REPORT TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS – January 2025

Mitchell H. Katz, MD
NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS
PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
REPORT TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
January 30, 2025

SYSTEM CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER MACHELLE ALLEN, MD, TO RETIRE IN MARCH

Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer Machelle Allen, MD is retiring after 47 years of service to the health System. Dr. Allen’s accomplishments include launching a systemwide Office of Women’s Health Services, teleradiology, and several clinical initiatives launched during the Covid-19 pandemic, including telehealth ICU.

A longstanding veteran of the health care System, Dr. Allen completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi, worked as an attending physician at NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem and Bellevue hospitals, served as the Associate Medical Director at Bellevue Hospital, and transitioned to system Deputy Chief Medical Officer in 2013. She was appointed system CMO in 2017.

Dr. Allen has dedicated her career to helping marginalized and underserved patients, while mentoring young physicians. Her early career was devoted to women who suffered from addiction or were at risk for HIV infection during their pregnancies, and in the mid-80s she served as the medical director for prenatal services for women with substance use disorder at Harlem Hospital. As Chief Medical Officer, with the goal of decreasing maternal morbidities and mortalities, Dr. Allen created a systemwide Office of Women’s Health Services. Under this aegis, in 2021 the NYC Health + Hospitals Maternal Home was “birthed” — one of the few in New York State. Last year, the Office of Women’s Health partnered with the Office of Behavioral Health to develop a substance use disorder treatment program for pregnant women and their families realizing that substance use disorder impacts the entire family across generations, including partners, children and grandparents. The health care system will be celebrating Dr. Allen’s legacy with a party on March 27. Her last day in the office will be Tuesday, April 1.

NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS IS OPEN FOR ALL NO EXCEPTIONS

I want to remind our Board, our staff, and our patients that NYC Health + Hospitals’ doors are open to all New Yorkers, regardless of background, immigration status, or ability to pay. We want our patients to get the care they need so they do not end up with an emergency or a chronic illness. We continue to take every possible step to protect our patients’ privacy, and our NYC Care program remains available to New Yorkers who cannot access health insurance.

Our team is working together across the System to keep our patients as healthy and safe as possible.

HEALTH SYSTEM AND FACILITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS/KINGS COUNTY WELCOMES THE FIRST NEWBORNS OF 2025: TWIN BABY GIRLS, BORN JUST AFTER MIDNIGHT

The City’s public health care System’s first babies – twins — were born at NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County just after midnight on New Year’s Day. The first baby girl was born at 12:01AM, weighing 6 lbs., 13.9 oz, and the second baby girl was born at 12:02AM, weighing 5 lbs., 15.4 oz. The girls were born to parents Sheneece Crumbie and Jordan Tomlinson. The twins are the Crown Heights’ couple third and fourth child.

The City’s public health system delivers thousands of babies every year. The City’s public health system’s 11 hospitals provide expert prenatal care, labor and delivery services, family planning, comprehensive gynecology, women’s health and primary care outpatient medical support for women at every stage of life.

MAYOR ADAMS LAUNCHES BRIDGE TO HOME AS PART OF HIS EFFORT TO ADDRESS STREET HOMELESSNESS AND SUPPORT PEOPLE WITH SEVERE MENTAL ILLNESS

As part of a $650 million plan to address street homelessness, Mayor Eric Adams unveiled details of the administration’s investment to help New York City’s most vulnerable populations and support those with severe mental illness, including a new effort to support those with severe mental illness who do not have a home. Under a new, innovative model, “Bridge to Home,” NYC Health + Hospitals will offer a supportive, home-like environment to patients with serious mental illness who are ready for discharge from the hospital but do not have a place to go. By offering patients intensive treatment and comprehensive support, Bridge to Home aims to keep patients on a path toward sustained success, reducing unnecessary emergency room visits and inpatient hospitalizations, decreasing street homelessness and reliance on shelters, and lowering interactions with the criminal justice system. NYC Health + Hospitals expects to ramp the program up in Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 and fully operationalize it in FY-27, with up to 100 beds.

As the City’s first-of-its-kind model, Bridge to Home will provide single rooms, three meals a day, structured recreation, and individualized, comprehensive behavioral health care on-site, including medication management, individual and group therapy, substance use disorder treatment, and around-the-clock support. For a period of six to 12 months, patients will stay in temporary housing with comprehensive behavioral health treatment located on-site. They will be allowed to stay at this residence until they can be transitioned to permanent supportive housing facilitated by the health system’s Housing for Health initiative. The program will be staffed 24/7 by NYC Health + Hospitals professionals, including psychiatric providers, social workers, nurses, peer specialists, and licensed creative arts therapists. The administration is investing $13 million in the annual baseline budget for the program.

Bridge to Home will be a critical addition to the continuum of care for behavioral health, giving the City’s public hospitals an additional discharge option that was previously missing for individuals who no longer meet inpatient criteria but need additional supports in the community. It builds on the care provided by the system’s three Extended Care Units (ECUs), which offer inpatient care for patients with serious mental illness who have been historically disconnected from health and social services for up to 120 days. For these New Yorkers, the ECUs provide more intensive inpatient treatment coupled with social learning, behavioral paradigms, and person- centered rehabilitation.

In the ECU, patients access psychopharmacological treatment; rehabilitative activities, including music and art therapy; reading; and various exercises, regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. ECUs are focused on comprehensive discharge and aftercare planning with 50 percent of patients connected to permanent housing within six months of discharge. Data shows that individuals have seen a 54 percent reduction in Emergency Department visits and inpatient psychiatric hospitalizations within the same period when using ECUs.

OVER 25,000 CALLS TO 911 REDIRECTED TO NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS’ VIRTUAL EXPRESSCARE, PREVENTING OVER 12,000 UNNECESSARY FDNY AMBULANCE TRANSPORTS TO NEARBY HOSPITALS

NYC Health + Hospitals and the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) announced that over 25,000 calls to 911 have been redirected to the health system’s Virtual ExpressCare telehealth service since it launched in March 2020, preventing over 12,000 unnecessary ambulance transports to nearby hospitals and alleviating pressure on the City’s ambulances and emergency departments.

People who call 911 with a low acuity health need, such as respiratory infections, rash or medication refill, are transferred to speak with a healthcare provider within 30 seconds. With Virtual ExpressCare integrated into FDNY ambulances, EMS teams can manage non-emergency cases on-scene. Furthermore, Virtual ExpressCare providers offer non- urgent rideshare for situations that require further in-person evaluations. Over 3,000 non-emergency transports have been offered through the program since early 2022. To date, Virtual ExpressCare has diverted five times as many patients as other participants within the region.

Launched in 2020, Virtual ExpressCare has grown to offer approximately 90,000 virtual visits annually. The service played a key role in the City’s and State’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, Virtual ExpressCare partnered with the New York State Department of Health to offer COVID-19 therapeutics through the State’s new COVID-19 hotline, 888-TREAT-NY. The service provides same or next day life-saving COVID-19 therapeutic treatment.

NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS/BELLEVUE RECEIVES $2M IN FEDERAL FUNDING TO ADVANCE AVIAN FLU PREPAREDNESS

NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue will receive $2 million from the Federal government to enhance national avian influenza preparedness, one of only thirteen institutions nationwide to receive this funding. Bellevue Hospital is the designated Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Center (RESPTC) for Region 2, leading special pathogen preparedness and response efforts in New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The funding announcement is timely and critical, with the recent development of the first H5N1-related human death in the U.S. The funding is part of a comprehensive $306 million investment by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of the nation’s H5N1 Avian Flu response. H5N1 is a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus that is widespread among wild birds globally and has been responsible for outbreaks in poultry and dairy cows. While the risk to the U.S. general population remains low, the virus has a historical fatality rate of over 50%. The risk of H5N1 coming to New York City is low.

This funding builds on the ongoing H5N1 preparedness activities at NYC Health + Hospitals, including the H5N1 training exercise held by the health System and the NYC Health Department in October. The exercise tested the health care System’s ability to screen and isolate a “patient” with simulated symptoms of H5N1 and relevant exposure history and safely transport them from NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County to NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue. Health care and ambulance workers needed to wear an N95 respirator, eye protection, gown and gloves and follow strict protocols to ensure their safety while handling the patient to prevent exposure to the pathogen. Health care workers seeing the simulated patient were informed that this was an exercise to test the health system’s various protocols for bird flu.

NEW CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICERS APPOINTED AT NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS/COLER AND MCKINNEY

In late December, NYC Health + Hospitals announced the appointments of Melissa L. Martin, MD, MPH and Lucan Rodrigues MD, CMD as the new Chief Medical Officers at NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler and NYC Health + Hospitals/McKinney.

Dr. Melissa Martin has served in various executive roles in medical leadership, across major post-acute care facilities, and managed care organizations in New York City, over the last 15 years. Prior to joining NYC Health + Hospitals, Dr. Martin served as Medical Director for ArchCare at Terence Cardinal Cooke Health Care Center, a 615-bed facility in Manhattan, where she had direct oversight of physicians and nurse practitioners. Dr. Martin is board certified in Internal Medicine, Geriatric Medicine, and Hospice and Palliative Care.

Dr. Lucan Rodrigues received his designation of Certified Medical Director (CMD) from the American Board of Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. He is board certified in Internal Medicine, Geriatrics, Palliative, and Hospice Medicine. Prior to joining NYC Health + Hospitals, Dr. Rodrigues served as Chief Medical Officer and Vice President of Medical Services at Silvercrest Center for Nursing & Rehabilitation in Queens, New York. He also served as Chief of Palliative and Hospice Medicine at Flushing Hospital Medical Center (FHMC).

MEDICAL SIMULATION CENTER UPDATES

NYC Health + Hospitals staff attended the International Medical Simulation in Healthcare Conference this January in Orlando, Florida to conduct 16 presentations. Many of the presentations were born out of the Simulations Center’s fellowship program led by Dr. Dana Trottier. Presenters included physicians, nurses and licensed clinical art therapists.

Recently, the Simulation Center selected its incoming fellowship class for 2025-2026 with a total of 16 accepted into the program. This year’s class will focus on a variety of issues ranging from ventilator management to nursing education curricula.

CHIEF WOMEN’S HEALTH OFFICER PARTICIPATES IN NEW YORK STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT’S GRAND ROUNDS FOCUSED ON MATERNAL MORATLITY

On Thursday, January 16, Chief Women’s Health Officer Dr. Wendy Wilcox, participated in the State Health Department Commissioner Dr. James McDonald Grand Rounds on “Preventing Maternal Mortality: Recommendations for Action.” She presented along with Dr. Marilyn Kacica, Medical Director of the Division of Family Health at State Health; Dr. Mary D’Alton, Chair of OBGYN NYP/Columbia University Irving Medical Center; and Cheryl Hunter-Grant, Chair of the NYS Maternal Mortality & Morbidity Advisory Council (MMMAC) and Vice Chair of the Maternal Mortality Advisory Vice Chair of the NYS Maternal Child Health Block Grant Advisory Council. The webinar explored the current state of maternal mortality and key initiatives in New York State such as the Maternal Mortality Review Board, the Advisory Committee, community engagement efforts, and the Maternal Home Collaborative. Participants gained valuable insight into actionable strategies to prevent maternal deaths and explored a model designed to enhance maternal health outcomes.

NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS/WOODHULL RECEIVES TOOTHBRUSHES, TOOTHPASTE, AND TOYS DONATED BY KINGS COUNTY CIVIL COURT JUDGES

A group of eight Kings County Civil Court Judges made a significant contribution to the dental and oral care of the community, donating 1,500 toothbrushes, 300 tubes of toothpaste, and toys to support the oral health of local children at NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull.

Honorable Brian L. Gotlieb, Judge of the Civil Court of the City of New York, County of Kings, alongside the Dentistry department staff, distributed the items to children attending their early morning appointments at the Pediatric Dental Clinic. Motivated by a desire to give back, the group of Kings County Civil Court Judges came together to honor and recognize National Children’s Dental Health Month.

Originally observed as “Children’s Dental Health Day” in February 1941, this annual celebration, sponsored by the American Dental Association (ADA), emphasizes the importance of children’s dental and oral health. Judges Ellen Edwards, Jill Epstein, Pamela Fynes, Brian Gotlieb, Edward King, Delsia Marshall, Javier Ortiz, Dweynie Paul, and Lola Waterman are donating over 9,000 toothbrushes and 2,000 tubes of toothpaste to pediatric dental clinics throughout Brooklyn.

NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS/MCKINNEY RECEIVES $475,000 FROM NYC COUNCIL MEMBER RITA JOSEPH

City Council Member Rita Joseph secured a total of $475,000 in City funds for NYC Health + Hospitals/McKinney announced to support improvements of security and safety infrastructure, and the expansion of rehabilitative services to include telemetry remote monitoring for residents with cardiac conditions like congestive heart failure.

The addition of telemetry services will allow nurses to provide remote oversight of critically-ill residents. This enhancement allows clinical teams to monitor and analyze vital signs of a resident, such as blood pressure, oxygen saturation, respiration, and heart rhythms to reduce the need for hospitalization.

NYC Health + Hospitals/McKinney will also upgrade its security systems to improve staff and resident safety around the clock, including cameras around the building perimeter and creating new access protocols. Improving existing security measures will also mitigate the risk of resident elopement, or “wandering on the grounds.”

LOCAL BROOKLYN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT MEDICAL FIELD CAREERS AT NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS/WOODHULL CAREER DAY

NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull hosted a Career Day on Tuesday, January 17 designed to introduce local high school students to the wide array of clinical and administrative career opportunities within the health care industry. The event, which attracted students from several schools across Brooklyn, featured staff from clinical, administrative, ancillary, and support services departments who were actively involved, providing students with resources, insightful presentations, and hands-on demonstrations. The staff also answered students’ questions and shared their personal experiences, giving students a clear understanding of the wide variety of healthcare careers available at Woodhull Hospital.

NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS UPDATES TAGLINE AND STREAMLINES BRANDING

Recently, the health System updated its tagline from “Live Your Healthiest Life,” to “Care for NYC. No Exceptions.” The former tagline was created almost 10 years ago when the Affordable Care Act was still in its infancy. The new tagline aligns with the health system’s mission and values of taking care of all New Yorkers regardless of their ability to pay or immigration status.

Additionally, the health System’s mosaic, or supplemental graphic, is being removed slowly from all NYC Health + Hospital branding. The multicolored banner/ribbon that includes “H+H” in the graphic, might be agitating and distracting to patients. The supplemental graphic is also expensive to print.

The new branding will be rolled out incrementally across the health system.

NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS EMPLOYEE AND FACILITY RECOGNITIONS

MICHELLE MCMACKEN, MD, FACP, DIPABLM AND TALYA SCHWARTZ, MD RECOGNIZED AS 2025 TRAILBLAZERS IN HEALTHCARE BY CITY & STATE

Earlier this month Michelle McMacken, MD, FACP, DipABLM and Talya Schwartz, MD were recognized as 2025 Trailblazers in Healthcare by City & State. Dr. McMacken launched the health system’s first Lifestyle Medicine Program at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue in 2019. Over the past year, she has overseen the program’s expansion to seven sites in the health system. To date, more than 3,000 people have engaged with the program’s interdisciplinary team, whose mission is to reach high-risk communities experiencing significant barriers, including food insecurity.

Talya Schwartz, MD, has been the President and Chief Executive Officer of MetroPlusHealth since 2019. Under her leadership, MetroPlusHealth has experienced a 35% increase in membership. She spearheaded the organization’s transformation by insourcing behavioral health services, revamping the website and portals, modernizing legacy technology, and expanding virtual visits for over 700,000 members.

NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS/BELLEVUE AMBULATORY CARE TEAM RECEIVES DESIGNATION AS AN “AGE-FRIENDLY HEALTH SYSTEM”

NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue’s Adult Primary Care service, including the Geriatric Medicine team, have been designated as an Age- Friendly Health System (AFHS) – Committed to Care Excellence for the high-quality care they provide to older adult patients. This distinction requires demonstrated progress towards the reliable practice of a set of four evidence-based elements of high-quality care for all older adults, known as the “4Ms”: What Matters, Medication, Mentation (Mind), and Mobility. The AFHS designation is an initiative of The John A. Hartford Foundation and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, in partnership with the American Hospital Association and the Catholic Health Association of the US.

The Institute for Healthcare Improvement defines that set of four evidence-based elements of high-quality care for all older adults, known as the 4Ms:

What Matters: Know and align care with each older adult’s specific health outcome goals and care preferences including, but not limited to, end-of-life care, and across settings of care.

Medication: If medication is necessary, use age-friendly medication that does not interfere with what matters to the older adult, mobility or mentation across settings of care.

Mentation (Mind): Prevent, identify, treat, and manage dementia, depression, and delirium across settings of care.

Mobility: Ensure that older adults move safely every day in order to maintain function and do what matters.

HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE

RESPONDING TO THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS – SERVICES FOR ASYLUM SEEKERS

NYC Health + Hospitals continues to play a leading role in New York City’s efforts to support asylum seekers. We currently operate 11 Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Centers (HERRCs) across the city, providing housing, support and dedicated services to approximately 20000 guests, the majority of whom are families with children. We also remain committed to providing all new arrivals a warm welcome at the city’s Arrival Center, where nearly 180,000 asylum seekers have been met with immediate healthcare services, including screenings for communicable diseases, urgent care, behavioral health evaluations, and vaccinations.

In mid-January, after 14 months of round-the-clock operations, our humanitarian center at Floyd Bennett Field was closed. Over the course of the facility’s operation, we provided shelter to nearly 6,000 unique guests, including nearly 3,000 children, from 45 countries around the world. We are proud of the work the Floyd Bennett Field team accomplished to provide a safe haven and sense of home during the peak of the city’s demand to shelter asylum seekers.

As the number of asylum seekers in the city’s care continues to diminish, we will be closing additional sites in the months ahead. Our largest tent-based humanitarian center at Randall’s Island will close on February 28, and our Hall St. humanitarian center will close later this spring. Moving forward, we remain committed to ensuring the health and well-being of all asylum seekers in the city’s care and providing the resources they need to take meaningful steps towards stability and success.

HELPING HEALERS HEAL (H3) AND ARTS IN MEDICINE

NYC Health + Hospitals Helping Healers Heal Program (H3) had an extremely successful 2024. Launched at NYC Health + Hospitals in 2018, the Helping Healers Heal program (H3) is aimed at helping employees identify and monitor distress, assisting in resilience-building, and aiding the use of recovery and coping support services. The program is rooted in national research that points to health care providers as “second victims” of traumatic events commonly experienced in all healthcare settings. Since its launch, the program has grown to be more inclusive of compassion fatigue, burnout, complex and collective trauma, and more. All H3 teams include licensed mental health practitioners and other behavioral health experts.

The total H3 encounters including debriefs as well as Wellness Events increased by 4% from calendar year 2023 equaling a total of 8,385 events and encounters. Wellness rounds increased by 18% from calendar year 2023, with a total of 8,234 rounds. In 2024, 14 wellness rooms were completed and opened adding to the already opened 6 rooms for a total of 20 Wellness Rooms across the Acute, Post-Acute, and Gotham Health service lines. Finally, there were a total of 132,823 non- unique staff touches engaging with a variety of H3 wellness programs.

THE HEART OF MEDICINE WORKSHOPS AT NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS/WOODHULL

This month, the Arts in Medicine Department launched a series of HHArt of Medicine workshops, facilitated by the Brooklyn Museum for medical residents at NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull. In the first session, participants observed the Keith Haring mural in the main lobby, then collaborated by combining their individual artworks to create a mini mural. These sessions continue to support efforts to reduce stress and encourage socialization.

NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS/GOTHAM HEALTH OPENS THIRD OF FOUR WELLNESS ROOMS FOR STAFF AT GOTHAM HEALTH, BELVIS

NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health opened a new wellness room for staff at Belvis. This marks the third of four new wellness room to be established across various Gotham Health sites as part of the health system’s investment in workforce wellness under its Helping Healers Heal program. Co-designed with WXY Studio, this serene space provides a quiet retreat for employees to recharge, de-stress, and heal. The room features visually enhanced environments, including beautiful art, calming music, and soothing lighting, offering staff a chance to relax and rejuvenate. Additionally, the wellness room serves as a space for connection and debriefing, allowing staff to support each other and share experiences in a tranquil setting. Following summer openings at Gotham Health, Cumberland and Gotham Health, East New York in Brooklyn, a future wellness room is planned for Gotham Health, Morrisania.

METROPLUSHEALTH UPDATE

DRIVING MEMBERSHIP GROWTH FOR METROPLUSHEALTH GOLD

In 2024, MetroPlusHealth Gold achieved remarkable milestones, surpassing its membership goal for the year and strengthening its position among City employees and their families. With $0 premiums and copays, and absolutely no cost for over 100 common medications, the Gold Plan continues to stand out for its exceptional value. Combined with even stronger performance and consumer perception of NYC Health + Hospitals and personalized engagement, MetroPlusHealth was able to drive an impressive 27% year-over-year growth, bringing total membership of MetroPlus Gold to over 30,000 members.

The strategic outreach efforts prioritized NYC Health + Hospitals employees, leveraging their strong connection to the provider network. Close collaboration with NYC Health + Hospitals leadership and specifically with Dr. Katz, proved to be compelling and effective as well.

A comprehensive 30-day onboarding campaign, which included personalized calls, texts, emails, and collaboration with NYC Health + Hospitals Human Resources helped elevate Gold’s visibility across internal channels. High-touch initiatives and engaging events at NYC Health + Hospitals facilities resulted in over 4,100 new members – marketing a 125% increase from 2023. Beyond NYC Health + Hospitals, the expanded focus to city employees and unions added over 2,100 new members through tailored outreach.

EXTERNAL AFFAIRS UPDATE

City

The City released the FY26 Preliminary Budget on January 16. The City’s budget is $114.5B with no cuts to City agencies, including NYC Health + Hospitals. The budget includes a number of new investments, including “Bridge to Home,” a behavioral health initiative that will offer a supportive, home-like environment to patients with serious mental illness who are ready for discharge from the hospital but do not have a place to go.

On January 10, The New York City Council held a hearing regarding, “Health and Hospitals Doctors Council Work Stoppage,” during which NYC Health + Hospitals’ CEO Dr. Mitch Katz provided testimony and participated in Q&A. Additionally, on January 28, The New York City Council held a hearing regarding, “Examining New York City Opioid Settlement Fund Investments,” during which NYC Health + Hospitals’ Medical Director of Addiction Services Dr. Dan Schatz provided testimony. Dr. Schatz was accompanied by Jason Hansman, Senior Advisor of Behavioral health Communications and Policy for participation in Q&A.

State

The NYS Legislature is back in session, the Governor released her state of the state agenda, and the Governor has proposed a $252 billion all funds budget for State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2025-26, which begins April 1, 2025. The proposed budget reflects a 3.6% increase over last year’s enacted budget and estimates budget gaps of $6.5 billion in SFY 2026-27, $9.8 billion in SFY 2027-28 and $11 billion in SFY 2028-29.

The Executive budget utilizes proceeds from the Managed Care Tax over three state fiscal years. Although there is an overall increase in Medicaid funding, which we will support, the proposals do not go far enough to close the Medicaid reimburse gap. Safety Net providers, like NYC Health + Hospitals, would benefit from having Medicaid pay the full cost of delivering care.

We are in the process of finalizing our analysis and will be advocating for increased funding in Medicaid rates for health centers, nursing homes, and hospitals and restoring last year’s capital reimbursement cuts. Importantly, we will also be advocating against a proposed elimination of Indigent Care Funding unless there is a condition that we are protected by other pending Medicaid funding sources. This caveat is included in the executive budget book and should be reflected in the bill language.

As the budget process proceeds, we will continue advocating for support of NYC Health + Hospitals and the patients and communities we serve. We are grateful to the Governor and DOH, as well as our partners in the State legislature who understand the critical role our safety net system plays. We also appreciate our Community Advisory Boards for their support in these important efforts.

Federal

We are continuing to work with our legislative champions as the new Administration takes actions impacted health care funding.

Negotiations are underway in Congress about a funding plan, including Medicaid and Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) funding. NYC Health + Hospitals will continue to advocate for our priorities, including preventing DSH cuts, protecting Medicaid, maintaining telehealth flexibilities, and protecting access to healthcare services.

Community Affairs

The Council of CABs met on January 14 for their first meeting in 2025. The CAB Chairs from Carter, East New York, Kings, and Queens hospitals also presented reports to the Community Relations Committee of the Board of Directors.

The Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) team hosted a youth focus group on January 23 to hear directly from youth about their community health needs perspective. The team is interviewing additional subject matter experts, including housing for health, employee wellness, and maternal health. We completed the 2025 CHNA Survey and received over 7,000 completed surveys from New Yorkers.

The Community Affairs team has visited different auxiliaries and attended both NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler Auxiliary and NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst Auxiliary meetings in January. The goal is to attend all the individual auxiliary meetings, promoting a relationship between NYC Health + Hospitals and the auxiliaries.

NEWS FROM AROUND THE SYSTEM

• New York Times: 8 Months Inside New York’s Migrant Shelters: Fear, Joy and Hope
• Becker’s Hospital Review: What social work taught 1 New York City hospital CEO
• ABC 7: Brooklyn family welcomes twins at NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County as first babies born in New York City in 2025
• CBS2: HERRC Secret Snowflake Gift Distribution
• The Economist: When Treating Snakebites, American Hospitals Turn to Zoos
• amNY: NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue enhances prep with $2 million in federal funding to develop bird flu protocols
• WNYC All Things Considered: Bridge to Home announcement
• NBC News New York: Adams unveils details of historic $650M plan to curb street homelessness
• HCO News: Harlem’s Metropolitan Hospital Debuts New Flood Protection System
• Staten Island Advance: Inside NYC’s plan to boost abortion access for women nationwide