North Country Hospitals Receive Grant Funding

NEW YORK — Hospitals in New York’s North Country will receive $54.8 million in grant awards, split amongst 13 projects, to improve and transform health care in the area. The grant money is part of a $1.5 billion commitment made by New York state to help health care providers fund critical capital and infrastructure improvements and develop the health systems, according to a statement from Governor Andrew M. Cuomo.

“We have a responsibility to continue to make critical capital and infrastructure improvements that transform our health care system into one of sustainability with a deep focus on improving patient care and delivery of vital services. This funding allows them to do just that and is yet another example of how New York is leading the nation in adapting to meet 21st century health care needs,” said Gov. Cuomo in a statement.

To help fund the projects in North Country, Gov. Cuomo created the Capital Restructuring Financing Program and Essential Health Care Provider Support Program. They were created to support the goals of the Delivery System Reform Incentive Program (DSRIP), which is the main mechanism for investing $7.3 billion in Medicaid savings that resulted from the waiver between New York and the federal government in 2014, according to a statement. DSRIP will work to reduce health care costs, improve the health of New York citizens and reduce unnecessary hospital admissions and emergency room visits by 25 percent in the next five years.

“Restructuring New York’s vast health care system will require extensive structural changes to our facilities as well as new approaches to the delivery of health care,” said Dr. Howard Zucker, New York State health commissioner, in a statement. “These funds will help us balance system-wide reforms with the preservation of essential health care services during this time of change.”

The North Country is a rural area, and construction of the 13 projects will be helpful in developing and expanding health care into the area. Many of the projects include the construction and expansion of the facilities or the services currently offered, while several include debt restructuring and financial stabilization projects, according to a statement.

“As the number of insured New Yorkers has gone up, the demand for quality health care has as well,” added Carl Heastie, assembly speaker, in a statement. “The funding represents an opportunity for health care facilities to meet the state’s needs to provide New York with the best possible health care.”