Governor Hochul’s 2025 State of the State Address
Governor Hochul delivered her fourth State of the State today before the Legislature in the Hart Theater at The Egg in Albany.
The Governor set forth the theme for her remarks as, “Your Family, Our Fight.” Acknowledging workforce shortages, including within the healthcare sector, the Governor’s 2025 State of the State presentation laid out over 200 proposals, including the following:
- Tackling family cost of living issues, including:
- middle class tax cut for families making less than $323,000;
- inflation refunds up to $500 based on eligibility;
- expansion of the State’s annual child tax credit;
- free school breakfast and lunch for students; and
- expansion and repair of childcare facilities.
- Supporting youth and families through the expansion of lactation services and access to vital nutrition programs;
- Investing in safety and justice system reforms;
- Creating jobs and driving economic development;
- Tackling the mental health crisis, including loosening the standards for involuntary commitment and expansion of laws related to court-ordered assisted outpatient treatment for those with mental illness; and
- Revitalizing downtown Albany.
In the Governor’s State of the State briefing book entitled “We Are NY,” the Governor includes a chapter entitled “Investing in Health,” which includes, among other things, the following healthcare proposals:
- Expand the scope of practice for certified nursing assistants (CNAs) to administer medications in nursing homes;
- Deploy State funding to support healthcare training programs under a new grant program with a distinct focus on nurse training programs;
- Cover the cost of free community college for individuals ages 25-55 for high-demand degree occupations, including nursing;
- Strengthen the State’s ability to collect data and perform in-depth market analysis on private practice mergers and acquisitions (similar to the current oversight of hospitals and nursing homes);
- Direct the Department of Health to work with Medicaid managed care plans to increase the availability and adoption of integrated care options and limit non-integrated offerings, as well as analyze their populations through a health equity lens to determine the largest disparities in quality and outcomes;
- Define emergency medical services (EMS) as an essential service and require counties to ensure all residents have access;
- Allow Medicaid to cover “Hospital at Home” programs which would allow hospitals to deliver inpatient level care in patient homes in clinically appropriate circumstances;
- Create a new Health Equity Regional Organization (HERO), through a $125 million federal Medicaid waiver, to support the design and development of new policies, interventions, and targeted investments to improve outcomes and reduce health disparities; and
- Allow dental hygienists to practice in more settings.
As always, NYSHFA|NYSCAL will be sure to provide updates on these proposals, as well as the details of the Governor’s FY 2025-26 Executive Budget when it is unveiled next week.
NYSHFA|NYSCAL CONTACT:
Stephen B. Hanse, Esq.
President & CEO
518-462-4800 x.11
shanse@nyshfa.org
Kristin DeVries, MA, MPP
Director of Government Relations
518-462-4800 x14
kdevries@nyshfa-nyscal.org
