HHS offers more money, less red tape in attempt to help New York recover

The department has released more than $90 million to support the city's health care needs and has relaxed its Medicaid enrollment procedures.

By Amy Snow Landa, AMNews staff. Oct. 8, 2001.

Washington -- In the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, Congress and the Bush administration have taken several steps to ensure that New Yorkers continue to have access to health care services.

Congress moved quickly to approve a $40 billion emergency spending package Sept. 14 -- half of which the administration agreed to designate for rescue and recovery efforts in New York. A week later, President Bush released the first $5 billion of those funds, including $126 million for the support of health and social services in the New York metropolitan area.

The funding package issued through the Dept. of Health and Human Services provides $55 million for health care services, $28 million for mental health services and $7.75 million to provide and secure medical supplies. The department directed the remaining funds to social services and environmental hazard control.

The emergency funding for health care services includes $35 million in emergency grants that will help metropolitan area hospitals and related institutions pay for expenses related to the disaster response.

HHS will also provide $10 million to New York's community health centers to help cover both the immediate costs of their response, as well as longer term health care services.

HHS decided on the funding amounts following Secretary Tommy Thompson's visit to New York City soon after the attacks. Thompson met with Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, Gov. George Pataki and State Health Commissioner Antonia Novello, MD, to discuss recovery efforts. [...]