Hundreds of nursing homes are suing New York state over a planned $250 million funding cut they say will jeopardize patient care and jobs.
The CEO of Gurwin Jewish Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Stuart B. Almer, says that on Nov. 6 the state's health department is slashing Medicaid funding for nursing homes and implementing a retroactive cut dating back to July. A coalition of health care groups are suing New York for not following proper channels.
Almer says the Department of Health did not get approval from the federal government or the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
He says that Gurwin Jewish Nursing and Rehabilitation Center would suffer Medicaid cuts that amounts to $750,000 for 2019. There would also be potential for cuts in 2020.
Patients at the Commack nursing home are also worried about how the cuts will affect the service they get.
Scott Gingold, 39, suffers from ALS says the proposed budgets cuts would require patients to wait longer for assistance, which he says can be a matter of life and death.
"I am hoping that we can make some noise and get them to listen," Gingold says.
In a statement to News 12, the Department of Health said in part, "The department does not expect this change to result in any disruption to nursing home residents and the care they receive, and is reviewing the court case."