The Chautauqua Center

Congressman Nick Langworthy announced the grant from the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The funding is being distributed through the H80 – Health Center Cluster program and will aid in providing medical, dental, pharmaceutical, and behavioral services to the residents of Southern Tier.

Two health organizations in Langworthy’s districts receiving funds include The Chautauqua Center with a $3,179,348 award and the Southern Tier Community Health Center Network in Olean being awarded $2,477,540.

Heritage Health and Housing, Inc. and Evergreen Health (Evergreen) filed the suit in New York County State Supreme Court on Friday, March 24 on behalf of the patients who depend upon 340B for needed health care services.

Heritage operates a federally qualified health center (FQHC) in Harlem that provides health care and medications to more than 5,500 patients. Evergreen is an FQHC “look-alike” in Buffalo serving more than 24,000 patients. Heritage and Evergreen are two of many providers who form New York’s healthcare safety-net, providing critical care services to nearly 2.3 million New Yorkers, of whom 71 percent are persons of color, and 89 percent are classified as low-income.

The main source of funding for Heritage and Evergreen is the federal drug pricing program called 340B.

According to an article by Business First of Buffalo, Evergreen Health could see $13 million in annual losses to its $117 million budget. Another local federally qualified health center, The Chautauqua Center, said they would lose $2 million in the carve out. Statewide, health centers are estimated to lose $250 million due to the changes set to go into effect by New York State on April 1, 2023

A report released by the NY Health Plan Association estimates the change will actually increase annual New York State-specific expenditures, costing taxpayers more than $235 million annually. Between the $250 million cut from safety-net providers and the cost to taxpayers, the 340B “carve-out” will have a near $500 million dollar negative impact.

The Chautauqua Center CEO Mike Pease discusses how a proposed state carve out of 340b funds could affect local health care centers in the millions of dollars.

TCC CEO Mike Pease said through the 340b program, TCC has the ability to offer prescriptions at a greatly reduced price for patients, “And the second thing is, it offers another form of income for organizations like us as well as other health centers, hospitals systems, Ryan White clinics, most of us participate in this program. And we reinvest those dollars into programs like care coordination, case management, transportation, translation services – things we don’t traditionally get reimbursed for.”

Pease said while this is a federal program, former Governor Andrew Cuomo‘s 2021 budget introduce a measure to “carve out” the savings healthcare facilities receive and directed it back into the state coffers. That measure was put on hold due to the Pandemic, but is now part of Governor Kathy Hochul‘s budget and is set to go into effect April 1.

Pease said if this goes forward, it means a loss of over $2 million for TCC. According to a report by Buffalo Business First, Buffalo-based Evergreen Health could see $13 million in annual losses to its $117 million budget due to the changes. Business First reports that the change is expected to usher in a $250 million funding loss statewide, and hospitals across New York are predicting losses of $240 million. Pease said this also would affect UPMC Chautauqua and Brooks Memorial Hospital who have their own pharmacy programs.

Pease said TCC is part of the Save New York’s Safety Net Coalition, which has come up with an alternative proposal for the State Legislature, “On how we could continue to get the benefit of the program as health centers but also we would ensure that the program’s guidelines are being met from the standpoint of reinvesting those dollars into programs that are supportive, things like that. So, there is a way that this could benefit both the state, the community – which is the most important, as well as us as providers of those services.”

Pease added that both State Senator George Borrello and Assemblyman Andy Goodell have been supportive of the continuance 340b program.

The Chautauqua Center

WebPT reported to Chautauqua Physical and Occupational Therapy on January 20, 2023 of a breach involving 747 patients whose personal information was inadvertently made accessible to other healthcare facilities.

The breach happened during an upgrade of WebPT’s records on December 22, 2022.

Following an internal investigation, WebPT deemed this information exposure not to be a breach. They determined that any misuse of data to be minimal based upon the limited nature of the data, the fact that there was no hack or release to the public, and access was limited to certain healthcare facilities using WebPT.

TCC and Chautauqua Physical & Occupational Therapy are notifying all affected individuals, including a description of the types of information or patient data exposed.

The company said no sensitive consumer information, including social security numbers, date of birth, insurance numbers, addresses, driver’s license numbers, or other similarly sensitive information, was exposed and/or accessible during the breach.

TCC said WebPT was able to disable access to the report within 19 hours and is making changes to review process and training to avoid this happening again.

TCC’s Chautauqua Physical and Occupational Therapy has responded by ending its use of WebPT and switched electronic medical records providers to Athenahealth’s EMR program or service called athenaOne.

Any individuals who have questions may contact the TCC Privacy Officer at privacyofficer@thechautauquacenter.org or by calling 716‐294‐3990.

UPMC Chautauqua

UPMC will receive $29,841,205 for capital improvements to expand and consolidate surgical services.

TCC will receive $1.25 million to purchase three existing primary care facilities in Dunkirk, Gowanda, and Forestville.

The funding being administered by the State Department of Health and the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York is supposed to help improve patient care by supporting high-quality facilities serving the in-patient, primary care, mental health, substance use disorder and long-term care needs of communities throughout the state.

Face masks

The state Department of Health announced Friday that the mask mandate would expire Sunday, February 12. Health care facilities will be able to craft their own masking rules based on CDC guidance that takes local case counts, COVID transmission levels, and open hospital beds into account.

The CDC dropped its mask requirement for health care facilities last fall.

The latest from the DOH does not affect any facility requirements unrelated to COVID-19, including those in place for Influenza.

WRFA contacted UPMC Chautauqua and The Chautauqua Center on whether their mask requirements have changed.

Only TCC responded, stating they are not changing their masking policy. Masks are still required at TCC, Chautauqua PT & OT, and Tri-County Family Medicine until further review and notice.

The Chautauqua Center

This is the latest acquisition by TCC following Chautauqua Physical and Occupational Therapy merging with the federally-qualified health center in September 2022.

TCC CEO Michael Pease said in a statement, “We are confident that this merger will result in the long-term sustainability of Tri-County Family Medicine. We commit to providing the highest quality of care to existing and new patients, with no lapses in services.”

Tri-County Family Medicine co-founder Dr. James Wild said, “We strongly believe that this acquisition will bring great benefit to our patients and the community as a whole, as we continue to deliver efficient, effective, accessible, and affordable healthcare.”

TCC officials expect the merger to be completed soon and said patients should not experience any disruption in service.

Tri-County Family Medicine continues to accept new patients. For more information, call (716) 241-7067 or visit www.tri-countyfamilymedicine.com.

From left: Paul Robbins, DO; Anne Hedin, Lit Wit book club member, Jennifer Janocha, PA; Sarah Gilbert, director of fundraising for The Waterfront Foundation pose
with books in English and Spanish offered through Read to Me TCC

A local book club has made a donation to The Chautauqua Center to purchase new books for its pediatric patients.

The Lit Wits book club made a financial donation to the Waterfront Foundation to purchase the books for the Read To Me TCC program.

Read to Me TCC was started by The Waterfront Foundation in 2021 to promote reading and allow The Chautauqua Center to provide an extra level of support to pediatric patients.

The connection between reading and health care is not very well known, however the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends providing books to children as an essential aspect of well childcare.
Recent research shows reading failure disproportionately affects children from socially and economically disadvantaged families and contributes to continuing the cycle of poverty.

Children receive one new book at each well visit – which occurs more frequently for younger patients. From age 0 to 5, patients receive a total of ten books. After that, children receive books on an annual basis. The books are available in English and Spanish.

For more information, visit tcchealth.org.

The Chautauqua Center is partnering with Windsong Mobile Mammography to provide expedited mammogram screenings for current patients during Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October.

While the schedules for screenings are already full the free spa-day events that are open to everyone.
Sponsored by Molina Healthcare, the spa-day events will include massages, facials, yoga, meditation, health and beauty information, cancer prevention, food, entertainment, a silent auction, and more.

The event takes place from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at The Chautauqua Center located at 107 Institute Street.

TCC also will begin offering OB-GYN services in the near future. Their new Board Certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist Dr. Jennifer Reason will be at the Mammogramy event to provide insights on women’s health and services. TCC’s new Mobile Health Care unit also will be in service during the events.

For more information, please call (716) 294-3995 Ext. 3, or visit www.tcchealth.org.