Relates to creating the Brooklyn health care commission

Title of bill

An act to amend the executive law, in relation to creating the Brooklyn health care commission

Purpose

To create a commission to evaluate the health care network in Kings County, and to make recommendations for solutions to the healthcare crisis in Kings County.

Summary of provisions

Section One a of the bill amends executive law to add Article 49-C in order to create the Brooklyn health care commission.

Section Two provides this act shall take effect immediately.

Justification

Kings County has experienced eight hospital closures since 1984 and three in the last ten years. There are several other hospitals on the verge of bankruptcy or with severe financial challenges. According to the New York State Commission on Health Care Facilities in the 21st Century (Berger Commission), the health care system in Kings County is mismanaged and has been "broken" since at least 2006. Further, the Berger Commission argued that Kings County's health care system as in need of fundamental repairs. For example, Brooklyn alone, according toe the Berger commission, had five private hospitals with financial problems and at least three bankrupt or on the verge of bankruptcy in 2005-2006, as well as several hospitals dependent on, state support.

The New York Medicaid Redesign Team (MRT) in turn has states Brooklyn's healthcare delivery system is "at the brink of (the need for) dramatic change." This MRT saw this change as either resulting in massive reform of services and organization, improving the current health care system; or, it could result in "major disruption in services as a result of the financial crises" affecting Brooklyn's health care system.

Kings County, a/k/a Brooklyn, has more than 2.5 million residents. It would rank as the fourth most populous city in the United States if it were as independent city. It is also the home of particularly powerful brand identity for economic development purposes, and thriving industries in both the green collar and innovation economies. However, its only medical school and public hospital, and many of its private hospitals, are on the verge of collapse. New York State cannot afford to let that happen.

This bill would create the Brooklyn health care commission in order to reevaluate Kings County's health care network. The commission would consist of a council of experts and stakeholders working together with broad community input to prepare solutions and options which would fix the health care system in Kings County. Further, it is the hope this commission would provide Brooklyn with a solution that would take the county's health care system into the 21st and 22nd century in a sustainable and vibrant manner, with a well-functioning health care network providing high quality care to all Brooklyn residents. This will require the profound reinvention of Brooklyn's residents. This will require the profound reinvention of Brooklyn's health care system envisioned in the Berger Commission and MRT studies, and in recent studies done by the State University of New York.

Legislative history

2013-2014: S.5916A/A.8119A - Amended and Recommitted to Health FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

Estimated to be no more than $60,000.

Local fiscal implications

To be determined.

Effective date

Immediately.