LeadingAge New York State Budget Review April 2017 | Page 5

Health Information Technology Infrastructure
The final budget continues the following investments in health information technology (HIT) that were initiated
in the SFY 2014-15 budget:
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SHIN-NY Support: Appropriates $30 million to the State Health Information Network of New York
(SHIN-NY) – an electronic health information highway to permit the sharing of health information
among health care providers across the State.
Claims Database: Appropriates $10 million in funding for the All Payer Claims Database (APD), which
will serve as a repository for health care utilization and spending data that can be used to evaluate the
performance of the health care delivery system.
State HIT Initiatives: Appropriates $10 million in annual funding for HIT initiatives that target DOH’s
technology needs.
Health Care Regulation Modernization Team
The Executive Budget included a proposal to create a Health Care Regulation Modernization Team, modeled
on the Medicaid Redesign Team. This multi-stakeholder group would have been charged with providing
guidance on a “fundamental restructuring” of the statutes, regulations and policies that govern the licensure
and oversight of health care facilities and home care, in order to align them with delivery system reforms.
However, the final budget does not include this provision.
Consolidation of Public Health Programs
The Executive Budget included a proposal to consolidate 39 public health appropriations totaling $122.9
million into four pools: (1) disease prevention and control programs; (2) maternal and child health
programs; (3) health workforce programs; and (4) health outcomes and advocacy programs. Funding for
each pool would be reduced by 20 percent, and DOH would be given added flexibility to support ongoing
programs or new investments to meet new or emerging public health priorities. While the final budget
rejects the Governor’s consolidation proposal, it accepts the 20 percent reduction in funding to the programs.
The 39 programs include both the Nursing Home Transition and Diversion and Enriched Housing programs.
The total savings from this action is $23.8 million.
Uniform Assessment System (UAS)
Both houses of the Legislature included provisions in their one-house budgets related to the UAS assessment
tool used for determining a beneficiary’s need for long term care services. The final budget includes a more
modest amendment. It adds cognitive needs to list of needs that must be assessed by managed long term care
plans upon enrollment and in developing a care plan.
Medicaid Eligibility
Once again, the Legislature rejected the Executive Budget proposal to limit “spousal refusal” as a means
of qualifying for Medicaid. Under existing current law, the income and assets of the spouse of a Medicaid
applicant are not be counted if the spouse refuses to support the applicant or the spouse is “absent.”
Administrative Hearing Office Consolidation
The final budget rejects the Governor’s proposal to create a new Division of Central Administrative Hearings
led by a Chief Administrative Law Judge (ALJ), to be appointed by the Governor.
LeadingAge New York/April 2017
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