As Gov. Kathy Hochul and legislative leaders head into “overtime” in state budget negotiations, attention has focused on their disagreement over a handful of policy proposals that prevented them from meeting the April 1 deadline.

But, of course, much more is at stake. And while a late budget is certainly not ideal, it also gives lawmakers an opportunity to fix an easily overlooked provision that threatens to undermine health care for countless vulnerable New Yorkers.

Buried in Part S of the Health and Mental Hygiene section of the executive budget proposal is an item with an innocuous-sounding title — “Reporting Requirements for Health Care Transactions.” Yet the implications are significant.

By adding a new unnecessary and duplicative review process on so-called “material transactions,” this provision could have far-reaching consequences for health care providers, startups and other companies that support health care delivery. It threatens to jeopardize the innovation and investment needed to provide high-quality, cost-effective care to all New Yorkers.

Those who rely on their private local caregivers and independent medical practices are likely to bear the brunt of this change, should it end up in the final budget deal. Many of these practices are already struggling due to........

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