ARTHUR A. GIANELLI, NHCC PRESIDENT/CEO, INVITED TO SPEAK BY THE PARTNERSHIP FOR MEDICAID, ON PROTECTING AMERICA’S SAFETY NET AT A HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES BRIEFING IN WASHINGTON, DC, ON JANUARY 27TH AT 9 AM

January 15th, 2009

Contact: Shelley Lotenberg
516-572-6055
Shelley@numc.edu

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

ARTHUR A. GIANELLI, NHCC PRESIDENT/CEO, INVITED TO SPEAK BY THE PARTNERSHIP FOR MEDICAID, ON PROTECTING AMERICA’S SAFETY NET, AT A HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES BRIEFING IN WASHINGTON, DC, ON JANUARY 27TH AT 9 AM

GIANELLI TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT VITAL ROLE PLAYED BY SAFETY NETS, BY MEDICAID AND SCHIP IN PROVIDING ESSENTIAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES TO NASSAU’S VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES

East Meadow, NY…….Arthur A. Gianelli, President/CEO of the Nassau Health Care Corporation, has been invited to speak, by the Partnership for Medicaid, at a briefing held by the House of Representatives staff to highlight Medicaid’s importance to people, providers and communities.  The briefing will take place on January 27th at 9 AM in Room B338, Rayburn Building, Washington DC.

The Partnership for Medicaid, a non-partisan, nationwide effort by safety net providers and key organizations, has a goal to preserve the federal Medicaid and State Child Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).The Partnership is expected to draw attention to the urgent need for an increase in Medicaid funds to states, so that enrollees do not lose coverage in these economic downturns and periods of increased unemployment when more people rely on Medicaid, yet under the program’s financing mechanisms, Medicaid is most vulnerable to funding shortfalls at these difficult times.

Mr. Gianelli, who heads a public safety net healthcare system comprised of Nassau University Medical Center, a 530 bed level I trauma center and teaching hospital; A. Holly Patterson Extended Care Facility, a 589 bed skilled nursing facility; and several community health centers located throughout Nassau County, said: “I am honored to have been invited to address the House of Representatives staff on a topic of such importance to safety net institutions. I am committed to raise awareness on the vital role played by Medicaid and SCHIP programs in providing essential health care services to the many underserved communities that we serve in Nassau County and to work on viable solutions to improve the quality and delivery of services in our crucial role as a strong safety net for vulnerable residents.”