As members of Congress returned to Washington, DC, following August recess, Stony Brook University Hospital (SBUH) CEO and COO Carol Gomes visited Capitol Hill for a series of critical healthcare advocacy meetings with members of the New York congressional delegation and senior health staff.
Gomes met with Rep. Nick LaLota and Rep. Andrew Garbarino, and the senior health staff of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. During the meetings, Gomes urged Congress to prevent detrimental Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payment cuts, fix the flawed DSH calculation method, push FEMA to expedite COVID-19 reimbursements to public hospitals, and enact federal policies to strengthen the healthcare workforce.
“At Stony Brook University Hospital our commitment to providing quality healthcare to our community is unwavering,” said Gomes. “To continue to deliver the level of care our patients deserve, we need adequate and predictable federal funding in addition to increased resources to bolster clinician and other healthcare training programs to address serious healthcare workforce shortages.”
Advocacy meetings with key policymakers have the potential to catalyze significant positive changes in healthcare policy and funding. By engaging directly with congressional members and staff, Gomes successfully amplified SBUH’s voice on the Hill, advocating for policies that would improve healthcare access and enhance patient outcomes.
SBU’s Office of Federal Relations coordinated these meetings and works closely with the New York congressional delegation to fight for all SBU federal priorities.
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