Posted by Virginia Re on February 02, 2009 at 07:57:26:
I know this is not the Forum for this… but…. I think this topic is important to all fellow Islanders.
We are all aware that budget cuts will be coming to our City and State and many will have an impact on our Community. One of the budget cuts that will have an effect on the quality of life for Staten Islanders are the STATE HEALTHCARE CUTS. The problems that have developed over the last decade with healthcare on Staten Island have largely been ignored by State and City Politicians; and our local politicians have not been vocal or forceful enough when negotiating this extremely important issue. With Governor Patterson’s budget cuts looming, Staten Island Hospitals are destined to lose a combined 19.8 million dollars. Staten Island University Hospital will stand to lose 15.3 million and RUMC would lose 4.5 million. At this point in time neither Hospital can afford this loss of revenue. RUMC is hanging by a very thin string and Staten Island University Hospital has been doing its best to cope with the Island’s explosive population. Emergency rooms are being used as doctor’s offices for the large population of uninsured Islanders…… and the City and State have decided that Staten Island is no longer in need of a PUBLIC HEALTH HOSPITAL. The three emergency rooms on the Island are constantly under diversion (meaning patients with real emergency health problems are being diverted to other hospitals). This can cause delays in needed critical intervention and in turn this puts lives in jeopardy. (This could be Your Life, Your CHILD’s LIFE, Your PARENT’S LIFE or the LIFE of SOMEONE IN OUR COMMUNITY).
We do have a voice. Anyone who believes there should be NO BUDGET CUTS TO STATEN ISLAND HEALTHCARE can go to www.helpyourhospital.org to sign a petition and write your legislator.
Thank You