Senate Resolution No. 2831
BY: Senator MAY
COMMEMORATING the achievements and efforts of the
New York StateWide Senior Action Council upon the
occasion of its 50th Anniversary, and recognizing
its historic contributions to the safety, rights,
and wellbeing of older adults in the State of New
York
WHEREAS, New York StateWide Senior Action Council, commonly known as
"StateWide," was founded in 1972 to achieve through united action the
dignity, well-being, and security of all senior citizens of New York
State, governed by a diverse board of older New Yorkers with a
grassroots network that excels at community education and case-finding;
and
WHEREAS, StateWide was founded as part of the War on Poverty and
dedicated itself to providing a unified and articulate voice on behalf
of older New Yorkers, especially as an advocate for the low-income
elderly and low-income persons of all generations, including being named
the lead organization in the 2009 rollout of the New York State Elder
Economic Security Index in conjunction with Wider Opportunities for
Women and the U-MASS; and
WHEREAS, StateWide played a key a role in the passage of the
Community Services for the Elderly (CSE) program which provides the core
state funding for area agencies on aging programs and the Elderly
Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage program providing relief from
pharmaceutical costs for older New Yorkers, and worked tirelessly to ban
mandatory retirement and institute Mandatory Medicare Assignment that
limits physician overcharges; and
WHEREAS, StateWide values the needs of all generations and was part
of a coalition drafting the first iteration of the New York Health Act,
worked with children's organizations toward the passage of the Child
Health Plus program, and worked for reforms included in the passage of
the Managed Care Bill of Rights; and
WHEREAS, Since 1987, StateWide has operated a state-funded Patients'
Rights and Advocacy Hotline to assist all New Yorkers with their rights
as health care consumers, including informing Medicare enrollees about
their right to appeal a hospital discharge, and in 2013, it successfully
pursued a first-in-the-nation law that was the model for a subsequent
federal law requiring hospitals to disclose if a patient was assigned to
observation status, all while assisting residents and family members
with their nursing home rights including establishing a Virtual Resident
and Family Council during the Coronavirus pandemic that led to revised
state and federal policies which had restricted visitation; and
WHEREAS, StateWide, having heard from clients about their inability
to access home care services, formed the NYS Home Care Crisis Campaign
to bring attention to the growing workforce shortage in the field of
home health care in New York State, resulting in legislative hearings;
and
WHEREAS, Since 2008, StateWide, through a state-funded contract, has
assisted Medicare enrollees by providing counseling on coverage options,
resolving billing issues, helping to navigate the health care system,
and assisting with enrollment in EPIC and the Medicare Savings Program;
and
WHEREAS, Since 2018, StateWide has been designated as the sole New
York provider for the Senior Medicare Patrol grant from the U.S.
Administration on Community Living to help prevent Medicare and Medicaid
Fraud among seniors in New York State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the achievements and efforts of the New York StateWide
Senior Action Council upon the occasion of its 50th Anniversary, and
recognize its historic contributions to the safety, rights, and
wellbeing of older adults in the State of New York; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the New York StateWide Senior Action Council.
