June 10, 2023
Dear Friends,
Throughout my tenure in Congress, I’ve been committed to working alongside our local hospitals and healthcare providers to keep accessible, high-quality care here in our Capital Region. As part of that effort, I’ve spent years leading the charge to fix a broken formula that has long deprived our region’s healthcare system—and its doctors, nurses, and patients—of critically needed federal dollars.
That unjust calculation, known as the Medicare Wage Index, or MWI, determines federal Medicare reimbursement rates for hospitals, which plays a significant role in the overall financial health of our region’s hospitals. For decades, our local care providers have been short-changed by this formula, receiving far less on the dollar than other nearby and similarly sized regions. Our Capital Region’s Medicare Wage Index has long remained stagnant at around $0.86 on the dollar, while neighboring regions in New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut were provided much higher rates.
This broken formula has brought severe challenges for our healthcare system, exacerbating staffing and equipment shortages and forcing our hospitals to take on millions of dollars of debt while continuing to fulfill their mission of providing the services Capital Region residents rely on every day.
I’ve been at the forefront of efforts to adjust this outdated calculation. In 2020, the House of Representatives heeded my call and included my fix to this reimbursement rate as part of the HEROES Act, which passed in the House. And while this bill eventually stalled in the Senate, I’ve never stopped pushing to bring equity and fairness to our region’s healthcare system.
Now, thanks to our hard work and persistent advocacy, we are finally poised to remedy this injustice. In April, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a new proposed rule that would finally fix the Capital Region’s MWI formula, bringing our reimbursement rate from $0.86 to around $1.22. If finalized, this measure would bring a massive funding boost to our region’s hospitals, delivering more than $180 million each year in additional revenue.
Last week, I visited five of our local hospitals ahead of the public comment deadline for this proposal to hear directly from administrators, staff, and patients about how this initiative will bolster high-quality care in our communities. On my tours of Albany Medical Center, Ellis Hospital, Samaritan Hospital, St. Peter’s Hospital, and Saratoga Hospital, I had the privilege of hearing firsthand about the crucial role these facilities play in providing exceptional care, and about the transformative impact that a fair MWI reimbursement will have on their ability to sustain and enhance their critical, lifesaving services.
Hospital executives told me about the dire financial challenges this unfair formula has placed on our healthcare providers, and about the new, state-of-the-art equipment they could acquire with this funding boost. I heard from doctors and nurses about how more federal dollars could alleviate critical staffing shortages, allowing our hospitals to offer competitive pay to skilled healthcare professionals who live in our community and to help attract those looking to put down roots in our Capital Region. And patients described the peace of mind they felt knowing that, whether they were giving birth or battling a disease such as cancer, top-notch, sensitive care was only a short ride away. I informed any and all that believe this MWI remedy should be approved that the comment period would be open until June 9th.
The excellent, patient-centered care offered by our Capital Region hospitals is worth protecting. And now, with the public comment deadline passed and my voice filled with input from our community partners, I’m still hard at work making certain this proposed rule is finalized. Yesterday, I visited CMS headquarters to personally deliver a letter outlining the critical importance of this rule change for our region.
After touring our local hospitals and hearing directly from healthcare professionals and patients across our region, I’ve received one crystal-clear message: this proposed rule must be finalized. With this new reimbursement rate established for the Capital Region, we can finally ensure the longevity of our hospitals, support our healthcare workers, and better enable these institutions to deliver high-quality care to our communities. Together—with your voice filling mine—I know we’ll get this done for our region.
As always, thank you for reading.
Your friend,
DID YOU KNOW?
My office and I are working to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates and recommendations from federal agencies. With that in mind, here is some information that may be of interest to you:
- The dense wildfire smoke currently blanketing our Capital Region and much of the Eastern United States is a stark reminder of the urgency of our efforts to combat the climate crisis.
- With poor air quality causing hazardous conditions, particularly for sensitive groups like those suffering from asthma and other respiratory problems, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released recommendations for how to stay safe.
- First, you can use the AirNow tool to see how the smoke is impacting air quality in your community.
- If you are in an area with poor air quality, it may be safest to stay indoors. If you must go outside:
- Avoid strenuous activity or exercise and take frequent breaks indoors if you must perform essential outdoor activities.
- Wear an N95 respirator mask to protect yourself from wildfire smoke. Cloth masks will not help.
- You can also take steps to keep the air clean inside your home, by:
- Getting a portable air cleaner or using a do-it-yourself version if this is not an option.
- Avoiding indoor pollution by refraining from activities like smoking, vacuuming, frying or broiling meat, or burning candles or wood.
- Click HERE for more recommendations from the EPA about how to protect yourself and your family from wildfire smoke.
