Nassau Suffolk Hospital Council Inc

& PART III, LINE 1: THE MISSION OF THE NASSAU-SUFFOLK HOSPITAL COUNCIL, INC. (NSHC) IS TO:- PROVIDE A FORUM FOR THE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS REGARDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF REGIONAL, STATE, AND NATIONAL HEALTH POLICY,- IDENTIFY KEY POLICY ISSUES CONFRONTING THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY AND PROVIDE ANALYSIS AND INFORMATION REGARDING THOSE ISSUES CONSISTENT WITH THE COLLECTIVE INTEREST OF THE MEMBERSHIP AND THE PUBLIC,- SUPPORT THE MEMBERS' MISSIONS BY DISSEMINATING INFORMATION AND DATA TO ASSIST MEMBERS IN MAINTAINING AND IMPROVING THEIR FINANCIAL RESOURCES,- ASSIST IN PLANNING FOR THE EFFICIENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF QUALITY HEALTHCARE SERVICES LOCATED IN AND SERVING NASSAU AND SUFFOLK COUNTIES,- IDENTIFY AND DEVELOP RESEARCH AND DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS WHICH WILL LEAD TO BETTER HEALTHCARE POLICY AND DELIVERY OF HEALTHCARE SERVICES.

STATE: THE NASSAU-SUFFOLK HOSPITAL COUNCIL (NSHC) AND ITS MEMBER HOSPITALS WORKED WITH THE HEALTHCARE ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK STATE AND NEW YORK'S ALLIED REGIONAL HOSPITAL ASSOCIATIONS THROUGHOUT 2022 TO ENSURE MEMBER HOSPITALS CONTINUED TO HAVE THE FLEXIBILITIES AND RESOURCES NEEDED TO RESPOND TO THE ONGOING COVID PANDEMIC, MEETING WEEKLY WITH DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH LEADERSHIP REGARDING A VARIETY OF ISSUES RELATED TO THE VACCINE MANDATE, WORSENING WORKFORCE SHORTAGE, AND MONTHLY EXTENSIONS OF EXECUTIVE ORDER 4, WHICH PROVIDED WORKFORCE FLEXIBILITIES RELATED DIRECTLY TO THE WORKFORCE SHORTAGE. ACHIEVING A STATE BUDGET REASONABLE TO NSHC MEMBER HOSPITALS WAS A MAJOR FOCUS IN THE EARLY MONTHS OF 2022. EFFORTS RESULTED IN A ROLL BACK OF THE 2021 MEDICAID CUTS, A RATE INCREASE FOR 2022, REFORM OF THE MEDICAID GLOBAL CAP, SECURING TELEHEALTH PERMANENT PAYMENT PARITY, A HEALTHCARE WORKER BONUS PROGRAM, FUNDING FOR DISTRESSED HOSPITALS, AND CAPITAL GRANTS. DURING THE POST BUDGET SEASON, NSHC CONTINUED ITS WORK WITH LEGISLATORS, KEY REGULATORS, AND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH LEADERSHIP TO RETAIN A FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR HOSPITALS. ACHIEVEMENTS INCLUDED A VETO OF AN EXPANSION OF THE WRONGFUL DEATH STATUTE, AS WELL AS ADVANCEMENTS IN THE AREA OF MANAGED CARE REFORM, NULLIFICATION OF SINGLE PAYER MOVEMENT, AND HELPING MEMBERS IMPLEMENT THE 2021 CLINICAL STAFFING COMMITTEE LAW, WHILE CONTINUING TO PUSH AGAINST ESTABLISHMENT OF RIGID ICU AND CCU STAFFING RATIOS. NSHC CONTINUED TO COORDINATE POPULATION HEALTH ACTIVITIES VIA THE INITIATIVE KNOWN AS THE LONG ISLAND HEALTH COLLABORATIVE AND ENROLLMENT ASSISTANCE VIA THE NYSDOH AGED, BLIND AND DISABLED GRANT.

FEDERAL: NSHC AND ITS MEMBER HOSPITALS, ALONG WITH THE HEALTHCARE ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK STATE AND NEW YORK'S ALLIED REGIONAL HOSPITAL ASSOCIATIONS AND THE AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION, CONTINUED TO URGE THE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE PROVIDER RELIEF FUND, AN EXTENDED DELAY IN MEDICARE SEQUESTRATION CUTS AND AN EXTENDED TIMELINE FOR MEDICARE ADVANCE/ACCELERATED PAYMENT PROGRAM LOAN REPAYMENT. NSHC ALSO CALLED FOR HIGHER MEDICARE RATES FOR THE UPCOMING FEDERAL FISCAL YEAR AND RESTORATION OF 340 B CUTS FOLLOWING A FAVORABLE COURT RULING. NSHC ACTIVELY ENGAGED WITH THE WHITE HOUSE ABOUT PROPOSED REGULATIONS GOVERNING OUT-OF-NETWORK PAYMENT DISPUTES, INCREASING MEDICARE REIMBURSEMENT RATES IN THE FINAL PAYMENT RULE, AND INVESTIGATING PRICE GOUGING BY STAFFING AGENCIES.