What's happening
This bill appropriates $4.33 million to reimburse St. John's Episcopal Hospital in Far Rockaway for costs from providing services during and after Hurricane Sandy.
Why it matters
Supports a critical healthcare provider during disasters. By reimbursing St. John's Episcopal Hospital for costs sustained during Hurricane Sandy, the bill acknowledges the crucial role of hospitals that stay open during emergencies, potentially encouraging similar actions in future crises.
Addresses unreimbursed and extraordinary expenses. The hospital faced unique costs, such as caring for displaced patients (including those needing dialysis or ventilators), sheltering staff and residents, and operating with increased overtime and generator expenses—costs not typically covered by standard reimbursement mechanisms.
Helps maintain healthcare system resilience for vulnerable communities. Far Rockaway is a geographically isolated and underserved area; ensuring its only hospital is financially stable after a disaster helps protect community health infrastructure and access to care.
Sets precedent for state support post-disaster. This targeted reimbursement may influence how New York and other states support essential service providers facing uncompensated losses during future emergencies, potentially strengthening broader emergency response systems.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Reimburse Hospital for Hurricane Costs
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Assembly Member · Assembly District 23
History
- Referred to ways and means
- Referred to ways and means
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Reimburse Hospital Sandy Costs
In Senate Committee · Finance · Sponsor James Sanders Jr.
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
7678
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
May 9, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. PHEFFER AMATO, TITUS, COOK, BLAKE, D'URSO, ORTIZ, HYNDMAN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means
AN ACT making an appropriation to reimburse St. John's Episcopal Hospital in Far Rockaway for costs incurred as a result of remaining open and providing services to the community during and after Hurricane Sandy
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Legislative findings. The legislature finds that St. John's Episcopal Hospital, located in Far Rockaway, in the county of Queens, remained open and provided services to the community during and after the storms, rains, or floods which occurred during the period beginning on October 29, 2012 and ending November 3, 2012 known as "Hurricane Sandy." As a result of remaining open and providing services to the community during Hurricane Sandy, St. John's Episcopal Hospital incurred many additional expenses and losses, including, but not limited to:
a. uncompensated care that does not meet DMS/HHS criteria for acute care reimbursement, including providing care for patients requiring dialysis or a ventilator who do not have a residence, nursing home, or adult home to return to;
b. providing shelter, clothing, and meals to residents and staff who lost homes or were temporarily unable to return to their residences. St. John's Episcopal Hospital provided more than 2,000 meals a day between October 28, 2012 and November 12, 2012;
c. lost revenue due to cancelled surgery and ambulatory services;
d. lost revenue due to the detoxification unit being closed in order to provide shelter services;
e. additional staffing and overtime expenditures;
f. electrical technician services, the operation of back-up generators, and fuel costs for the generators.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01307-01-7
A. 7678 2
§ 2. The sum of four million three hundred thirty thousand dollars ($4,330,000), or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any moneys in the general fund of the state treasury to the credit of the state purposes account not otherwise appropriated for payment to St. John's Episcopal Hospital, located in Far Rockaway, in the county of Queens, for costs incurred as a result of remaining open and providing services to the community during and after Hurricane Sandy. The amount hereby appropriated shall be payable to St. John's Episcopal Hospital on the audit and warrant of the comptroller on a voucher certified or approved in the manner prescribed by law.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.