Your advocacy is essential. The Governor and Legislature are negotiating the FY26 Budget, including a proposal which includes an appropriation of $50-$100 million from the Managed Care Organization (MCO) Tax to support an increase in the Medicaid physician fee schedule.

It is crucial the Governor and the legislature hear directly from New York’s physicians conveying the need for this appropriation to address the crisis of wait times, boarding of patients and staffing in Emergency Departments across the State.

New York State has a significant Medicaid reimbursement rate deficit for emergency physicians relative to Medicare and reimbursement in other surrounding states. The State needs to provide significant financial resources to address this crisis in the final budget.

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Subject: Address The ER Crisis by Increasing Medicaid Reimbursement Rates

As a constituent and emergency physician, I urge you to allocate a significant portion of the proposed appropriation of $50-$100 million from the Managed Care Organization (MCO) Tax to support an increase in the Medicaid physician fee schedule in the final budget. Boosting Medicaid reimbursement for emergency services delivered under Medicaid by physicians is essential to protect our healthcare system’s safety net.

New York’s emergency departments are facing a crisis – long wait times, patient boarding and staff shortages constitute a healthcare emergency. Emergency medicine physicians are required by the Emergency Medical Treatment & Labor Act (EMTALA) to evaluate and treat every patient who enters their door, regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. To meet EMTALA’s goals, the State must provide adequate financial resources following the lead of other States like California.

California used over $100 million from its MCO Provider Tax program to increase emergency physician reimbursement, ensuring rates for Medicaid services reached at least 87.5% of the Medicare rate. I request that New York take similar action to close the Medicaid gap and stabilize its ER departments.

As a New York State physician committed to providing timely, high-quality emergency care to all patients, no matter their resources, I urge you to prioritize this critical issue in the final budget.