Fund VNS Health and Fix MLTC Rates. Protect Care for High-Need New Yorkers.
New York has promised to help older adults and people living with disabilities remain safely in their homes.
That promise is at risk.
The state’s Managed Long-Term Care (MLTC) rate system underpays plans caring for the most medically complex New Yorkers while directing more funding toward healthier populations. The result: care for high need patients is being destabilized.
VNS Health is a 133-year-old safety-net provider serving 99,000+ New Yorkers every day across home care, hospice, behavioral health, and long-term care. We employ 11,000+ New Yorkers, including 7,000+ frontline home care workers represented by 1199SEIU and UFT Federation of Nurses.
VNS Health operates the State’s highest quality statewide MLTC plan serving the most New Yorkers with the greatest needs – and we are being penalized for it.
“MLTC rates are costing VNS Health nearly $200 million and putting the vulnerable New Yorkers it cares for at risk. … The final State budget must include funding for VNS Health and make sure that financing reflects the needs of the people who have the greatest needs.“
Senate Aging Chair Cordell Cleare
New York’s MLTC payment system is backwards.
It takes funding from plans serving high-need patients and shifts it to plans that grow by enrolling lower-need populations — encouraging exactly the kind of low-acuity growth that has driven billions in unnecessary costs.
Funding has to reflect the cost of that care. Right now, it doesn’t.
Without action in this year’s budget, more New Yorkers will be pushed out of their homes and into hospitals and nursing homes — worse for families, more costly for the state.
“VNS Health’s MLTC is in significant financial jeopardy … while plans serving less acute populations enjoy healthy margins. … We urge the Legislature to support this action.“
1199SEIU
Albany must act now! The SFY27 Budget must:
- Provide $50M to stabilize VNS Health
- Fix MLTC rates so funding reflects patient need
Fund VNS Health. Fix MLTC rates. Protect care at home for New Yorkers who need it most.