Chautauqua Physical and Occupational Therapy

The Chautauqua Center President Mike Pease said the merger will keep business as usual for the organizations, “They’re going to remain in their locations that they’re currently in. They’ll still serve the community the way they’ve been serving the community and they’ll just become part of The Chautauqua Center as another service line.”

Pease said Chautauqua Physical and Occupational Therapy, which is currently privately owned, will benefit from the merger in a couple ways, including medicaid reimbursements given that TCC is a federally qualified health care center, “As a health center, Chautauqua Center enjoys an enhanced reimbursement for those folks, so that will help the business side of Chautauqua PT/TCC. But on the employee side, because they were a private practice that is a for-profit organization, their staff weren’t necessarily eligible for things like the public service loan forgiveness program. So, this will open the door to those folks being able to apply for that.”

Pease said he hopes that with the enhanced medicaid reimbursement that both agencies will be to reach more vulnerable populations in the area. He said owners Pat and Susan Green will continue running the programs at their facilities with CP-OT staff staying on board.

Pease said the timeline for the merger to go forward is pending the state’s approval of TCC’s certificate of need that’s been submitted. He said once that’s granted, it’ll be about 60 days for everything to be completed.