New York State Department of Health Announces $1 Million in Grants for Medicaid Managed Care Plans

Albany, N.Y., September 22, 1998 – The State Department of Health today announced the award of $1 million in grants to 15 health care providers to help further New York's goal of expanding its statewide Medicaid managed care program. The grants will help facilitate the transition to managed care by encouraging experienced Medicaid service providers to collaborate with Medicaid managed care plans.

As New York strives to make its residents the healthiest in the nation, these grants are ensuring the State's poorest citizens primary and preventive health care services. Medicaid managed care gives individuals a medical home where their health care needs are met in a coordinated and comprehensive way. New York's program provides high quality comprehensive health care for Medicaid recipients, while meeting the special needs of people with compassionate, targeted services.

Under Governor Pataki's leadership, New York applied for and received in July, 1997, a federal waiver allowing mandatory enrollment of 2.2 million Medicaid recipients into managed care. The waiver expands eligibility to include people on Home Relief (Safety Net) and allows for the creation of Special Needs Plans for people with HIV infection and AIDS as well as the seriously mentally ill.

To date, 11 counties operate mandatory managed care programs with approximately 623,000 Medicaid recipients enrolled statewide, served by 34 health plans. These counties include: Albany, Broome, Columbia, Erie, Greene, Monroe, Niagara, Ontario, Rensselaer, Saratoga, and Westchester.

The grants will support activities associated with the planning, development and implementation of managed care delivery model agreements between a variety of health care providers and Medicaid Managed Care Plans. By providing health care services through a wide variety of delivery models, including prenatal and family planning providers, New Yorkers are assured better access to quality health care delivery.

Fifteen applicants, representing 10 counties were awarded grants under the Medicaid Managed Care provider request for proposal. The funded programs range from a Chemical Dependency Court Evaluation Unit in Broome County to a pilot Managed Care delivery agreement for the homeless population in Brooklyn. Other programs address domestic violence, mental health, alcohol and substance abuse and the homeless.

The following applicants received Medicaid Managed Care Provider grant awards:

County Organization Program Amount
Broome Broome County Probation Dept. Court Program: Chemical Dependency Court Evaluation Unit $75,000
Bronx Narco Freedom, Inc Alcohol & Substance Abuse $67,000
Bronx VIP Community Services Alcohol & Substance Abuse $69,123
Greene Twin County Alcohol & Substance Abuse Services Alcohol & Substance Abuse $67,000
Kings Brooklyn Community Housing and Services, Inc. Homeless $73,243
Monroe Unity Health System Mental Health $79,168
Monroe University of Rochester/Strong Behavioral Health Mental Health $54,880
New York The Bridge, Inc. Mental Health $74,235
New York Care for the Homeless Homeless $50,000
New York Phoenix Programs of New York Alcohol & Substance Abuse $58,504
New York FEGS Mental Health $45,770
Oneida United Cerebral Palsy and Handicapped Persons Association Mental Health $95,400
Rensselaer Unity House of Troy, Inc. Domestic Violence $71,897
Schenectady Hudson Alliance Corp. Mental Health $67,835
Westchester My Sisters Place Domestic Violence $50,945