UTICA, N.Y. — A policy initiative is being pushed to improve access to health care in upstate New York.
State Sen. Joseph Griffo and Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon are advocating for this after a New York State Comptroller report highlighted health care professional shortages in 16 rural counties, including Chenango and Herkimer counties.
The report found significant gaps in primary care, pediatric and OBGYN doctors, as well as dentists and mental health practitioners, according to a joint press release from Griffo and Buttenschon.
According to the lawmakers, 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 (S.5071 – Griffo).
“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 (S.5099 – Griffo/A.716 – Buttenschon).
“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 (S.5075 – Griffo).
“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 Commissioner of Health (S.7036 – Griffo),” according to the release.
The legislation was developed with input from local medical professionals.