FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JORDAN HEALTH ALONG WITH OTHER NEW YORK COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS TELL NEW YORK STATE TO #RAISETHERATE AFTER NEW REPORT REVEALS MEDICAID REIMBURSES JUST 70% OF THE COST OF CARE
Community Health Care Association of NYS Urges Passage of Legislation Directing State DOH to Analyze CHC Costs and Create New Sustainable Medicaid Rate
November 30, 2023, Rochester, N.Y. – Jordan Health along with The Community Health Care Association of New York State is demanding that state leaders raise the state Medicaid reimbursement rate for community health centers statewide, following a new report from The Urban Institute which finds that health centers are only reimbursed 70% of the cost of care. The Urban Institute report concludes that “strategic investment in New York’s community health centers through the Medicaid program should start with closing the gap between Medicaid payment rates and the costs of delivering services. This will enable centers to expand and strengthen access to comprehensive, high-quality, and culturally effective care in the state’s under-resourced communities and help New York achieve its health equity goals.”
To accomplish this, CHCANYS is urging the passage of legislation that would direct the New York State Department of Health to analyze health center costs and create new, sustainable Medicaid rates that are informed by stakeholder input, account for increased cost pressures, and changes to the CHC care model, and are adjusted annually using an updated trend factor.
“With each new health crisis we face, the state’s dependence on Community Health Centers increases – but health center funding is based on what it cost to treat a patient back in 1999. Health centers are the linchpin of the health care safety net and without them, their patients might not have access to care. We are asking that health center funding levels are adjusted to keep pace with inflation and reflect care delivery in the 21st century,” said CHCANYS President and CEO Rose Duhan. “On behalf of Community Health Centers across the state, CHCANYS implores New York’s leaders to provide CHCs the funding they need and deserve.”
“Jordan’s mission to ensure everyone has access to quality health care regardless of their ability to pay is directly impacted by the reimbursement rate,” said Dr. Linda Clark, President and CEO of Jordan Health. “It is critical that community health centers like Jordan receive the proper reimbursements in order to continue to care for all patients. Reimbursement has not kept up with the true costs of providing holistic care that encompassing social drivers of health. We need support from our communities and our legislators as the cost of health care continues to rise.”
Community Health Centers in New York State provide comprehensive primary care, behavioral health care, and dental and vision services to 2.3 million patients statewide who likely would not have access to care otherwise. They are governed by patients, hire from their communities, and provide culturally competent care at more than 800 locations statewide.
In the Greater Rochester community, Jordan Health Center offers comprehensive services to all. Jordan’s “no patient turned away” goal is evident in all of our services and actions. Our patients range in age from newborns to 80+ across the Greater Rochester Area. It is vital to Jordan’s mission which spans 100 years to provide a variety of options for patients to see their provider and cover their costs of medical care. Jordan offers 7 locations, virtual options, and sliding discounts to ensure quality health care is feasible for everyone in our community. Jordan will also host a meeting with local, state, and federal legislators in the coming weeks.
New York State’s community health centers are instrumental in guaranteeing healthcare equity, even though Medicaid only covers 70% of the costs. That’s why we are urging lawmakers to pass (bill info here) and tell New York to #RaiseTheRate to ensure community health centers’ survival.
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About Jordan Health
Jordan Health has provided community-focused healthcare for over 100 years and is one of the first five Federally Qualified Health Centers in the country. Jordan Health serves underserved and uninsured residents in Rochester and Canandaigua, delivering on its mission: To provide community-based comprehensive health care of the highest quality with dignity and respect to all regardless of ability to pay.
About CHCANYS
The Community Health Care Association of New York State is New York’s Primary Care Association, a membership organization representing New York’s 70-plus Community Health Centers.
CHCANYS provides training and technical assistance to New York’s CHCs in areas including clinical quality improvement, emergency management, data and technology, workforce development, and compliance and operations. CHCANYS also supports CHCs through policy and advocacy work, strengthening and focusing health center voices at the local, state, and federal levels.
Media Contact:
Juanita Washington
(585) 623-0210