September 29, 2025 (ROCHESTER, NY):  Senator Samra G. Brouk (SD-55) gathered today with local legislators, nursing home operators, residents and patient advocates to at the Jewish Home to speak about the benefits of the CINERGY (Collaborative to Improve Nursing Home Efficiency, Reduce Avoidable Hospitalizations, Guarantee Access, and Yield Area-Wide Performance Improvement) bill (S8222/A8738). This legislation would establish a program allowing all eligible non-profit nursing homes in the five nursing home regions of Upstate New York to work collaboratively and improve efficiency and quality of care. The CINERGY bill passed both the Senate and Assembly earlier this year.

CINERGY will allow non-profit upstate nursing homes the ability to collaborate, which allows our hospital systems to discharge patients more efficiently and reduce unnecessary hospitalizations. This will improve the continuum of care for non-profit nursing home and long-term care residents in communities around the state by ensuring better care standards, expanding access to essential services, and fostering safer, more connected environments where seniors can age with dignity and respect. 

Senator Samra Brouk (SD-55): “Older New Yorkers deserve quality care, safety, and dignity. I proudly sponsor the CINERGY (S8222/A8738) bill to enable non-profit nursing homes to collaborate and improve the continuum of care for non-profit nursing homes and long-term care residents. While the federal government makes devastating cuts to Medicaid, we are listening to our communities in crisis and responding with bills like CINERGY to help our struggling non-profit nursing homes run more efficiently, reduce unnecessary hospitalizations, and improve overall quality of care for older adults. Thank you to the Alliance for Senior Care, our non-profit nursing homes, impacted individuals, advocates, and my colleagues in the legislature for joining us in the fight to deliver solutions to meet the pressing needs of New Yorkers.”

Assemblymember Harry Bronson (AD- 138): “My CINERGY Bill is a cost-effective approach for not-for-profit nursing homes and long-term care facilities to provide New Yorkers with flexible, compassionate, reliable care so they may age with dignity. The costs of Medicaid are increasing, and the federal government is turning its back on our most vulnerable New Yorkers. CINERGY will foster collaboration among care facilities which will help address the financial and capacity challenges impeding hospital systems' abilities to discharge patients to long term care. The CINERGY Demonstration Project is the sensible solution our community needs to address the challenges that the Rochester area nursing homes and long-term care facilities face. I am proud to stand with the Senior Care Alliance and to partner with my Greater Rochester Majority Delegation Colleagues to improve our system and expand accessibility to quality care for our aging New Yorkers.”

Senator Jeremy Cooney (SD-56): “In Upstate New York, and especially Rochester, we’re seeing a growing financial strain on our non-profit and public nursing homes. This burden doesn’t just affect the care facilities themselves; it affects the entire community, from hospitals to families. I’m proud to cosponsor Senator Brouk’s and Assemblymember Bronson’s bill, which provides more effective reimbursement rates and supports collaborative efforts to better serve New York’s staff and residents with compassion and high-quality care.”

Assemblywoman Sarah Clark (AD- 136):  ” Older New York residents deserve excellent care in the places they choose to live. But for far too long our high quality nonprofit long term care facilities have struggled to cover the cost of care they provide to their residents.  I am proud to support the CINERGY bill because it addresses these challenges that I hear often from both families and providers. With increased resources, our facilities will be able to strengthen and expand staffing and services in our nursing homes. This legislation helps ensure residents receive the dependable, high-quality care that they deserve and our facilities will be able to cover the cost of care they deliver. In this moment of uncertainty in elder care I am proud to join my colleagues to fight for our seniors and our healthcare workforce.”

Assemblymember Jen Lunsford (AD- 135): "Our Upstate nursing homes are on life-support, and have been for several years.  This dire situation is about to be made all the worse by federal Medicaid cuts that destabilize the entire healthcare system. We cannot afford to keep kicking the can down the road, waiting for our loved ones to lose housing and care. This bill creates a stabilization fund similar to another successful program already in operation in other parts of the state, allowing us to provide support at a time when it is desperately needed. Ensuring that our elders have safe, stable, quality care is a top priority and we need to put our money where our mouth is to make sure they get it."

Assemblymember Demond Meeks (AD-137): “At a time when Medicaid cuts threaten the stability of our long-term care system, the CINERGY program offers a smart, budget-neutral way to strengthen nursing homes and protect residents. By fostering collaboration, CINERGY allows facilities to share resources, improve staffing, and reduce costs without sacrificing quality of care. This program is about doing more with less—and making sure our most vulnerable neighbors continue to receive the dignity and support they deserve.”

Michael S. King, President and CEO, Jewish Home: "This legislation allows the upstate not for profit nursing home industry to collaborate to improve the quality of care at all of our homes. I want to thank our local legislators for championing this effort, "