Rep. Fossella Testifies Against Healthcare Cuts in President’s FY 09 Budget

Opposes President’s Proposal to Cut Funding to Staten Island and Brooklyn Hospitals by $2 Billion

[Washington, DC] – Congressman Vito Fossella today expressed concern over cuts to Medicare and Medicaid contained in the President’s Fiscal Year 2009 budget in testimony before the House Budget Committee.

Fossella said the White House’s proposals would cut funding for Staten Island University Hospital (SIUH) and Richmond University Medical Center (RUMC) by $269 million over five years. Under the President’s budget for Fiscal Year 2009, SIUH would lose $22.2 million in Medicare funding next year alone and $197.1 million over the next five years while RUMC would face cuts of $7.9 million and $71.8 million, respectively. In Brooklyn, hospitals would face cuts of $185.6 million next year and $1.8 billion over five years.

Fossella said, “Clearly, these cuts would lead to a reduction in core Medicare services and leave Staten Island and Brooklyn seniors without access to the quality care they need and deserve.  Combined, these proposals would drastically reduce the ability of the public health system in New York to continue serving our constituents, with the greatest negative impact hitting the uninsured. These cuts would overwhelm and harm an already struggling hospital system.”

Fossella testified that across the Congressional district, the President’s budget cuts, over five years, $68.7 million for inpatient services, $12.8 million for outpatient services, $770,000 for skilled nursing facilities, $4.6 million for inpatient rehabilitation services, $46.6 million in reimbursements for treating uninsured and underinsured patients, and $3 million for capital improvements.

Fossella also expressed concern over a reduction of $118.4 million for teaching hospitals, which would disproportionately affect New York City. New York City is the physician training capital of the world.  The City trains more physicians in more specialties than any other city across the globe – more than 16,000 residents are trained annually in New York’s 56 major teaching hospitals and 13 medical schools.

Fossella said, “This proposal is short-sighted and fails to acknowledge the pending doctor and nurse shortages throughout the country.  Over time, as hospital and doctor visits have increased, the number of medical school graduates has remained static.  Indeed, it is estimated that physician visits will continue to grow by 53% between 2000 and 2020, resulting in a shortage of 24,000 doctors and nurses by 2020.”

Fossella also testified in support of additional funding for medical monitoring and treatment of all individuals exposed to Ground Zero toxins. The President’s budget includes $25 million to provide health monitoring and treatment for first responders and workers suffering from 9-11-related illnesses as a result of their service at Ground Zero, but some estimates suggest as much as $218 million is needed to keep current programs operational.

Fossella said, “With a recent GAO report that shows the federal response could be improved, and that shows not only that a large number of individuals are sick but are getting sicker, how possibly could the need for funding remain at $25 million in FY 09? Many of these sick 9/11 workers are suffering from long-term illnesses as a result of inhaling Ground Zero’s toxic plume.  Some have even died from their sickness. I urge the Committee to keep in mind the $25 million is a starting point and any budget resolution should include a caveat for adding funding.”

During his testimony, Fossella also expressed concern over reductions in funding for bioterror preparedness and urged the Budget Committee to fully fund the High Threat, High Density Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) program, which provides funding for anti-terror efforts.

You can find a full copy of Congressman Fossella's testimony here.
 

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