Palumbo Opposes the Impending Heathcare Crisis Created by Democrats!

September 3, 2021

Dear Governor Hochul:

In recent days numerous hospitals, healthcare providers, nursing homes, healthcare workers and constituents have contacted our offices to express their concerns about the September 27th mandatory vaccination deadline for healthcare workers. Many of the facilities in our districts have reached out fearing an impending crisis of care that a widespread staffing shortage would create due to the vaccine mandate.

In fact, healthcare facilities in our districts have stated they will lose anywhere between 20 and 30 percent of their workforce if the vaccination mandate remains in place. Further exacerbating this problem is the high cost of housing on the east end of Long Island. Healthcare workers cannot afford housing in our region, so there is no backup labor pool to draw from. We are greatly concerned that these avoidable staffing losses will make meeting the laudable goals of recently enacted safe staffing legislation unreachable while at the same time creating a severe healthcare worker shortage that puts patients at risk as COVID-19 cases are on the rise.

We are requesting your plan of action for these healthcare facilities should they have to refuse admissions or divert patients in a situation where they are ill equipped to provide quality care due to a lack of personnel. Furthermore, it is our understanding that no employment separation guidance has been provided to healthcare facilities outlining how they are to handle the termination of non-vaccinated healthcare workers and what if any compensation will be available for former employees.

Additionally, what is your contingency plan in the event of a staffing crisis? Would such a plan allow for healthcare facilities to maintain unvaccinated staff if they agree to scheduled testing, similar to other states like New Jersey, in order to maintain safe staffing levels?

While it is our mutual goal to protect both patients and those working in our healthcare facilities, it is critically important that we ensure that our hospitals and nursing homes have the appropriate staff to handle the increased patient demand caused by the pandemic.

We look forward to an expeditious response, as this is a time sensitive matter.

Respectfully yours,

Anthony Palumbo
NYS Senator, 1st District