Monday, March 16, 2026, 11:30 a.m. (New York City time), 250 Broadway - 8th Floor - Hearing Room 1
Committee: Committee on Hospitals
The Committee on Hospitals held a preliminary budget hearing on NYC Health + Hospitals' fiscal 2027 operating budget and the fiscal 2026–2030 capital commitment plan. Chair Mercedes Narcisse questioned H+H President Dr. Mitchell Katz and CFO John Albert on the B-HERT restructuring, emergency warming centers, the Maimonides merger, MetroPlus spending, Medicaid changes under the federal H.R. 1, headcount trends, and capital priorities. Public Advocate Jumaane Williams testified about federal health care cuts and B-HERT's failure to respond to most eligible calls. Council Members asked about correctional health units, immigration enforcement protocols at hospitals, medical debt relief, gender-affirming care, maternal health, and Bronx capital needs. Three members of the public testified in support of increased funding for H+H, nurse staffing, and the Access Health Initiative. No votes were taken; the hearing was an oversight and budget discussion.
0:29 Thank you. Test. Oh, this form
0:29 fire hoses with you right
0:47 before you are are please.
0:51 Thank you. Good morning and
0:52 welcome to the New York City
0:53 fiscal budget put it hearing
0:55 on hospitals, please. Silent
0:57 ,all electronic devices at this
0:58 time also, please do not
1:01 approach it.
1:01 Have are many christians,
1:02 please music your hand and one
1:03 of us is sergeant at arms with
1:06 kanye chair, we are ready to
1:10 begin. Yeah, thank god. Good
1:13 morning, everyone. I am
1:15 Council Member Mercedes
1:16 marcie's chair of the
1:18 committee on hospitals. Thank
1:19 you for attending today's
1:21 hearing on the city's fiscal
1:24 20 27 preliminary budget for
1:25 New York for New York City
1:27 health and hospitals
1:28 corporation, or h and h I
1:31 would like to thank my fellow
1:33 council members for joining us
1:37 for this hearing, um council
1:41 combine a shulman canal young
1:47 . Time, I would also like t
1:49 othink that.
1:50 Katz and his team for coming
1:55 to testify today, h and h
1:57 proposed operating budget for
1:58 fiscal 20 27 totals which
2:03 represents roughly 1.3% of the
2:08 city's budget. The changes t
2:09 oh and its budget since the
2:11 release of the fiscal 20 27
2:14 preliminary plan in are mostly
2:17 related to emergency warming
2:21 centers,
2:21 comprehensive adolescent
2:22 care
2:22 , and street homelessness.
2:25 The preliminary plan also
2:27 includes New funding for intra
2:30 City partnerships with the
2:31 department of health and
2:33 mental hygiene and the
2:36 administration for children'
2:36 sservices. The.
2:37 Plan also includes a further
2:39 reduction in h and h asylum
2:42 secret budget as the system
2:43 has been winding down its
2:47 asylum seeker work. I'm
2:48 . Eager to hear more details
2:51 about these fundings changes
2:54 will also review h and h
2:56 fiscal 20 26 20 30 capital
2:59 commitment plan of which
3:03 includes significant funding
3:05 for an expansion of the clear
3:08 shulman pavilion at queens
3:10 hospital a commitment in the
3:12 jamaica neighborhood plan and
3:13 an expansion of the
3:17 comprehensive psychiatric
3:18 emergency services program I
3:22 built
3:23 . The capital plan also
3:24 includes funding for the
3:25 correctional health outpost.
3:27 The units and critical health
3:30 care expansion on the rockaway
3:33 peninsula. I'm eager to hea
3:34 rdetails.
3:34 On this capital budget.
3:38 Additionally, we will discuss
3:39 details of the week
3:41 constructor of the b heard
3:42 program that was announced
3:44 last year in under the New
3:48 motto b be heard will be fully
3:51 funded and operated by h and h
3:54 with the f d n. Y being
3:56 removed from the program
3:59 . This transition will require
4:01 significant effort from h and
4:03 h and I would like to learn
4:06 how and h is planning for he
4:10 for this restructuring under
4:12 the minutemen donny's
4:16 administration
4:16 . Provisions in the federal
4:17 bill
4:17 . H. R. One. The ugly one. How
4:20 resulting in health insurance
4:22 challenges for significant
4:23 significant portion of New
4:26 yorkers
4:26 . Roughly 450000 New yorkers
4:29 are set to lose coverage under
4:32 the state plan because of the
4:34 provision cracking down on the
4:36 premium tax credit eligibility
4:40 . Regulations on medicaid will
4:40 begin in the coming months,
4:45 which threatens coverage for
4:48 legally present non citizens
4:50 and those who are out of work.
4:53 An increase in New york's
4:54 and on population will create
4:57 significant financial burdens
4:59 to hear the system plan to
5:05 manage this unfortunate
5:09 developments
5:09 . Before we begin. I would
5:10 like to think the finding
5:11 staff, of course, on my head
5:20 florentine, coppery and, um
5:22 for their work on the hearing
5:23 as well as a committee staff
5:26 area and manure, but for their
5:29 support. Finally, I would like
5:30 to think my style, Frank, um,
5:34 of course, my fellow little
5:36 courtney Lee. Um, I would like
5:40 to acknowledge some of the
5:43 public advocate.
5:43 Ramani Williams in the house
5:44 . Thank you. I will now turn
5:46 it over to the committee
5:47 counsel to admit it the oath,
5:50 um, to members of their group
5:56 orderlies, the public advocate
5:57 always disturbed my flu and
5:58 now I'm turning it over to the
6:01 public advocate. If I say
6:02 thank you. Thank you, Madam
6:04 chair much. Appreciate it.
6:05 Sorry, miss your flow up. Ah,
6:09 morning is mentioned. My name
6:09 is germany Williams public
6:10 average of New York want t
6:12 othink again. Uh, our seas and
6:14 the members of the committee
6:16 on hospitals for hosting this
6:18 hearing and lot of opportunity
6:19 to testify, also want to thank
6:20 dr katz and all the folks at h
6:22 and h for being here and
6:23 answering questions before the
6:26 committee. It pains me that
6:27 after the turmoil of covid-19
6:29 pandemic, which exacerbated
6:30 health factors across
6:32 demographics and contributed
6:33 to staff shortages and high
6:34 rates of turnover at many of
6:36 our hospitals, we should find
6:37 ourselves in a moment of
6:40 insurgency again while state
6:41 interventions and funding for
6:42 health care and the governor'
6:42 sexecutive budget aimed t
6:43 oblunt the impact of federal
6:45 cuts enacted under the big
6:47 ugly bill it is likely that
6:49 hundreds of thousands of New
6:49 yorkers will soon be left on
6:51 down from the initial New
6:54 yorkers estimated following
6:55 the bill's passage in.
6:56 Addition to the loss of
6:57 coverage these steep cuts are
6:59 also estimates a result in a
7:00 loss of generated economic
7:01 income to the tune of $14.4
7:05 billion with direct cuts t
7:06 ohospitals and health systems
7:08 . Totaling 8 billion wise the
7:10 state could lose up to 65000
7:13 positions in hospitals and
7:15 other community health centers
7:16 , while the City is limited in
7:16 what it can be done. I loo
7:19 kforward to hearing how we can
7:20 best support our hospitals and
7:21 other health care providers. I
7:22 also want to briefly highlight
7:23 the importance of it
7:25 . That our hospital continued
7:27 to find a way to provide you
7:28 the firming care for
7:32 communities. Jennifer mckay
7:33 was health care and at this
7:33 critical time when protections
7:34 are being rolled back and the
7:36 lgbt plus communities under
7:38 attack. We have to find a way
7:40 to be able to support a, t, g
7:44 and c, who are simply trying
7:44 to live their lives
7:45 authentically as they can
7:46 finally, I want to turn my
7:47 attention to be heard in 20.
7:49 21 New York City launched
7:51 the behavioral healthier
7:52 emergency assistance response
7:53 division. I'll be.
7:55 Heard, whereas a program
7:56 previously paid off y and
7:59 paramedics with mental health
8:00 professionals from h and h.
8:01 The restructuring proposed by
8:02 the adams administration,
8:05 whatever other emergency
8:05 response units while shifting
8:07 management of be her team's
8:09 composed of other medical and
8:10 mental health professionals t
8:11 oh and h, while the previous
8:13 administration claim that this
8:14 would streamline operations in
8:15 the shift the program toward a
8:17 health first response. In
8:19 addition to further obtaining
8:20 profession for the most
8:23 critical emergencies. I a
8:24 minterested in hearing whether
8:24 h and h has a staffing and
8:25 funding available to carry out
8:26 the programs ever expanding
8:28 operations and meet the
8:30 program's current demands
8:30 between 20 22 and 20 24 b her
8:33 teams did not respond to more
8:34 than 13000 calls that met the
8:36 program's criteria.
8:39 Approximately 35% of all
8:39 eligible calls. I do not
8:41 believe the last
8:41 administration had any real
8:42 intent to make this program
8:44 work. I have different
8:46 thoughts about this
8:46 administration, so I'm looking
8:47 forward to what is being done
8:48 to really see if we can
8:49 streamline and have this
8:51 process really be as impactful
8:52 as we'd like it to be and if
8:53 it's other changes that we
8:55 should be making I want like
8:56 to hear that as well.
8:58 Look forward to hearing fro
8:59 madministration on how we can
8:59 improve the program because
9:00 it's is critical when police
9:03 respond particularly first two
9:04 people in mental health crisis
9:05 . Those who need help, often
9:07 subject to use force, arrest,
9:08 incarceration and even death.
9:11 It is a situation where no one
9:11 is in the greats position at
9:13 that moment in time. We have
9:15 to have an alternative that
9:16 can actually respond to peopl
9:17 ein times of crisis, but I also
9:20 entails prioritizing resources
9:21 for those who respond
9:22 otherwise we're endangering.
9:23 Not only those who need help,
9:24 but those who respond. And
9:27 quite frankly, hopefully we
9:28 can do a lot more before that
9:29 call is made in the first
9:30 place
9:30 . I appreciate it. Thank you
9:35 , thank you, public advocate.
9:36 We have been joined by him at
9:39 the ball, get terrorists and
9:41 of course she finance leak
9:46 ,and now I will turn it over to
9:47 commit counsel to administe
9:49 rthe.
9:50 Oath. Thank you, chair, we
9:51 will now hear testimony from
9:53 the administration before we
9:54 begin, I will administer the
9:56 affirmation. Panelists. Please
9:57 raise your right hand. I will
9:59 read the information once,
10:00 then call on each of you
10:00 individually to respond. Do
10:04 you affirm to tell the truth,
10:04 the whole truth and nothing
10:05 but the truth before this
10:06 committee and to respond
10:08 honestly to Council Member.
10:13 Questions. Yes. Thank you. Now
10:13 you begin
10:25 . Okay, I'm delighted to be
10:27 here. Um, I'm glad to be here
10:29 so soon after our previous
10:31 testimony is a wonderful
10:32 committee. I feel like the the
10:35 hospital committee should
10:36 always be headed by a Nurse
10:38 ,perhaps that's legislation
10:38 that the City Council could
10:40 consider um, that's up to you
10:42 ,bu i'mt delighted to be here
10:47 and a I also want to say, you
10:48 know, to our public advocate
10:49 that the public has never
10:51 needed an advocate more than
10:52 than at this moment given
10:55 what's been going on so it's
10:56 great that you're here and
10:58 that we can work together. I'm
11:01 dr mitch katz. I'm a primary
11:02 care for and on the proud
11:05 president and of New York City
11:06 health and hospitals. I am
11:07 joined by my excellent chief
11:12 financial officer john albert
11:13 to the right and dr patsy yan
11:15 g, whose does an amazing job
11:19 running correctional health
11:22 for our City et me, please t
11:22 otalk about our financial
11:25 performance for fiscal year 2
11:29 6a. M as the largest municipal
11:31 health care system in the
11:32 country health and hospital
11:34 continues to play a vital role
11:37 in caring for New yorkers
11:39 across all five boroughs. We,
11:40 in fact, are the affordability
11:43 for health care throughout New
11:45 York City a as people don't
11:48 always understand New York
11:49 City is filled with great
11:52 hospitals and those great
11:53 hospitals do take care of
11:55 people who are uninsured and
11:58 who have medicaid when they're
12:00 department. So if you have a
12:05 life threatening emergency
12:08 like diabetic ketoacidosis.
12:09 You will get excellent care,
12:10 but there's no one to provide
12:12 ongoing insulin for you. For
12:15 that, you need the public
12:17 sector, there's nobody but us
12:19 to do elective surgery for you
12:20 , there's nobody to do
12:22 radiation oncology for you. Um
12:24 , when the other hospitals
12:26 talk about the large number of
12:28 medicaid and uninsured, they
12:31 mean through the emergency
12:32 department and they are paid
12:35 for that the state pays
12:35 through emergency medicaid. So
12:36 there are no uninsured
12:39 patients in acute care
12:41 hospitals, but where there's a
12:42 huge burden and we because
12:43 because of people like you
12:47 ,New York City has a chance is
12:48 through health and hospitals
12:50 because you have always been
12:52 stuart's of maintaining a
12:54 public system that takes care
12:57 of everybody without exception
12:58 and provides the same level of
13:00 care to one of patsies
13:03 detainees when she comes to
13:04 our hospital as we would to a
13:07 rich businessman or
13:08 businesswoman. We have one
13:09 standard of care and everybody
13:11 gets it. We're very proud of
13:14 the housing programs that
13:15 we've done. I'm not going to
13:17 attempt to go through all the
13:20 past years accomplishments,
13:21 but I think it's really
13:23 interesting that health and
13:24 hospitals has been a leader in
13:28 housing, and that's because I
13:29 want to be able to write a
13:32 prescription for housing the
13:32 way I write a prescription for
13:35 an because that housing is
13:37 likely more impactful for a
13:40 homeless person than an so we
13:43 did 93 supportive housing
13:45 units at woodhall hospital
13:48 with the great communal life
13:52 organization. We now have more
13:53 than a hundred patients that
13:54 we're caring for it hot at
13:57 through our respite program
13:59 because people leave the
14:01 hospital. They no longer need
14:02 acute care hospital. They
14:04 can't make it in a shelter.
14:06 They can't do their activities
14:08 of daily living. So we we
14:10 don't want to send them on the
14:13 street, so we instead provide
14:14 them for a a place where we
14:17 can take care of them. And
14:19 then if you haven't visited of
14:21 the bridge to home, I hope
14:23 you'll go and come and see it
14:25 because it s it, I think
14:28 stands to really change the
14:31 whole dynamics of people with
14:32 serious mental illness who are
14:34 homeless. So until we open
14:38 this program the basic way the
14:38 system works is somebody comes
14:41 into an acute care hospital
14:44 with a psychotic break, they
14:47 will be cared for lovingly by,
14:49 you know, doctors and nurses
14:52 24 hours a day. But when
14:53 they're ready for discharge,
14:56 that's it. There's no next
14:57 thing you're sending somebody
14:58 out onto the street after 2 2
15:01 3 weeks of excellent care with
15:03 a bottle of medication and a
15:07 appointments in 3 2 5 days for
15:09 a case manager, that is our
15:11 current state of the world, is
15:13 it any wonder that most of
15:14 those people lose their
15:17 medicines and don't make the
15:19 follow up appointment and in
15:21 two weeks, three weeks, a
15:23 month later cycle back to the
15:25 psychiatric emergency room or
15:26 wind up under patsy's care at