NY awards $462M to help hospitals keep services

New York health officials have awarded $462 million to help 22 hospitals and five large public hospital systems statewide continue key services. The funds followed a federal agreement in April for New York to reinvest $8 billion in Medicaid savings to support hospital overhauls and expand primary medical care over five years. The goal is to reduce avoidable hospital use by 25 percent while helping financially struggling institutions shift to more primary and outpatient care. Further funding from the so-called Medicaid waiver will be available next March following another round of applications, state Health Department spokesman Bill Schwarz said.