Hochul Vetoes Bill Requiring Community Input on Hospital Closures
Hochul vetoes Bill Requiring Community Input on Hospital Closures
Governor Cites Financial Realities, Promises Reforms to Existing Procedures
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul vetoed a bill Friday that woudl have mandated community input before hospitals close facilities or specific units. The legislation, known as the Local Input for Community Hospitals Act (LICH Act), aimed to increase openness and community involvement in closure decisions.
The bill,approved by state lawmakers in June,outlined a timeline and procedures for closures,requiring the state Department of Health to hold public forums and issue reports on the potential impact of closures.
Though, Hochul argued in her veto message that the bill failed to adequately consider the financial challenges facing struggling hospitals and the evolving landscape of healthcare delivery.
“Greater transparency in the closure process would be beneficial, but this bill does not appropriately balance that goal against the financial realities that struggling hospitals face and changes in health care services delivery,” Hochul wrote.
Instead, the governor pledged to direct the Department of Health to develop reforms to its existing closure procedures.
A legacy of hospital closures Fuels Debate
The LICH Act was inspired by the controversial closure of Long Island College Hospital (LICH) in Brooklyn in 2014, despite strong community opposition. The bill gained momentum this year amid news of potential closures at two other New York City hospitals – Mount Sinai Beth Israel in Manhattan and SUNY Downstate in brooklyn – as well as hospital units in other parts of the state.
While both city hospitals remain operational for now,partly due to community pushback,the LICH Act faced opposition from hospital lobbying groups.they argued that the bill was redundant and overly burdensome for financially struggling facilities.
Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon, the bill’s sponsor, emphasized the importance of community involvement in healthcare decisions.
“New York City lost a very notable player when Long Island College Hospital closed a decade ago,” Simon said. “This bill was meant to ensure that hospital closures don’t harm the wellbeing of New Yorkers.”
The bill would have required hospitals to provide the state with at least 270 days’ notice before closing a hospital,or 210 days’ notice for closures or reductions of emergency,maternity,mental health,or substance use units. the current state guidance mandates 120 days’ notice.
The Department of Health would have been obligated to hold a public forum on the proposed closure at least 150 days before the planned shutdown.
Hospital Lobby Cites Concerns Over Timeline and Duplication
Hospital advocates countered that the nine-month timeline for closure was excessively long, unrealistic, and duplicated existing state guidelines and requirements.
“Establishing another lengthy and duplicative approval process will only further distress an institution facing difficult decisions in a financial crisis and will bind the hands of others trying to make service changes that meet identified community needs,” stated an opposition memo from the Suburban Hospital Alliance of New York State.
State Sen.Gustavo Rivera, a Bronx Democrat who co-sponsored the bill, stressed the statewide implications of the LICH Act.
“This wasn’t just a bill for the city of New York, but for the whole state,” Rivera said. “We can’t have institutions that are the place where people get care just, from one day to the next, close or change what kind of services they offer without community involvement.”
Governor’s Veto on Hospital Closure Bill Sparks Debate on Community involvement
Governor Hochul’s recent veto of the Local Input for Community Hospitals Act (LICH Act), despite its passage by state lawmakers, has ignited a debate surrounding community involvement in healthcare decisions.
The LICH act sought to mandate community input before hospitals close facilities or specific units, requiring the state Department of Health to hold public forums and issue reports on the potential impact of closures.
While Governor Hochul acknowledged the value of clarity in the closure process, she argued that the bill failed to adequately consider the financial challenges facing struggling hospitals and the evolving landscape of healthcare delivery.
Rather, she pledged to direct the Department of Health to reform existing closure procedures, ensuring greater community engagement.
The LICH Act was inspired by the controversial closure of Long Island College Hospital (LICH) in Brooklyn in 2014, which faced strong community opposition. Recent concerns over potential closures at two othre New York City hospitals – Mount Sinai Beth Israel and SUNY Downstate – further fuelled the bill’s momentum.
Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon, the bill’s sponsor, highlighted the importance of community involvement, stating “New York City lost a very notable player when Long Island College Hospital closed a decade ago. This bill was meant to ensure that hospital closures don’t harm the wellbeing of New Yorkers.”
However, hospital lobbying groups opposed the bill, arguing it was redundant, overly burdensome, and imposed an unrealistic nine-month timeline for closure.They contended that existing state guidelines and requirements already address the need for community engagement.
State Senator Gustavo Rivera, a co-sponsor of the bill, emphasized its statewide implications.”This wasn’t just a bill for the city of New York but for the whole state. We can’t have institutions that are the place where people get care just,from one day to the next,close or change what kind of services they offer without community involvement,” he stated.