Groundbreaking Report Identifies Opportunities in Health Reform and Prevention for All New Yorkers

Report follows detailed review of the ACA and consultation with numerous stakeholders, including representatives of New York State agencies and county and city health departments

New York, NY – A new report identifies opportunities that build on both the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act (ACA) and New York’s ongoing efforts toward improving the health of its 19 million residents. Specifically, the report offers recommendations that address the public health infrastructure (data collection, availability, and analysis; public health workforce; and local community health action) and two sets that concern the health care delivery system (Medicaid health homes, and hospital community benefit) as part of a strategic cross-agency collaboration to improve population health.

Please click here to view report.

Supplementary Resource for this Report: A Summary of Prevention-related Provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and their Implementation Status in New York State

The report, Federal Health Care Reform in New York State: A Population Health Perspective, was developed by The New York Academy of Medicine with support from the New York State Heath Foundation and in consultation with numerous stakeholders, including representatives of New York State agencies and county and city health departments. Highlights include:

• Aligning priorities in the new New York State Prevention Agenda with those in the National Prevention Strategy, with an eye toward becoming more competitive for federal funding;
• Embracing a "health in all policies" approach by leveraging investments currently being made by many sectors (e.g., labor, education, corrections, agriculture, transportation) for improved population health outcomes;
• Implementing strategic opportunities to increase the synergy between New York’s medical care and public health systems and generate an enhanced, better-integrated health care system oriented toward population health improvement;
• Developing uniform data standards across all state, county, and city health programs, prioritizing implementation of the ACA’s new data collection standards, and requiring all state and state-funded health agencies to obtain and report the same set of demographic data to characterize service recipients; and
• Ensuring the adequacy of the public health workforce at all levels and preparing them for the new challenges of data management and community partnerships under ACA and the Prevention Agenda.

"These recommendations build upon ongoing reform and planning efforts in the health care and public health systems," said Jo Ivey Boufford, MD, President of The New York Academy of Medicine. "By focusing on population health imperatives, and with ACA implementation as a catalyst, New York can realize a new vision for its health system that reduces incidence of chronic disease, eliminates health disparities, and improves the health of all New Yorkers."

"Much of the conversation today is focused on health insurance mandates and coverage, but we also need to keep in mind that prevention is a pillar of primary care,” said James R. Knickman, President and CEO of the New York State Health Foundation. “Prevention and public health hold the promise to make New York a healthier state."

Posted on June 20, 2012

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Contact:
Andrew J. Martin
Director of Communications
The New York Academy of Medicine
1216 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York 10029
212-822-7285
amartin@nyam.org

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