Assemblyman Robert Smullen (R,C-Mohawk Valley and the Adirondacks) has introduced a proposal aimed at expanding health care access and improving affordability in rural communities across New York State. The initiative comes after an August 2025 report from the Office of the New York State Comptroller revealed significant shortages of healthcare professionals in 16 rural counties.
The report found that several counties lacked pediatricians or obstetrician-gynecologists entirely, with additional gaps in primary care doctors, dentists, and mental health practitioners. A PDF version of the full August 2025 report is available for review.
“These statistics showcase a staggering lack of health care access for New Yorkers living in rural areas of the state, which is unacceptable,” said Smullen. “There is a clear and present need for us to address this urgent and growing problem on a statewide scale. My proposal would help address this health care shortage by improving telehealth reimbursement rates, as well as providing loan relief and tax credits to health care providers to incentivize them to work in currently underserved rural areas. Addressing these affordability and access issues is essential and is a matter of rural equity.”
Smullen’s plan seeks to boost telehealth reimbursement rates while offering financial incentives such as loan relief and tax credits for medical professionals who choose to practice in areas experiencing provider shortages.
