Latest news with #MayaKaufman
Politico
2 days ago
- Health
- Politico
New York's abortion fund to run out of money
Beat Memo The New York Abortion Access Fund is struggling to keep up with demands as more people from out of state request financial assistance and as the cost of the procedure rises, POLITICO Pro's Maya Kaufman reports. The organization — which pays clinics on behalf of patients who cannot afford an abortion — continues to see rising demand driven by Florida and other southern states since the Supreme Court in 2022 overturned the constitutional right to an abortion. About 34 percent of people who reached out to the fund in 2024 were calling from outside New York, executive director Chelsea Williams-Diggs told POLITICO. That has risen to 38 percent so far this year. At the same time, abortions are getting more expensive. More of the fund's clients are seeking abortions later in pregnancy, which tend to be more medically complex, and therefore costlier, procedures. And only a few clinics in New York City perform abortions after 19 weeks, so even the fund's local clients may face travel costs, Williams-Diggs said. Meanwhile, philanthropic donations have declined since a 'post-Dobbs bump' after the 2022 Supreme Court ruling that overturned the constitutional right to an abortion, Williams-Diggs said. Both the city and the state provide funding, she added, but it comes with strings that make the money difficult and slow to access — so much so that her organization recently took out a $1 million loan to bridge the gap. 'It's catching up to us,' she said. The state Senate directed $1 million to the organization last year through the Reproductive Freedom and Equity Grant Fund, which Gov. Kathy Hochul created in 2022. The fund was not previously accessible to organizations that offer direct patient assistance for abortions. But Williams-Diggs said the money has yet to come in the door, because her organization still has to submit required documentation. Meanwhile, reproductive health advocates are pressing Hochul's administration to make those dollars available for practical support, such as transportation, for people seeking abortions. IN OTHER NEWS: — New York, the home of one of the costliest Medicaid programs in the country, is expected to see virtually every facet of spending face the brunt of deep federal aid cuts,POLITICO's Nick Reisman and Maya Kaufman report. Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul's budget chief warned the state will suffer a $750 million hit this fiscal year due to cuts to the state's Essential Plan that take effect Jan. 1. That amounts to a $3 billion annual cut when the state's new fiscal year starts April 1. 'Nobody is prepared to backfill $3 billion in cuts from Congress,' said Blake Washington, the director of the governor's budget office. 'There's no state in the union that can do that, particularly on a recurring basis.' The state's Essential Plan, which covers roughly 1.6 million low-income New Yorkers who are ineligible for Medicaid, relies on billions of dollars in federal funding that will start drying up in January under the megabill. On top of that, the state will have to spend upwards of $500 million over several years to stand up a system for administering the megabill's new Medicaid work requirements, Washington said. 'We've never seen health care cuts like these,' Democratic Assemblymember Amy Paulin said. 'We've never seen a systemic cut to health care in this country like we're seeing in this federal bill. We can't just tax people in New York and make it up. I don't see how we do that. It's too much money.' ON THE AGENDA: — Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. The NYC Health + Hospitals board of directors' capital committee meets, followed by a meeting of the finance committee. GOT TIPS? Send story ideas and feedback to Maya Kaufman at mkaufman@ and Katelyn Cordero at kcordero@ Want to receive this newsletter every weekday? Subscribe to POLITICO Pro. You'll also receive daily policy news and other intelligence you need to act on the day's biggest stories. What you may have missed — Fatal overdoses in New York City continued trending downward during the third quarter of 2024, hitting their lowest level since early 2020, according to provisional data released last week. The new data shows 498 people died from an overdose during that three-month period, down from 564 deaths in the prior quarter and 647 in the quarter before that. It is the fewest overdose deaths in any quarter since the first three months of 2020, when the city tallied 456 fatal overdoses. 'For too long, opioid overdoses have ripped families and communities apart, but there is light on the horizon with opioid overdose deaths citywide seeing their lowest numbers in five years,' Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement. 'We are committed to maintaining this downward trend by continuing to invest in the programs and treatments that support those who are struggling.' ODDS AND ENDS NOW WE KNOW — Twenty New York hospitals lost obstetric services between 2010 and 2022, per a new analysis. TODAY'S TIP — Feeling burnt out? Ashwagandha could help. STUDY THIS — Via NBC: A large new study found a link between premenstrual disorders and cardiovascular disease. WHAT WE'RE READING — Why are mothers in New York having so many c-sections? (Times Union) — State legislators across the U.S. are weighing laws around menopause care and training for doctors. (CNN) — FDA offers to trade faster drug reviews for lower U.S. prices. (Bloomberg) Around POLITICO — Big Pharma and labor make for strange bedfellows in fight against California drug pricing bill, Rachel Bluth reports. — How hospitals could still escape the megabill's Medicaid cuts, via Robert King, Amanda Chu and David Lim. MISSED A ROUNDUP? Get caught up on the New York Health Care Newsletter.
Politico
07-07-2025
- Health
- Politico
CDPAP approaches an inflection point
Beat Memo More change is on the horizon for Medicaid's consumer-directed personal assistance program. The state Department of Health is tightening the eligibility criteria for new enrollees in the popular home care program and other in-home personal care services, POLITICO Pro's Maya Kaufman reported last week. The long-planned tweak, which dates all the way back to former Gov. Andrew Cuomo's administration, is expected to save the state $300 million annually by slowing enrollment growth. 'This policy change will help ensure that New York's Medicaid program remains fiscally sustainable and able to continue supporting high-quality home care for those with the greatest need,' said Danielle DeSouza, a spokesperson for the state Department of Health, in a statement. The announcement coincides with the ongoing transition of CDPAP to operate under the auspices of financial services company Public Partnerships, LLC, in lieu of hundreds of fiscal intermediaries statewide. State lawmakers will scrutinize that process during an oversight hearing Wednesday on the issues that enrollees, workers and other stakeholders are experiencing as part of the consolidation effort. The deadline for Medicaid recipients and their personal assistants to enroll with Public Partnerships — also known as PPL — has been repeatedly delayed as part of a proposed class-action lawsuit filed by a group of consumers. The parties in that case recently pitched a settlement agreement that would extend the deadline to Aug. 1 and require the state Department of Health to send informational letters to every consumer not enrolled by then, among other terms. A judge now needs to decide whether to approve it. ON THE AGENDA: — Wednesday at 10 a.m. The Senate will hold a hearing on the state's CDPAP transition. — Wednesday at 2 p.m. The state Early Intervention Coordinating Council will meet. — Thursday at 6 p.m. NYC Health + Hospitals holds a public hearing on a proposed community center in the Bronx. GOT TIPS? Send story ideas and feedback to Maya Kaufman at mkaufman@ and Katelyn Cordero at kcordero@ Want to receive this newsletter every weekday? Subscribe to POLITICO Pro. You'll also receive daily policy news and other intelligence you need to act on the day's biggest stories. What you may have missed — Gov. Kathy Hochul's administration unveiled its first-ever Master Plan for Aging last week . It is the culmination of years of work by hundreds of government officials, long-term care executives, health experts and aging-focused advocates to develop strategies to help New Yorkers maintain good health and remain in their communities as they age. Its proposals included Medicaid rate reform, interagency integration of social and health care services, establishment of a benefits coordination office, a caregiver tax credit and reimbursement program, procurement of regional direct training centers, eviction prevention and guardianship improvements. Odds and Ends NOW WE KNOW — The health care industry is now the biggest employer in 38 states — and has remade the U.S. economy. TODAY'S TIP — Eating beans can make you healthier. STUDY THIS — Rates of irritable bowel syndrome and other digestive issues rose significantly during the Covid pandemic, researchers found. What We're Reading — HHS devises a legal playbook for future grant terminations. (STAT) — Tobacco report shows progress on anti-smoking policies worldwide. (Washington Post) — A top FDA official overrode scientists on Covid shots. (New York Times) Around POLITICO — Via POLITICO's Lisa Kashinsky, Andrew Howard and Elena Schneider: Republicans just cut Medicaid. Will it cost them control of Congress? — Megabill hits health care for immigrants, including legal ones, hard, Amanda Chu reports. — Judge rules HHS removal of online health guidelines was illegal, Lauren Gardner reports. MISSED A ROUNDUP? Get caught up on the New York Health Care Newsletter.
Politico
23-06-2025
- Health
- Politico
Adams administration changes course on Medicare Advantage
Beat Memo Mayor Eric Adams announced he will not move forward with a contentious effort to cut costs by shifting retired city workers to a Medicare Advantage plan, bringing a sudden end to a four-year saga. 'We have heard concerns from retirees about these potential changes at numerous older adult town halls and public events, and our administration remains focused on ensuring that New York City remains an affordable place to live,' Adams said in a statement Friday. Just two days earlier, the state Court of Appeals ruled in City Hall's favor in a lawsuit over the Medicare Advantage transition, handing Adams a rare win in the long legal battle to implement a plan he inherited from former Mayor Bill de Blasio. But Adams said the city had found other ways to address health care costs. He did not offer specifics, but City Hall announced a plan earlier this month to save $1 billion annually by designing a new health coverage option with EmblemHealth and UnitedHealthcare for the majority of active city workers. 'Since the mayor has decided not to proceed with the Medicare Advantage plan, this fulfills the unions' obligation to generate Medicare-eligible retiree health care savings,' Henry Garrido, executive director of public employee union DC 37, said in a statement. 'The savings from the abandoned plan must not come at the expense of our members.' Many elected officials applauded Adams' decision, which comes shortly before a planned kickoff event for his reelection campaign. Local lawmakers and municipal retirees plan to celebrate the news today in City Hall Park, but they are already eyeing their next steps: continuing to lobby for legislation that would permanently protect their health benefits. The bill, which is spearheaded by Council Member Christopher Marte, has 17 co-sponsors. 'While this decision is welcome, we have to codify our success,' Marte said in a statement. 'Our retirees deserve certainty, dignity, and care—not corporate shortcuts and backroom deals.' ON THE AGENDA: — Thursday at 11 a.m. The state will hold its annual forum on the 1332 waiver. — Thursday at 3 p.m. NYC Health + Hospitals' board of directors meets. GOT TIPS? Send story ideas and feedback to Maya Kaufman at mkaufman@ and Katelyn Cordero at kcordero@ Want to receive this newsletter every weekday? Subscribe to POLITICO Pro. You'll also receive daily policy news and other intelligence you need to act on the day's biggest stories. What you may have missed — The state plans to bar health insurance companies from paying brokers a commission for enrolling people in the Essential Plan starting next year, POLITICO Pro's Maya Kaufman reported. Independent insurance brokers are mobilizing in opposition to the little-noticed policy change, which was tucked into a 73-page information booklet for health plans about 2026 participation in the NY State of Health insurance marketplace. Odds and Ends NOW WE KNOW — Melanoma cases are on the rise in women under 50. TODAY'S TIP — Get ready for scorching temperatures this week by taking these precautions. STUDY THIS — Via WaPo: The 'sitting-rising test' could be an early indicator of how long you'll live, according to new research. What We're Reading — Insurers pledge to ease controversial prior approvals for medical care. (New York Times) — More employers are giving workers money to buy their own health insurance. (AP) Around POLITICO — CMS finalizes plan to narrow Obamacare enrollment and DACA sign ups, David Lim reports. — Via POLITICO's Jordan Cairney: Provider tax crackdown is a no-go in the House, Hawley warns. MISSED A ROUNDUP? Get caught up on the New York Health Care Newsletter.
Politico
16-06-2025
- Health
- Politico
Lawmakers aim to close opioid settlement fund loophole
Beat Memo A linguistic loophole could put an estimated $250 million opioid settlement payout in jeopardy due to New York for addiction treatment, prevention and recovery programs, POLITICO Pro's Maya Kaufman reports. The settlement proceeds were secured earlier this year in part by State Attorney General Letitia James, who worked on a multistate case against members of the Sackler family and their company Purdue Pharma, which developed the opioid painkiller OxyContin. The state's legal definition of opioid settlements is limited to manufacturers, distributors, dispensers, consultants, chain pharmacies and related entities. That means settlement money from the Sacklers themselves would bypass the state's dedicated opioid settlement fund — which, by law, can only be spent on addiction-related programming — and instead end up in the general fund, where there are no strings attached. Legislation that would close the loophole passed the Senate earlier this month and is now awaiting a floor vote in the Assembly as session winds to a close. 'New Yorkers deserve full accountability in how opioid settlement funds are used. (This bill) ensures those funds go directly toward what they were meant for: expanding prevention, treatment, and recovery services in communities hardest hit by the opioid epidemic,' Assembly sponsor Michaelle Solages said in a statement. 'We owe it to the families and communities who continue to carry the weight of this crisis.' The measure is expected to pass the Assembly before the end of session Tuesday. After that, it would require Gov. Kathy Hochul's signature. 'The opioid crisis has devastated communities across the country, and many families are still suffering from immense pain and loss,' James said in a statement. 'This legislation ensures that the $3 billion in settlements secured by my office for New York, including the settlement against the Sackler family, is reinvested in communities to help them heal.' IN OTHER NEWS: — SUNY Downstate Medical Center's former chair of emergency medicine pleaded guilty to a grand larceny charge Friday for stealing approximately $1.4 million from the public hospital between 2016 and 2023, the Brooklyn district attorney's office said.. Physician Michael Lucchesi was found to have used his business credit card to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on personal travel, a New Jersey pet hotel, New York Sports Club membership and tuition payments for his children, among other expenses. SUNY discovered the thefts during an audit, according to the Brooklyn DA's office. Lucchesi agreed to make restitution of $656,074 to Downstate's clinical practice when he is sentenced in August, the Brooklyn DA's office said. ON THE AGENDA: — Monday at 10 a.m. The NYC Health + Hospitals board of directors' audit committee meets, followed by the strategic planning committee. — Tuesday, 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. The New York City Community Services Board's mental health subcommittee meets. — Tuesday at 10 a.m. The state Public Health and Health Planning Council's public health committee will meet. — Wednesday at 10 a.m. The state Public Health and Health Planning Council will meet. GOT TIPS? Send story ideas and feedback to Maya Kaufman at mkaufman@ and Katelyn Cordero at kcordero@ Want to receive this newsletter every weekday? Subscribe to POLITICO Pro. You'll also receive daily policy news and other intelligence you need to act on the day's biggest stories. What you may have missed — Albany Medical Center was fined $375,000 last week for failing to correct violations of the state's clinical staffing law, marking the Department of Health's first settlement to date over hospital understaffing, POLITICO Pro's Katelyn Cordero and Maya Kaufman report. The settlement stemmed from a July 2024 state probe that found hundreds of violations within Albany Medical Center's clinical staffing plans, according to the New York State Nurses Association, which represents nurses there and submitted numerous complaints of understaffing. Over the next several months, the private hospital failed to submit an adequate plan of correction to resolve the staffing violations, the Health Department concluded. ODDS AND ENDS NOW WE KNOW — Less than half of physicians were in private practice last year, per the American Medical Association. TODAY'S TIP — These are the healthiest types of seafood. STUDY THIS — Walking for more than 100 minutes daily was associated with a lower risk of chronic low back pain, according to a study published Friday. WHAT WE'RE READING — In fight over research overhead funding, universities propose alternatives to Trump's cuts. (STAT) — How Kennedy's purge of advisers could disrupt U.S. vaccinations. (New York Times) Around POLITICO — Kennedy's promises on vaccines are being put to the test, Lauren Gardner and Sophie Gardner report. — Children's Hospital Los Angeles to shut gender clinic, Rachel Bluth reports MISSED A ROUNDUP? Get caught up on the New York Health Care Newsletter.
Politico
12-05-2025
- Health
- Politico
Medical Aid in Dying passes Assembly, awaits Senate vote
Beat Memo Democratic Lawmakers and advocates are closing in on the votes needed to pass Medical Aid in Dying, a long-lingering measure that would allow doctors to prescribe euthanizing medication to people with terminal illnesses. The legislation passed the Assembly at the end of April, but 32 votes are needed to pass the measure in the Senate. The Senate has 26 co-sponsors on its bill, but state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal, who is sponsoring it, said he is hopeful they will be successful in securing the remaining votes to pass the chamber. If it passes into law, New York would become the 11th state to legalize some form of assisted suicide. The Catholic Church and other religious groups have strongly opposed the measure. Republicans sided with them, arguing that legalizing prescriptions for suicide is a slippery slope. Advocates for and against the measure visited the Capitol last week, aiming to either strike down the measure or secure the final votes needed to pass. Hoylman-Sigal said he wasn't surprised by the presence of advocates lobbying against his bill. 'No one thought we would be a year ago, much less a few weeks ago,' Hoylman-Sigal told POLITICO. 'This issue isn't going away, just like terminal illnesses are not going away, and death itself impacts all of us.' 'If you don't want to end your life in a planned sequential process that involves ingesting medication when you've been given a terminal illness of six months or fewer with your family and friends surrounding you as you head off into the other world, then don't do it,' Holyman-Sigal said of the opposition. The Assembly's final vote was 81-67, with no Republicans supporting the bill. A sizable majority of Democrats expressed support, but some religious members and others who spoke about a lack of equitable access to health care joined the opposition. ON THE AGENDA: — Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Drug Utilization Review Board will meet. MAKING ROUNDS: — Sandra Scott was appointed CEO of One Brooklyn Health by the health system's board of trustees, and Arthur Gianelli will serve as president and chief transformation officer. Scott has served as interim CEO since January 2024. Gianelli previously served as president of Mount Sinai Morningside hospital and chief transformation officer. — Joseph Tomaino has joined the board of the Nassau Health Care Corporation. He is currently CEO of Grassi Healthcare Advisors, LLC. GOT TIPS? Send story ideas and feedback to Maya Kaufman at mkaufman@ and Katelyn Cordero at kcordero@ Want to receive this newsletter every weekday? Subscribe to POLITICO Pro. You'll also receive daily policy news and other intelligence you need to act on the day's biggest stories. What you may have missed — A citywide doula initiative spearheaded by Mayor Eric Adams is showing promise in the fight against racial disparities in maternal health outcomes, POLITICO Pro's Maya Kaufman reported. Black and Hispanic women in the doula initiative saw lower rates of C-sections, preterm births and low birth weights than nonparticipants citywide, according to an audit conducted by city Comptroller Brad Lander's office, which was released Friday. No maternal deaths were identified among the initiative's clients between March 2022 and June 2024. ODDS AND ENDS NOW WE KNOW — Tying U.S. drug prices to those abroad could have unintended consequences. TODAY'S TIP — A doctor shares his science-backed formula for aging better. STUDY THIS — Via NPR: Many common beauty products contain formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, according to a study of Black and Latina women in Los Angeles. WHAT WE'RE READING — State bets on Medicaid payment shift to fund city public hospitals. (Crain's New York Business) — Uproar over surgeon general pick exposes MAHA factions among RFK Jr. allies. (Washington Post) — From pandemic preparedness to precious frozen spit, NIH contract terminations cut deep. (STAT) Around POLITICO — Conservatives fret HHS cuts, worrying it undercuts the president's agenda, Amanda Friedman reports. — Trump transforms congressionally mandated health offices into ghost towns, via Alice Miranda Ollstein and Sophie Gardner. MISSED A ROUNDUP? Get caught up on the New York Health Care Newsletter.
