NORWICH – A health and mental hygiene budget bill passed by the state’s legislature on Tuesday has restored $1.6 million to nursing homes in Chenango County.

Led by the Senate, the bill rejected a proposal included in the executive budget that would have changed the hospital reimbursement program. The legislature restored the funding, as well as $4.5 million across Senator Tom Libous’ 52nd Senatorial District, because nursing homes were being forced to use funding numbers from 1983, which are 25 years old.

The affected homes in Chenango County include: NYS Veteran’s home, Chase Memorial, Valley View, Pearl and Everett Gilmour and Chenango Memorial.

According to his Web site, Libous said, “We fought hard to complete a budget that means quality, affordable health care for our families in Broome, Tioga and Chenango counties. ... That’s why we restored dangerous proposed cuts that would have hurt our hospitals and nursing homes and that could’ve cost health care jobs.”

It’s still unclear as to the exact numbers that will be provided in the mental health portion, said a spokesman for Libous. Chenango County Mental Hygiene Department Director Mary Ann Spryn said the bill would not affect the county’s mental hygiene budgets.

Many nursing homes and social services may not yet be familiar with all the details. For more information, visit Libous’ Web site, www.tomlibous.com.