Earlier this month, Mr. Brezenoff announced only 25 percent of the jobs that become available monthly would be filled due to a funding shortage. But in a recent email to NYC Health + Hospitals staff, he said he plans to fill more jobs after a dispute with the state over disproportionate share hospital payments was resolved.
The resolution came when the state revealed the health system will receive $360 million in previously withheld DSH payments.
“A few weeks ago I reached out to make you aware that New York State was withholding $380 million in federal and city matching funds owed to NYC Health + Hospitals for care we provided in 2016-2017 to Medicaid and uninsured patients. Today I am glad to inform you that this dispute over DSH dollars has been resolved. The state will process the federal and city matching funds to reimburse our healthcare system for most of these funds in three separate payments over the next few months and the rest will be paid during our fiscal year,” Mr. Brezenoff wrote.
While the resolution allows the health system to resume filling vacancies at a rate of 50 percent, “NYC Health + Hospitals continues to provide care for our Medicaid and uninsured patients that will not be reimbursed,” he said.
Given the expected lack of reimbursement, the health system said it is making efforts to deal with its budget gap, including the 50 percent refill.
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