NYS 2016 ENACTED BUDGET SUMMARY

This morning the NYS Legislature passed a $147.2 billion budget. The Governor has indicated he will sign the measure later today. We are excited to share with you several key cancer related wins that our volunteers and staff advocated for on behalf of the thousands of New Yorkers affected by cancer. Thank you for making cancer a priority in NYS government!
Ìø‰Û_åá $5 million for mobile mammography vans. As part of the Governor’s $91 million Breast and Prostate Cancer Prevention Program 10 mobile mammography vans will be placed in areas with low screening capacity. The Governor’s office estimates the program will provide mammography to 30,000 women each year.
Ìø‰Û_åá $25.3 million for the Cancer Services Program. We were successful in maintaining consistent funding for this program that provides critical breast, colorectal, and cervical cancer screening services free of charge to underserved populations throughout NYS. In the previous two years government leaders have attempted to cut funding by as much as 25 percent.
Ìø‰Û_åá $39.3 million for the Tobacco Control Program. This funding will ensure that NY continues the highly successful New York State Smokers’ Quitline and other successful strategies to help people stop using tobacco products. Research shows over 70 percent of smokers want to quit. This program provides much needed support to reduce the rate of tobacco use in New York.
Ìø‰Û_åá $500,000 for Healthy Foods & Healthy Communities program. Unfortunately, the Legislature did not include full funding for the program, but we were successful in obtaining funding to continue the program for at least one more year. This will ensure the current and several newly proposed programs will continue to operate and move forward. We believe this sets the stage to make it easier for annual funding.
Ìø‰Û_åá Opioid prescription prior authorization exemption for hospice and cancer patients. Exceptions have been made in the law that requires prior authorization for anyone seeking more than four opioid prescriptions in a 30-day period. This exemption provides much needed access to pain therapies and medication for cancer patients.
Ìø‰Û_åá State Cancer Mapping program. The program has been changed to now require cancer maps to be updated at least every five years, instead of haphazardly.
Ìø‰Û_åá $200 million health care facility transformation program. The fund will support projects that replace inefficient and outdated health care facilities. At least $30 million must be used for community based providers.
April 1, 2016
Bill Sherman
Vice President
Government Relations
American Cancer