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
Supports a critical community hospital. The funding recognizes St. John's Episcopal Hospital's unique role as the only hospital in Far Rockaway, emphasizing the importance of maintaining healthcare access in vulnerable and underserved areas during emergencies.
Addresses uncompensated and non-reimbursable care. The bill specifically covers expenses that fell outside standard reimbursement—such as caring for dialysis and ventilator patients without homes—which highlights the gaps in disaster response funding and the burden placed on hospitals.
Reimburses for broad emergency services, not just medical care. The hospital provided shelter, meals, and basic needs to both patients and staff, going beyond traditional medical responsibilities. This sets a precedent for recognizing and funding the full scope of hospitals’ roles during disasters.
Mitigates financial losses and operational strain. By compensating for lost revenue from canceled services and increased overtime and generator costs, the bill helps stabilize the hospital’s finances post-disaster, ensuring its continued operation and readiness for future emergencies.
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Reimburse Hospital for Sandy Costs
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
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History
- Referred to finance
- Referred to finance
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 Assembly Committee · Ways And Means · Sponsor Stacey Pheffer Amato
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2110
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 22, 2019
Introduced by Sen. SANDERS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance
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
S. 2110 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.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
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
Purpose
To reimburse St. John's Episcopal Hospital for services rendered during Superstorm Sandy.
Summary of provisions
An appropriation shall be made from the general fund to reimburse St. John's Episcopal Hospital for costs incurred as a result of remaining open and providing services to the community during and after Superstorm Sandy.
Existing law
New law
Justification
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 "Superstorm 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.
St. John's expended the sum of four million three hundred thirty thou- sand dollars ($4,330,000) for costs incurred as a result of remaining open and providing services to the community during and after Hurricane
Sandy. The hospital played a vital role in serving the community during a natural disaster.
New York State is currently having a hospital crisis and is experiencing the closing of hospitals from Western New York to Long Island. St. John's, while dealing with its own financial issues, became an essential haven in the Rockaways during Hurricane Sandy. Since the closing of Peninsula Hospital, St. John's is the only hospital on the Rockaway peninsula serving over 100,000 residents. It is therefore imperative that the State of New York reimburse St John's for its outlays caused by its response to the community's needs during Hurricane Sandy.
Legislative history
2015 Referred to Finance 2016 Referred to Finance
Fiscal implications
$4,330,000.
Local fiscal implications
None
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.