The Peru Gazette

From the Office of Assemblyman Billy Jones

Assemblyman Billy Jones (D-Chateaugay) announced that the 2018-19 state budget increases funding for North Country hospitals by $100 million over the next two years, including an additional $60 million for safety net hospitals, Critical Access Hospitals and Sole Community Hospitals.

“Providing affordable, quality health care in rural parts of our state can be a challenge,” said Assemblyman Jones. “This funding will assist local hospitals and ensure they can continue to provide the high-quality health care that North Country families have received throughout the years. This funding will ultimately help give the employees of our regional hospitals the resources to perform their jobs at the highest capacity, thereby creating a better patient experience and an overall healthier community.”

Stephens Mundy, President and CEO of The University of Vermont Health Network Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital, shared his appreciation for the Assemblyman’s commitment to adequately funding quality health care initiatives throughout the North Country.

“CVPH and AHMC are grateful for the Assemblyman’s understanding of their complex issues as Community Safety Net providers, and we strongly support the funding he helped secure for both organizations,” said Mundy.  “We know that the Assemblyman is eager to learn more about the issues that affect us and we appreciate his willingness to help us address those issues.”

The budget included a measure that Assemblyman Jones introduced with Assembly Health Committee Chair Richard N. Gottfried (D/WFP-Manhattan) during the last legislative session to establish a safety net program. The program creates a payment rate adjustment in order to ensure the financial viability of safety net providers, support the vital services they provide and acknowledge their benefit to our state, particularly the North Country. With the inclusion of this language in the budget, North Country hospitals will receive additional funding to help them provide high quality health care to their patients.