NORWICH – New York Senator Thomas Libous made a stop at Chenango Memorial Hospital on Wednesday to talk to employees about what the recently passed state budget could mean for health care workers.

Libous said he fought to restore funding to the health care system. “I’m here to let the employees know that I was there for them when the governor (initially proposed to) cut funding to the hospital. We were able to restore a significant amount to the budget,” he said. “Statewide, the budget provides almost $400 million in restorations to health care. When combined with federal funds, almost two-thirds of the health care cuts (originally) proposed by Governor Spitzer were restored,” a press release from the senator’s office says.

The budget cuts would have adversely affected many of the health care facilities in Chenango County, including The New York State Veteran’s Home, Chase Memorial Nursing Home and Chenango Memorial Hospital. According to Libous, Spitzer’s budget would have cut $470,000 from Chenango Memorial Hospital alone. More than $335,000 of the proposed cuts were restored.