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Who cares
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Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to health
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S5741
Title of bill
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to establishing the Brooklyn health trust
Purpose
This legislation would authorize the establishment of a Brooklyn health trust that would assume the non-educational components of SUNY Downstate Medical Hospital
Summary of provisions
The bill amends the Public Health Law § 812-§ 818 by establishing the "Brooklyn health act trust," defining its purposes; delineating the Board membership process; identifying how both the trust and the commission shall be funded from the sale of assets specifically cited in the bill; to receive grants, gifts or bequests and depositing them into the trust and accept payment from insurance carriers, Medicaid and Medicare; and reporting procedures to the governor, the temporary president of the senate and speaker of the assembly.
Moreover, this bill identifies the number and process by which members of the trust board shall be appointed, representing public hospitals, Brooklyn-based professional health care providers, and community stakeholders based on their knowledge and concern with the quality of health care delivery to the people of Brooklyn.
Justification
Currently, the SUNY Downstate Medical School relies on Brooklyn for 41% of its students; employs half of the hospital's 8,000 workers and is the fourth largest employer in the borough; the hospital generates more than 813 billion in annual revenue to the state's economy; produces more New York City physicians than any other medical school, 80% of whom remain in New York to practice. Operating in one of the most diverse areas in the State, Downstate Medical School is also located in a highly distressed economic area with one of the highest foreclosure rates and a disproportionate aging population. Plagued with both quality health care needs and one of the highest unemployment rates in the State, the viability of Downstate Medical School/Hospital is integral not only for the delivery of quality health care but as an economic engine that supports the owner housing stock.
When Downstate Medical Center assumed ownership of LICH in May, 2011, it also assumed its debt and its real property assets. Prior to the conveyance of LICH to Downstate, LICH was divested of many of its real property assets and endowments under the intent to eliminate its outstanding debt. Notwithstanding, the debt remained unpaid, and subsequently both the debt and losses incurred by LICH eroded the fiscal viability of Downstate in such a manner as to place it at risk.
Currently, Downstate Medical Center is in the process of a fiscal restructure and eliminating certain ambulatory care, disciplines. However, the hospital has yet to have the process driven by the actual utilization of the hospital's varied health care delivery disciplines
to meet the needs of Brooklyn residents. As such, this bill provides the sum of one million dollars, derived from the proceeds of the 18 real properties listed as assets in the court issued ruling approving the sale of LICH to SUNY Downstate Medical Center. The commission will serve as the research conduit to guide the trust with regard to ambulatory services delivery and reflecting the fundamental needs of the people of Brooklyn.
Legislative history
None
Fiscal implications
Proceeds from the sale of LICH surplus assets.
Effective date
Immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.