Local hospitals are bracing for further health care cuts, even after the most recent cut was enacted earlier this week.
According to the Healthcare Association of New York State, under the latest budget extender passed by state legislators, Nathan Littauer Hospital in Gloversville has been cut by about $218,000. St. Mary's Hospital in Amsterdam has been cut by about $241,000. Legislators passed the budget extender as a measure to keep the state functioning, since the budget deadline passed months ago.
The cuts come with the knowledge that there are likely more on the horizon, according to HANYS. In the budget extender, health care was cut by nearly $800 million across the state, HANYS officials said.
"State leaders need to understand that any additional cuts and taxes will translate directly to more layoffs, loss of critical health care services, and the closure of health care institutions," said HANYS President Daniel Sisto in a statement.
The most recent cut, however, does not have Nathan Littauer officials too worried.
"We are a very fiscally conservative hospital," Vice President of Development Sue Kiernan said. "We approach our budget with the knowledge that there will most likely be cuts, so we have prepared for such an eventuality."
Kiernan said the $218,000 cut is a disappointment, but it will not have a negative effect on the hospital's staffing levels or services.
"I don't want anyone to think that layoffs have even been considered. It's just not in the discussion," she said. "We will still be able to do our expansions and add new services. We have prepared. We just don't spend money we don't have."
At St. Mary's in Amsterdam, officials there issued a statement in response to the cuts. Officials said the latest round of cuts is particularly damaging when added to the $1.8 billion in health care cuts that hospitals across the state have been subjected to.
Officials said there is no specific information on how the cuts will affect the functioning of the hospital, but said the hospital's long and short-term plans will need to be examined.
"St. Mary's leaders are closely following the budget process and monitoring the hospital-specific reports to better ascertain what these budget cuts will mean for the hospital and its community," officials said in the statement.
Kayleigh Karutis covers Gloversville news. She can be reached at gloversville@leaderherald.com.