Senator Jim Tedisco today called on Governor Kathy Hochul to take immediate action and issue an executive order and/or call the legislature back for an emergency session to safeguard the healthcare of thousands of Ellis Medicine Cardiology patients who soon could lose access to their physician.

Tedisco first called on the Governor to act on this last Thursday at an Ellis Medicine Town Hall meeting and has formally followed up with the attached letter.

There is currently a professional services agreement between Ellis and St. Peter's Healthcare that is set to terminate on December 14th because of the dissolution of a planned merger between the two large health care providers. Ellis and St. Peter’s Healthcare are in litigation over 27 cardiologists who signed one-year noncompete agreements with St. Peter’s.

Those cardiologists treat about 50,000 people. Ellis has noted that the noncompete agreements violate a professional services agreement between the two companies.

“The situation taking place at Ellis Medicine in Schenectady impacting thousands of cardiology patients is very concerning and totally unacceptable. The clock is ticking. Ellis Medicine Cardiology patients can’t wait until the legislature returns to session in January,” said Senator Jim Tedisco.

“This now requires the immediate attention and intervention of the Governor, who through her office, has vast powers to take action and issue an executive order and call the legislature back into session to ban non-compete agreements in the healthcare field and protect the health and well-being of our mutual constituents, Ellis Medicine Cardiology patients,” said Tedisco.

Senator Tedisco noted that the legislature needs to pass legislation to ban non-compete agreements specifically in the healthcare field as the Governor vetoed sweeping legislation in 2023 (the last time it passed both houses) to ban non-compete agreements because that bill was far too broad and impacted virtually every industry and profession, which is why he voted against it.

“New York State has a shortage of healthcare professionals such as doctors and nurses and the last thing it needs is a noncompete law for healthcare providers.  The health, safety and well-being of our residents is more important than the majorities playing games and passing poison-pill bills that they cynically know will never get the Governor’s signature to score cheap political points while people’s lives are at stake,” said Senator Tedisco.