Public Employee Press

Members press for more hospital funding

The city's network of public hospitals serves 1.4 million needy New Yorkers, providing essential services for everyone whether they have health insurance or not.

Some private hospitals don't serve the uninsured but still get money from a pool of state funding earmarked for indigent care, money that should be going to public hospitals instead. NYC Health + Hospitals is also required to match the money they get from the fund but voluntary hospitals are not.

"It's very simple, we believe the money should follow the patients," DC 37 Executive Director Henry Garrido said during a Nov. 18 meeting with state Sen. Bill Perkins at his Harlem office.

Garrido and union activists visited elected officials during November and December to get their support for legislation that would increase funding for Health + Hospitals.

Local 768 member Nate Franco and Harlem Hospital Chapter Chair and Local 420 member April Wilkins also attended the meeting with Perkins. Franco pointed to the disastrous contracting out at Harlem Hospital of the food preparation services.

Before, when the meals were prepared in-house, the patients always looked forward to their meals. "Since Sodexo took over with their prepackaged food, the quality is not like before," Franco said, referring to the contractor that replaced the in-house operation.

Activists visit Bronx and Brooklyn

DC 37 supports legislation in Albany sponsored by Assembly member Richard Gottfried and state Sen. Kemp Hannon that would provide for a supplemental rate adjustment of indigent care funding. That would provide more funding for city hospitals.

In addition to the meeting with Perkins, the activists met with state Sen. Gustavo Rivera, Assembly member Jeffrey Dinowitz, state Sen. Jose Serrano and Assembly member Carmen Arroyo in the Bronx to enlist their support. Members also met with Brooklyn City Council member Mathieu Eugene to discuss HHC funding.

— AA