North Country Family Health Center Receives Funding from UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of New York

UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of New York has provided $200,000 in funding to the North Country Family Health Center (NCFHC) to support the federally qualified health center’s ongoing operational and clinical development.

New York State Senator Patty Ritchie, center, and Pat Celli, president of UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of New York (right), meet with Rachel Mazzola, who was visiting the North Country Family Health Center with her son, four-week-old Oliver. Ritchie and Celli were at the center to announce $200,000 in funding from UnitedHealthcare to support North Country Family Health Center's ongoing operational and clinical development. A $100,000 grant will support clinical and information technology improvements. An additional $100,000 grant will support the development of an accountable care program UnitedHealthcare and NCFHC have implemented to enhance and coordinate patient care (Photo: Michael Okoniewski).

A $100,000 grant will support clinical and information technology improvements. An additional $100,000 grant will support the development of an accountable care program UnitedHealthcare and NCFHC have implemented to enhance and coordinate patient care.

The official announcement was made at a ceremony today attended by New York State Senator Patty Ritchie, New York State Assemblywoman Addie Russell and Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush, and Watertown Mayor Jeffrey Graham.

NCFHC is the only federally qualified health center in Jefferson and Lewis counties. The agency provides medical, dental and behavioral health care and offers a sliding fee scale to patients at or below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Limit. Last year, NCFHC cared for more than 9,000 North Country residents, 75 percent of whom were children, and over half came from families that were at or below the Federal Poverty Guidelines.

“Through UnitedHealthcare’s grant, we are able to invest in critical administrative, clinical and technology upgrades that will have a significant impact on the clinical care we provide our patients,” said Joey Marie Horton, executive director of NCFHC. “We look forward to our continued collaboration with UnitedHealthcare to enhance the clinical services we provide to Jefferson and Lewis county residents.”

UnitedHealthcare and NCFHC also have launched a shared-savings initiative in which the Health Center will be eligible for incentives based on measurable enhancements in disease management and prevention, patient safety and appropriate care utilization. UnitedHealthcare will provide patient-specific data and other analytics to help the Health Center reach its goals, including improved care coordination and enhanced health services.

“NCFHC is an important health care provider in northern New York, providing a heath care ‘safety net’ for some of the area’s most vulnerable residents,” said Pat Celli, president of UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of New York. “As UnitedHealthcare continues to grow in the area, we look forward to working with North Country Family Health Center as it enhances its clinical practices.”

“I applaud UnitedHealthcare’s investment in the North Country. UnitedHealthcare and North Country Family Health Center are important partners in our continued effort to expand quality, affordable health care across the 21st District,” said U.S. Representative-Elect Elise Stefanik. “I look forward to working with these partners to find common-sense solutions to lower health care costs and improve care.”

“This important grant will support our ongoing efforts to promote increased accessibility to health care options in the North Country. I look forward to working with UnitedHealthcare and the North Country Family Health Center in continuing our efforts to expand quality, affordable health care options in our region. Working together, we can ensure access to the highest quality of care for all in our communities,” said State Senator Patty Ritchie.

North Country Family Health Center
The North Country Family Health Center, formerly North Country Children’s Clinic, opened its doors in 1971. Over its 40-year history, the agency has offered medical, dental and behavioral health services, as well as nutrition services through the WIC program across four counties in northern New York State. The Health Center also expanded its child health services through its school-based health centers in the Watertown and South Jefferson schools. In 2012, the Health Center received accreditation as a federally qualified health center, changing its name to North Country Family Health Center. Today, the Center provides health care services for children and adults, including medical, dental and behavioral health services in its eight locations. For more information about North Country Family Health Center, go to www.NoCoFamilyHealth.org.

About UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare is dedicated to helping people nationwide live healthier lives by simplifying the health care experience, meeting consumer health and wellness needs, and sustaining trusted relationships with care providers. The company offers the full spectrum of health benefit programs for individuals, employers, military service members, retirees and their families, and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and contracts directly with more than 800,000 physicians and care professionals, and 6,000 hospitals and other care facilities nationwide. Globally, UnitedHealthcare serves 45 million people in health benefits and is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified Fortune 50 health and well-being company. For more information, visit UnitedHealthcare at www.uhc.com or follow @myUHC on Twitter.

Click here to subscribe to Mobile Alerts for UnitedHealth Group.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20141216006584/en/