What's happening
This bill appropriates $4.33 million to reimburse St. John's Episcopal Hospital for costs from staying open during and after Hurricane Sandy.
Why it matters
Addresses Uncompensated Care and Emergency Services. The bill recognizes and reimburses the hospital for a range of unplanned costs, including providing care to vulnerable patients (such as those needing dialysis or ventilator support) who had nowhere else to go during the disaster, which is not typically covered by standard reimbursement.
Supports Community Resilience During Disasters. By funding St. John’s for services like shelter, meals, and clothing for displaced residents and staff, the bill underscores the hospital’s critical role as a community anchor and emergency shelter in crises.
Mitigates Financial Strain and Service Disruptions. The appropriation helps offset lost revenue from canceled surgeries and closed units (e.g., detoxification), as well as costs for extra staffing and generator operations, aiming to stabilize the hospital’s finances and maintain its long-term viability.
Sets a Precedent for Disaster Response Funding. This reimbursement may encourage other essential community institutions to remain operational during emergencies, knowing there could be state support for extraordinary costs incurred while serving the public.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Reimburse Hospital for Sandy 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 for 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
1571
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 15, 2019
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.
LBD03724-01-9
A. 1571 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.