ALBANY, NY (Erie News Now)--FOR WEEKS ADVOCATES HAVE BEEN TRAVELING TO THE CAPITOL IN ALBANY – RALLYING FOR MORE MEDICAID FUNDING IN THE FINAL BUDGET PLAN.  

THEY ARE ASKING FOR AN INCREASE TO MEDICAID FUNDING IN THE BUDGET TO help COVER SAFETY NET HOSPITALS AND NURSING HOME CARE.  

“Safety net hospitals is important to Black and brown Latino communities because that's really the only hospitals we have close by,” said Sandra Diaz, a healthcare worker and an advocate with 1199 SEIU. 

DIAZ SAid AN INCREASE TO MEDICAID SPENDING COULD HELP IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF CARE FOR COMMUNITIES WHO DEPEND ON SAFETY NET HOSPITALS.  

OTHER ADVOCATES SAid WITHOUT INCREASED MEDICAID FUNDING FOR NURSING HOMES – THEY CANNOT CONTINUE TO FUNCTION.  

“We need that funding from Medicaid, it’s a crucial thing with Medicaid, without patients coming in it can be closure, it can be lay offs, it can be bankruptcy. So we depend on Medicaid to get our salary, our raises and our paycheck,” said Jacqueline Lord, a healthcare worker and an advocate with 1199 SEIU. 

SOME LAWMAKERS SAid THERE ARE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT how to get extra funding to SAFETY NET HOSPITALS AND NURSING HOMES.  

THEY ALSO SAid THEY ARE LOOKING AT A MEASURE INTENDING TO GENERATE MORE MONEY FOR MEDICAID—CALLED THE MANAGED CARE ORGANIZATION provider TAX OR THE MCO TAX.  

“The idea behind the MCO tax which is a mechanism to help leverage more federal funds is to turn around and directly put those resources into many of our hospitals that are distressed including safety net hospitals,” said Assembly Member John McDonald (D-Assembly District 108).

MCDONALD ADDed THE MCO TAX WILL ALSO HELP INCREASE MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT RATES FOR HOSPITALS, NURSING HOMES AND HOME CARE.  

THIS TAX WOULD HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WHICH COULD TAKE SEVERAL MONTHS -- THAT MEANS IT COULD DELAY SOME OF THE POTENTIAL INCREASES TO MEDICAID FUNDING THIS TAX WOULD CREATE.

MCDONALD said THIS IS EVEN MORE REASON TO GET THE BUDGET DONE IN A TIMELY MANNER.