With many upstate communities experiencing health care professional shortages, state Sen. Joseph Griffo, R, C-Rome and Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon, D-119 are again advocating for a major policy initiative they previously unveiled. This initiative would help to recruit and retain doctors and improve the quality and availability of health care for all New Yorkers, especially those in more rural areas of the state.
Their push comes after a recent New York State Comptroller report examined health care professional shortages in 16 rural counties – including in Chenango and Herkimer counties in the 53rd Senate District.
The report found alarming shortfalls in primary care, pediatric, and obstetrician and gynecologist doctors, dentists and mental health practitioners, with several counties having no pediatricians or OBGYN doctors at all.
Griffo has introduced a package of legislation that would help address this issue and Buttenschon has introduced companion legislation for one of the bills.
The proposed legislation would:
– improve the Doctors Across New York program, which helps train and place physicians in underserved communities, by increasing the amount of money that is awarded for the physician loan repayment program and the physician practice support program.
– allow students enrolled in a state-supported medical school to participate in the Excelsior Scholarship program and for non-resident students residing within a certain distance of the border of New York State to have tuition rates reduced to two-thirds what they would otherwise be charged as an out-of-state student.
– expand START-UP NY options to primary care to allow physicians looking to establish a primary care office in the field of primary care services to access the START-UP NY program. Expanding the START-UP NY program to include primary care services also would increase access to primary care physicians in otherwise underserved areas of the state.
– provide a partial tax exemption for real property purchased by a clinician for use as primary residence when the clinician works in and the property is in a clinician shortage area designated by the state commissioner of health.
The legislation was developed following meetings between Sen. Griffo and Dr. Michael Ratner, the late Dr. John DeTraglia, Dr. Sudershan Dang, Dr. Steven Kussin and many other active and retired physicians from Upstate New York.
“The Doctors Across New York program has been successful in attracting physicians to underserved areas throughout the state,” Griffo said. “However, our state continues to experience doctor shortages in both urban and rural communities.”
“It is my hope that, because of this initiative that we have developed with the help of medical professionals, we will be able to recruit and retain doctors and improve the quality and availability of health care for all New Yorkers,” Griffo continued.
“Too many families across upstate New York know the frustration of searching for a doctor, only to discover there are no providers nearby or that practices are full,” said Buttenschon said. “This is not just a health care issue, it is a quality-of-life issue. Every New Yorker, no matter where they live, deserves access to affordable, reliable, and timely care.”
“By strengthening programs that support and attract medical professionals, we can begin to close the gap in health care access and ensure that our rural and underserved communities receive the care they need and deserve,” she continued. “I am proud to work with Senator Griffo and my colleagues on this initiative to build a stronger, healthier future for all New Yorkers.”