SCHUMER ANNOUNCES IMPORTANT NEW HEALTHCARE DESIGNATION FOR SIX HHC DIAGNOSTIC CENTERS IN MANHATTAN, BROOKLYN & THE BRONX; FEDERAL DESIGNATION MEANS APPROX. $30 MILLION PER YEAR TO HELP INCREASE ACCESS TO HEALTH SERVICES IN NEW YORK CITY COMMUNITIES WITH VULNERABLE POPULATIONS

Schumer Announces Designation for: Renaissance Health Care Network Diagnostic & Treatment Center, Gouverneur Health, Segundo Ruiz Belvis Diagnostic & Treatment Center, Morrisiania Diagnostic & Treatment Center, Cumberland Diagnostic & Treatment Center, East New York  Diagnostic & Treatment Center

Schumer: This is a Huge Win for New York City Because Our Underserved Communities Will Now Have Better Access to Much-Needed Primary Health Care Services

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) has officially obtained a critical designation as a Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike (FQHC) for six diagnostic centers throughout the city.  The six centers include: Renaissance Health Care Network Diagnostic and Treatment Center (Manhattan), Gouverneur Health (Manhattan), Segundo Ruiz Belvis Diagnostic and Treatment Center (the Bronx), Morrisiania Diagnostic and Treatment Center (the Bronx), Cumberland Diagnostic and Treatment Center (Brooklyn), and East New York Diagnostic and Treatment Center (Brooklyn).  According to HHC, these centers service more than 130,000 patients who make approximately 610,000 visits, mostly for primary care. Fifty percent of the visits are made by Medicaid beneficiaries and more than twenty-five percent are made by uninsured New Yorkers.

The FQHC Look-alike designation means that nearly $30 million per year would be available to some of New York City’s high-need communities to strengthen primary and preventive care capacity. Schumer today said that FHQC look-alike designations are important in providing the funding needed to increase the access and quality of  primary health services in underserved communities and vulnerable populations.

“Public community health centers in New York City provide critical primary health care services to some of our most vulnerable populations and now, with this new federal designation more New Yorkers in need will have increased access to comprehensive, quality primary care,” said Senator Schumer. “This is a huge win for New York City and I applaud the Department of Health and Human Services for understanding the importance of quality health care and for approving HHC’s application for this critically-needed and long-sought after designation.”

“This designation demonstrates the prominent role of our health care system’s large outpatient care network and supports HHC’s ongoing transformation to keep preventive care and wellness as the centerpiece of organizational culture.” said HHC President Dr. Ram Raju.  “The additional federal funding will further support our strategic goals to expand access to geographically convenient and culturally-sensitive healthcare services for all New Yorkers, strengthen our ability to keep New Yorkers healthy and make the necessary shift from sick care to true health care.”

A FQHC look-alike is an organization that meets all of the eligibility requirements of an organization that receives a Public Health Service Act Section 330 grant, but does not receive grant funding. Look-alikes receive many of the same benefits as FQHCs, including: cost-based reimbursement for services provided under Medicare; reimbursement under the Prospective Payment System (PPS) or other State-approved Alternative Payment Methodology for services provided under Medicaid; eligibility to purchase prescription and non-prescription medications for outpatients at reduced cost through the 340B Drug Pricing Program; automatic designation as a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA). The HPSA designation provides eligibility to apply to receive National Health Service Corps (NHSC) personnel and eligibility to be a site where a J-1 Visa physician can serve

Schumer today announced that HHC has obtained FQHC Look-Alike designations for the six diagnostic centers in New York City. Since December 2012, HHC has been working to obtain this designation. The centers serve communities that are disproportionately affected by high rates of chronic health conditions and premature mortality, and do not have enough primary care capacity. These communities need additional funding to support an increase in preventive and primary care and to sustain the services they currently have.