BILL NUMBER: S6107
SPONSOR: PARKER
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the executive law, in relation to creating the Brooklyn
health care commission
 
PURPOSE:
To create a commission to evaluate the health care network in Kings
County, and to make recommendations for solutions to the healthcare
crisis in Kings County.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section One a of the bill amends executive law to add Article 49-C in
order to create the Brooklyn health care commission.
Section Two provides this act shall take effect immediately.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Kings County has experienced eight hospital closures since 1984 and
three in the last ten years. There are several other hospitals on the
verge of bankruptcy or with severe financial challenges. According to
the New York State Commission on Health Care Facilities in the 21St
Century (Berger Commission), the'health care system in Kings County is
mismanaged and has been "broken" since at least 2006. Further, the
Berger Commission argued that Kings County's health care system as in
need of fundamental repairs. For example, Brooklyn alone, according to
the Berger commission, had five private hospitals with financial prob-
lems and at least three bankrupt or on the verge of bankruptcy in 2005,
2006, as well as several hospitals dependent on, state support.
The New York Medicaid Redesign Team (MRT) in turn has states Brooklyn's
healthcare delivery system is "at the brink of (the need for) dramatic
change." This MRT saw this change as either resulting in massive reform
of services and organization, improving the current health care system;
or, it could result in "major disruption in services as a result of the
financial crises" affecting Brooklyn's health care system.
Kings County has more than 2.5 million residents. It would rank as the
fourth most populous city in the United States if it were an independent
city. It is also the home of particularly powerful brand identity for
economic development purposes, and thriving industries in both the green
collar and innovation economies. However, its only medical school and
public hospital, and many of its private hospitals, are on the verge of
collapse. New York State cannot afford to let that happen.
This bill would create the Brooklyn health care commission in order to
reevaluate Kings County's health care network. The commission would
consist of a council of experts and stakeholders working together with
broad community input to prepare solutions and options which would fix
the health care system in Kings County. Further, it is the hope this
commission would provide Brooklyn with a solution that would take the
county's health care system into the 21st and 22nd century in a sustain-
able and vibrant manner, with a well-functioning health care network
providing high quality care to all Brooklyn residents. This will require
the profound reinvention of Brooklyn's residents. This will require the
profound reinvention of Brooklyn's health care system envisioned in the
Berger Commission and MRT studies, and in recent studies done by the
State University of New York.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-24: S7957- Referred to Finance
2021-22: S3290 - Referred to Finance
2019-20: S3797 - Referred tc Finance
2017-18: S2680 - Referred to Finance
2015-2016: S.1363A - Amend and Recommit to Finance
2013-2014: S.5916A/A.8119A - Amended and Recommitted to Health
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Estimated to be no more than $60,000.
 
LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.