To The Editor:

Access to cost-effective and patient-preferred home care is being threatened. More than half a billion dollars in damaging cuts are proposed for home care and dangerous restructuring proposals will dismantle this valuable source of affordable long-term care.

The executive budget proposes to shut down state licensed home care agencies by not allowing them to service Medicaid home health patients needing services. This ill-conceived proposal provides no savings to the state; is not supported by data or modeling; will greatly complicate the effective provision of care; and will increase overall home care costs.

If enacted, tens of thousands of home care jobs will be lost as licensed home care agencies are forced to downsize or shut their doors, and hundreds of thousands of patients will face severe disruptions and access to care.

A strong home care system is essential to keeping New Yorkers in the comfort of their own home and out of more costly institutional settings. Home care is where people want to receive their care and the governor’s proposals only serve to reduce access to this essential care.

I urge the Legislature to reject the proposal to prohibit home care contracting and reject the damaging budget cuts. Please visit www.homecareinfo.org to register your opposition to these proposals with the State Legislature.

Phyllis A. Wang
East Greenbush