On Tuesday, January 13, Governor Kathy Hochul presented her annual State of the State message to fellow New Yorkers, through both an online State of the State book and a spoken address from the Egg Hart Theatre in Albany.
On behalf of the trustees and staff of the Health Foundation for Western & Central New York, President Nora Suric offers this response:
“We are glad to note the inclusion of several initiatives in Governor Hochul’s written and verbal State of the State that align with the Health Foundation’s priority focus areas.
These include:
Protecting access to care: The governor will push for more negotiations between the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) and the federal government, including an application through the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to convert the Essential Plan back to a Basic Health Program. This would protect health care coverage for New Yorkers who rely on a premium-free insurance option.
Negotiating drug prices: To save Medicaid money and offset the dramatic cuts from the 2025 reconciliation bill, Governor Hochul will direct NYSDOH to pursue direct negotiations with drug manufacturers to secure larger rebates.
Supporting older adults: We applaud the governor’s plans to strengthen community and senior centers, as well as enhance overall livability and create age-friendly communities. Also, to make it easier for older residents to age in place, the governor is proposing a universal benefits application, serving as a “one-stop shop” for benefits and services for older adults.
Still, we are disappointed that the state’s Master Plan for Aging was not mentioned in her written report or her live address. Investing in the implementation of the MPA is key to ensuring all New Yorkers have the same opportunities for good health as they age.
Advancing universal access to child care and preschool education: A new Office of Child Care and Early Education will help New York provide access to child care for every family in the state. Additionally, the governor is proposing a universal pre-kindergarten program for every four-year-old New Yorker in place by 2028. These steps will especially benefit children from low-income families.
Reforming the prior authorization process: This includes measures to help both patients and providers—from greater transparency of covered medications to continuity of care for those with chronic disease and birthing people. The governor will ask for new reporting requirements on the use of prior authorization (also known as preauthorization) and coverage denials, and a public education campaign. As for-profit health insurers gain a larger footprint in our state, we agree with the governor that this will be a critical area to watch.
Addressing the health care workforce shortage: Governor Hochul is proposing an expanded SUNY/CUNY Reconnect program to make it easier for adults to attain a nursing degree. She also supports expanding the scope of practice for certain health care professionals. We applaud this initiative and strongly encourage Governor Hochul to consider supporting an expanded scope for dental assistants as well, given the current dental health crisis, especially in our rural communities.
Increasing food security: The governor is proposing additional resources to increase food security for all New Yorkers, including investing in food pantry capital needs through the Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program. She also announced a competitive grant opportunity for capital improvements through NY PLATES. To increase healthy food access for children from low-income families, schools participating in the New York State free meals program will have access to a benefits portal to facilitate enrollment in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Supporting nonprofit organizations: Through our own community partnerships, we know that the nonprofit network is a vital part of our economy that keeps communities healthy and strong. We’re encouraged by the governor’s proposal to make it easier for organizations to receive timely payments from the state through the strategic use of artificial intelligence.
While Governor Hochul’s State of the State presentation includes several promising initiatives, we look forward to learning more details in the forthcoming state budget. Investing appropriate resources into priority areas will ensure they have the greatest impact on people across our state.”
