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CHCANYS Thanks State Leaders for Strengthening Support for Community Health Centers
Governor Hochul and state lawmakers recognize the essential role of health centers as CHCANYS calls for additional protections to sustain care for millions of New Yorkers
(Albany, N.Y.) – Below is a statement from Rose Duhan, President & CEO of CHCANYS, in response to the Health & Mental Hygiene Budget that was released.
“The Community Health Care Association of New York State (CHCANYS) is sincerely grateful to Governor Hochul and the New York State Legislature for including an $80 million investment in Community Health Centers in this year’s state budget. This is an important acknowledgment of the crucial role health centers play in New York’s healthcare system and of the funding crisis health centers are facing.
We are especially grateful to our legislative champions who fought to ensure health centers were recognized in this budget. Their support acknowledges the grim financial reality health centers across the state are dealing with each day and recognizes that investing in primary care strengthens families, communities, and the entire healthcare system.
While this investment recognizes that Medicaid rates have not kept pace with the true cost of delivering comprehensive care, it does not fill the gap that continues to strain health centers and the patients and communities who rely on them. In the coming fiscal year, we expect even more challenges. Federal changes under HR1, coupled with changes to the Essential Plan, are expected to leave hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers without coverage. Many of those newly uninsured will turn to Community Health Centers, which already care for a disproportionate share of uninsured or underinsured patients. Health centers will do everything they can to be there for those new and returning patients, but they cannot continue to meet an ever-growing need while Medicaid rates remain far short of the actual cost of care.
That’s why our fight is not over. One of the few tools community health centers have to stretch limited resources for patients is 340B. As the legislative session continues, CHCANYS urges lawmakers to build on the progress we have made by passing the 340B Prescription Drug Anti-Discrimination Act to protect the 340B program. This no-cost legislation is urgently needed to preserve resources that health centers use to expand access to care, support services that are not fully reimbursed, and care for patients who might otherwise go without.
Community Health Centers serve one in every eight New Yorkers, providing high-quality, comprehensive primary care, regardless of insurance status, income, or ability to pay. For many communities, health centers are the only access to the primary care system and often the only place patients can reliably and affordably receive medical, dental, behavioral health care, and other critical services, all under one roof.
We look forward to continuing to work with the Governor, the Legislature, our member health centers, and other advocates across the state to protect access to care for every New Yorker.”
For background, CHCs are economic engines, but have been dramatically underfunded for decades. Medicaid is their single largest source of income, representing 42% of total CHC revenue. Yet New York’s outdated Medicaid reimbursement system, unique to CHCs, pays rates based on costs from a quarter of a century ago, putting CHCs at a disadvantage as they deal with rising costs, workforce shortages, and growing demand.
CHCANYS’ Legislative Agenda briefing book provides additional information about CHCs, who they serve, how they contribute to their communities, and what support they need to survive and thrive. Our State and NYC fact sheets provide a breakdown of the types of care CHCs provide and how they are funded.
Images and video from the CHCANYS Advocacy Day on March 4 are available here.
About Community Health Center Association of New York State. CHCANYS is the voice of nearly 80 Community Health Centers, also known as Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), serving patients at almost 900 sites across every region of New York State, providing care to more than 2.5 million people each year. Our members are on the front lines of community health care, providing primary and preventive care, including medical, dental, behavioral health, vision, and substance use disorder services to high need patients in medically underserved areas.