2003
HomeCNYHSA 27th ANNUAL MEETING (DECEMBER 28, 2003). The featured speaker was David Sutkowy, Onondaga County Commissioner of Social Services, who spoke on: "Medicaid: Local Impact, Growth, and Reform." In his presentation, the Commissioner outlined the growth of Medicaid in Onondaga County, noting that 1 out of every 8 residents is a Medicaid recipient, that costs have essentially doubled every ten years and now represent 45% of the county's tax levy. He also noted that the per capita cost of New York State's Medicaid program is over twice that of the national average and is the only state where counties share a significant financial burden. Efforts by local government are now underway to cap county costs at 2001 levels.
Pauline Frazier joins CNYHSA Board - Welcomed at the Annual Meeting, Ms. Frazier, Associate Director of the NY Department of Health, Central NY Region, will serve as an ex-officio/liaison member of the Board. She replaces long-time HSA Board member Norm Andrzejewski, who retired from the Dept. of Health in 2003. Ms. Frazier is a resident of Baldwinsville, NY and before her appointment as Associate Director, she headed up the state's Office of Professional Medical Conduct.
CNYHSA recommended Approval with contingency on the proposal of the Cayuga Medical Center at Ithaca (CMC) to establish a theurapeutic radiotherapy program. The action came following the CNYHSA October, 2003 meeting at which time the Board heard presentations from CMC representatives as well as spokesmen for Radiation Therapy Associates of Upstate New York, who spoke in opposition to the hospital's proposal. Radiation Therapy Associates operates a satellite radiotherapy service on the hospital's campus which has been out of service from January to November, 2003 due to contractor and equipment replacement problems. The HSA action called for approval with the contingency that CMC develop a plan for comprehensive community cancer care which describes the local system of care and outlines roles for all community providers, including Radiation Therapy Associates.
The Children's Hospital at Upstate Medical University is a go with receipt of state CON Approval by the State Hospital Review and Planning Council in November, 2003. The 50 bed project will create a "center of excellence" to improve the care of hospitalized children, by replacing outdated and inadequate facilities. CNYHSA held a public hearing on the project last year and had recommended conditional approval to the state, to provide an opportunity for an assessment of the region-wide impact of the addition of 20 new beds called for in the proposal.
HPSA DESIGNATIONS. CNYHSA has been notified by US Department of Health and Human Services of the approval of Health Professional Shortage Area Designation requests in 2003 for Syracuse (Dental), Jefferson County (Mental Health), Lewis County (Dental and Mental Health), the Star Lake (Dental) and Gouverneur (Primary Care and Dental) areas in St. Lawrence County, and the Rome area (Primary Care) in Oneida County. CNYHSA had been retained by these areas to prepare their requests. HPSA Designations help underserved areas obtain grants and recruit practitioners.
CNYHSA Executive Director presented the 2003 Strategic Plan at the Annual Meeting of the New York State Association for Rural Health held in Lake Placid, NY in September, 2003. CNYHSA has played an active role in supporting this new organization and was retained to facilitate the organization's strategic planning Board retreat process in March 2003.
Syracuse Community Health Center announced that it recently received a grant from the New York State Health Department's Office of Minority Health to establish a Diabetes self management program for the Syracuse Inner-city area. The grant will fund a cooperative venture involving the Health Center, Social Service Organizations, Churches, and CNYHSA. CNYHSA helped prepare the grant application for the Health Center.