 until his retire- ment on Jan, 31, 2014. He is the coauthor of two books, "Medical Malpractice Insurance: A Legislator's View," and "The History of Local Medical Care: Celebrating Physicians Past and Present, 1806-2006." ■ BUDGET APPROVED ON TIME, Race for Governor Heats Up BY JERRY HOFFMAN APPROVED M D N E W S . C O M /// M D N E W S C E N T R A L N E W Y O R K ■ 2 018 0 5 H E A LT H C A R E P E R S P E C T I V E ❰❰❰❰❰ 0 5

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