New York State Nurses Association condemns FMAP contingency plan

Latham, August 4, 2010 - The New York State Nurses Association condemns the legislature’s decision to pass the FMAP contingency plan. This plan, intended to offset a possible loss of Federal Medicaid Assistance Percentage funding, will ultimately lead to unsustainable cuts to Medicaid and vital state-sponsored health programs.

“Medicaid and other state-funded health services should not be used as a stop-gap for the state’s fiscal woes,” said Tina Gerardi, MS, RN, CAE, Nurses Association CEO. “Should Congress fail to extend the FMAP enhancement, we ask the legislature to consider the health of New York’s citizens and pass the sugar-sweetened beverage tax instead.”

The New York State Nurses Association is the voice for nursing in the Empire State. With more than 36,000 members, it is the state's largest professional association and largest union for registered nurses. It supports nurses and nursing practice through education, research, legislative advocacy, and collective bargaining.

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