May 9, 2025
For Immediate Release
New York Physicians Appreciative that State Budget Takes Steps to Protect Patient Access to Community-Based Physician Care
Statement attributable to:
Jerome Cohen, MD
President, Medical Society of the State of New York
“New York’s physicians appreciate that the final state budget takes steps to protect and enhance patient access to community-based physician care. This includes enhancements to New York’s currently woefully inadequate Medicaid payments, as well as rejecting proposals that would have imposed staggering medical liability insurance cost hikes on top of already exorbitant costs, and impaired the ability of hospital emergency departments to have adequate specialty care. We thank Senate and Assembly leadership for their strong support on these critical issues affecting physicians and the patients we serve.
“New York continues to rank among the most difficult states in which to practice medicine—largely due to some of the highest liability insurance costs in the nation. To keep skilled physicians in our communities and maintain access to quality care, we must take decisive action to improve the practice environment. In 2023, New York’s malpractice payouts exceeded the combined totals of California and Florida, despite having just one-third of their population. This unsustainable reality threatens both the stability of our healthcare workforce, and the care patients rely on. We must not only stop new proposals that would increase tort costs—we must also take steps to reduce the burden already in place. Physicians want to stay and serve in New York. To make that possible, we’re committed to working with all stakeholders to create a more balanced, fair, and sustainable malpractice system.
“With several weeks remaining in the 2025 legislative session, MSSNY looks forward to working with the Governor and the State Legislature on a series of legislative initiatives that will help enhance patient access to community-based physician care. We also continue to urge our New York Congressional delegation to continue to fight to prevent staggering Medicaid cuts or unreasonable administrative requirements currently under discussion that could very well impair patient access care to needed care and force New York to reduce funding for essential programs for funding the delivery of this care.”
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Founded in 1807, the Medical Society of the State of New York is the state’s principal non-profit professional organization for physicians, residents, and medical students of all specialties. Its mission is to represent the interests of patients and physicians to assure quality healthcare services for all.
Media Contact:
Roseann Raia | Manager, Communications
Medical Society of the State of New York
865 Merrick Avenue
Westbury, NY 11590
516.488.6100 x302 | [email protected]
Julie Vecchione
Vice President, Communications
Medical Society of the State of New York
865 Merrick Avenue
Westbury, NY 11590
516.488.6100 x340 | [email protected]
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