Brooklyn's Progress
July 2001

Borough President Howard Golden and representatives of his Northern Brooklyn Health Consortium announced the launch of "Brooklyn HealthWorks," an insurance plan for uninsured residents in the borough's northern neighborhoods. The plan, which will be available through employers in the fall, is targeted for people who are employed by small businesses in Northern Brooklyn. It offers a comprehensive benefit package including preventative services, inpatient care and prescription drugs, and a long list of easily accessible providers. Borough President Golden said, "Access to quality health care is a critical quality of life issue for a growing number of Brooklyn residents, particularly for uninsured individuals and families which now comprise an estimated 29 percent of our residents. In response to this need, I am pleased the Northern Brooklyn Health Consortium of health care providers, academic institutions and community and business organizations has developed this unique plan." "Brooklyn HealthWorks" has been designed for working, moderate-income families, and individuals. It will be available through small businesses in northern Brooklyn this fall. To qualify, annual family income of the employee must be between $25,000 and $35,000. The exact cost has not yet been set, but the premium for the employee will be less than $150 per month for an individual, and less than $300 a month for family coverage. Due to the affordability of the plan, the consortium participants expect the cost to be partially or fully covered by the employer. It will be available through small businesses in the communities of Fort Greene, Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Bushwick, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Ocean Hill-Brownsville, Crown Heights and East New York. The "Brooklyn HealthWorks" initiative was developed with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation which selected the Brooklyn proposal as one of 14 community-based initiatives nationwide. In addition to a $150,000 planning grant, the consortium received a $700,000 implementation grant to move forward with the project. New York Community Trust and the United Hospital Fund have each contributed $50,000 toward this initiative. "I am also pleased to announce that the federal government has joined in support of our "Brooklyn HealthWorks" initiative," the Borough President added. The U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration has awarded a $900,000 grant from its Community Access Program, which will be used to include a pharmaceutical assistance program in the insurance plan. Jim Burnosky, Director of the National Program Office for Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's "Communities in Charge" program said, "There has been a huge level of interest in communities around the country in programs to solve the problem of the uninsured. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the federal government have made a strong financial commitment to assist communities in developing innovative models. Both have been very pleased with the innovative program of the consortium and have high hopes for the success of this project. Brooklyn HealthWorks is a solid program with solid people behind it. It is one of the few programs to receive both foundation and federal funding." Jeannette Gadson, Special Assistant to Borough President Golden, said, "Brooklyn is blessed with many distinguished medical institutions, and some of the finest health-care professionals, as well as a strong network of dedicated and visionary social service, business and community organizations. Working with Borough Hall, they have created an innovative program that provides quality health care for uninsured people that is also affordable." Donna Lynne, Chief Operating Officer of Group Health Insurance, which helped develop the benefit package, said, "G.H.I., a not-for-profit insurer established in 1937, has a long history of participating in programs to help the uninsured and small businesses. We are pleased to have worked with the Brooklyn Borough President and the consortium of Brooklyn-based organizations to develop Brooklyn HealthWorks, and we believe this is a significant step to meeting the health care needs of small businesses and the citizens of Brooklyn." Tony Lacitignola, Vice President of Marketing for the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, one of the consortium partners, said, "Businesses, especially small businesses in this day and age need to be able to compete for a viable work force. They need to be able to hire and then to retain good employees. The first question employees ask is, ‘What are the benefits?’ The subtext is, ‘How can I protect myself and my family?’ Now, in North Brooklyn, we're hopeful that we have the answers to these questions. Small business owners need to be able to protect their businesses, themselves and their families just like the big companies. Hopefully, this program is the answer they've been looking for." Clifford "Skip" Ohle, Senior Vice President for Institutional Advancement at the Brooklyn Hospital Medical Center, said, "The Brooklyn Hospital Center and the other acute care providers who are partners in the coalition that helped to create 'Brooklyn HealthWorks' will all greatly benefit from the availability of this new health insurance product. Each of our institutions serves very large numbers of local residents who are currently uninsured. This new and very affordable health insurance for the working people of northern Brooklyn, who otherwise could not afford coverage, will provide some level of reimbursement for the care we currently provide. Individuals and families will have health coverage, employers will be able to afford insurance for their workers, and providers will be paid for the services they deliver. Everyone wins with ‘Brooklyn HealthWorks.'" Catherine Abate, President and Chief Executive Officer of Community Healthcare Network, a group of eight primary care clinics and a consortium partner, said, "We are grateful for the work of Brooklyn Borough President Howard Golden in seeking to improve health care access for those who live and work in Brooklyn. The Community Healthcare Network has been an active participant in helping to mold this project from its initial stages. We pledge to continue working closely with the Brooklyn Borough President to implement the Brooklyn HealthWorks health insurance program and bring quality primary and preventive health care services to thousands of uninsured New Yorkers." The consortium includes the following members: Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center; Brooklyn Hospital; SUNY Health Science Center; Wyckoff Heights Medical Center; Interfaith Medical Center; St. Mary's Hospital; Kings County Medical Center; Woodhull Medical and Mental Health Center; Bedford-Stuyvesant Family Health Center; LBJ Health Complex and the Community Health Care Network. In addition, the following business and community organizations are contributing members of the consortium: Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce; Group Health Incorporated (GHI); Brooklyn Bureau of Community Service; St. Nicholas Neighborhood Preservation Corporation; and the Brooklyn Perinatal Network