Regulatory Reforms Underway In New York – But Will They Yield Substantial Shifts In Consumer Experience?

With EXPRESS NY (Expediting Processes and Regulations to Enable Streamlined Services), New York Governor Kathy Hochul has focused her administration’s energies on cutting New York State’s bureaucratic red tape. Effort to implement the programs behind her pledge – made initially in February and with more details released last month – comes at a moment of political relevance for the Governor.

Shortly after the Governor’s June 15 announcement of 50 specific initiatives for regulatory reform targeting 22 state agencies (further delineated in a letter the Governor penned to New Yorkers and that she subsequently formalized in a July 8, 2026, Executive Order), a number of the Governor’s endorsed candidates, including incumbent New York City Federal Congressman Adriano Espaillat, lost contested primaries. The Governor, of course, is running for reelection this fall against Republican candidate and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, and despite polling that suggests Governor Hochul holds a meaningful lead, the Governor’s team evidently is taking steps now to double-down on streamlining that may have the secondary effect of boosting the Executive’s credibility with voters.

The Governor’s office has touted the potential of EXPRESS NY to save New Yorkers tens of millions of dollars and increase their access to agency services. How? By simplifying complex applications and compliance requirements, modernizing and standardizing processes and rescinding now-superfluous policies (think: now-decades-old Y2K guidelines). Like-minded changes will target the digitization of certain hearings and functions, the reduction in barriers for the credentialing of certain healthcare workers and the expansion of some telehealth usage.

Nursing homes and Medicaid are a part of the Express NY focus. For example, the Governor has directed the New York State Department of Health (DOH) to simplify the path to become a full-fledged nursing home administrator, including:

1. reducing the number of hours required for the Administrator in Training Program to nine months from 12 months;
2. expanding the qualifying practice areas to fulfill nursing home administrators’ field experience requirements; and
3. lowering the number of years of precepting experience required as an Administrator of Record from three years to one year.

Express NY also calls for the reduction of nursing homes’ contributions to construction projects as a means of spurring facility modernization.

With respect to Medicaid overall, the Governor’s Office has directed DOH to:

1. standardize Medicaid documentation and recordkeeping requirements; and
2. authorize Medicaid administrators to use digital signatures and online forms.

Time will tell if the EXPRESS NY changes garner lasting traction. Accordingly, and as we progress into the heart of summer, Bond will monitor EXPRESS NY programs closely.

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