NY to downsize hospital, nursing home industry

This week, a commission created under New York law should release a plan for shrinking the state's hospital and nursing home industries. The plan will itself become law unless the governor or legislature reject it next month. The commission's plan has developed after a year of meetings and public hearings. Observers expect the commission to require the closing of underused, financially struggling hospitals, but otherwise don't know what it will do. The state's industry is waiting with bated breath to see whether the commission will insist that other struggling hospitals merge, combine or convert services. Meanwhile, others wonder whether the commission will close financially-compromised nursing homes even if they're serving a lot of patients. Another big question is how far the commission will go in promoting the development of primary care services. Commission members have been resolutely quiet about all of this throughout the process.

To find out more about the panel's plans:
- read this New York Times piece

Related Article:
NY gets $1.5 billion to close ailing hospitals. Report

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