The Problem…                                                                                          Uninsured Workers in a Waning Economy

Western New York (WNY) confronts the bankruptcy of the City of Buffalo, and a severely stressed health care system that accounts for more than 55,000 jobs and $5 billion in annual sales.[1]  The 132,000 uninsured in the region contribute to this financial crisis by increasing losses to hospitals, decreasing provider reimbursements, and triggering an estimated 5,000 personal bankruptcies annually.[2] 

HealthforAll, a non-profit organization with over $2 million in grant funds[3], is charged with designing and implementing a sustainable model to stem the growing uninsured problem.  HealthforAll will lose a significant portion of this funding and the power to launch its main initiative, “Healthy Western New York” without the support of Health Care Reform Act (HCRA) monies.

The Solution…                                                                                                             Improving Healthy New York

With fewer than 3,100 workers enrolled in Healthy New York statewide and less than 500 enrolled in WNY, the time is right to launch Healthy Western New York.  Every $1 million in HCRA dollars that is dispersed will enroll another 1,000 WNY workers in Healthy New York.

HealthforAll created Healthy Western New York under the scrutiny of local HMO’s and the Department of Insurance.  The hallmarks of the program are:

·         Improving affordability by subsidizing Healthy New York premiums.

·         Replacing HCRA subsidy funds with revenue producing corporate and hospital partnerships.

·         Developing a more target efficient and effective Healthy New York marketing program.

The End Result…                                                                                                                             A HCRA Stimulus

Substantial increases in Healthy New York enrollment will provide significant stimulus to the WNY economy.  Every HCRA dollar will infuse at least 2 additional dollars into the health care system, resulting in:

·         Increased health plan, hospital and provider revenues

·         Decreased hospital bad debt and charity care

·         Additional tax benefits to businesses

·         Over $4.3 new dollars pumped into the WNY economy as a result of the multiplier effect where every $1M dollars is respent at least 1.44 times.

HealthforAll Board of Directors…                                                                     Advising and Promoting HealthforAll

Rich Entertainment Group, Director of National Account Services – Mr. Jim Bower – President, BOD

Resources for Aging, President – Ms. Sherry Fleckenstein – VP, BOD

Lake Plains Community Care Network, CEO – Dr. Kenneth L. Oakley – Treasurer, BOD

Try-It Distributing, VP Operations – Mr. Bob Kolasa – Secretary, BOD

Catholic Health System, Senior VP for Mission Integration – Sister Sally Maloney

Chautauqua County Health Network – Ms. Sharon Mathe 

Coca-Cola Bottling Co. of Buffalo, General Sales Manager – Mr. Rick Horn

Coordinated Care Mgt Corp, President – Mr. James Totaro

Erie County Dept of Social Services, – Asst. Deputy Commissioner – Ms. Christine Bush

Erie County Health Department, Junior Executive Assistant – Mr. Gary Wolfe

Friends of the Night People, CEO – Mr. Darren Strickland

Independent Health Association, Executive VP/General Counsel – Mr. Fred Cohen

Jamestown Primary Care, Medical Director – Dr. Rudolph Mueller

Kaleida Health, Vice President – Mr. Andres Garcia

Living Prime Time, Publisher – Mr. Jerry Flaschner

MOCHA Men of Color Health Association, Client Services Coordinator – Mr. Reginald Griggs

Niagara Health Quality Coalition, Executive Director – Mr. Bruce Boissonnault

SUNY at Buffalo, Dept. of Family Medicine, Chair – Dr. Thomas Rosenthal

SUNY at Buffalo, Dept. of Family Medicine, Clinical Associate Professor – Dr. Chet Fox

Univera Health Care, VP, Government Affairs – Ms. Valerie J. Rosenhoch