The Institute for Family Health Stands with Community Health Care Association of New York State in Advocating for Greater Support for Community Health Centers

Albany, NY (December 8, 2025) – The Institute for Family Health was one of more than 70 Community Health Centers across New York State to sign a letter from the Community Health Care Association of New York State (CHCANYS) to Governor Kathy Hochul, outlining urgent budget and policy actions needed to sustain New York’s frontline health care safety net.

With recent federal changes expected to triple the number of uninsured New Yorkers seeking care at Community Health Centers, the letter emphasized that the State must act now to maintain access to primary, preventive, behavioral health, women’s health, and dental services relied upon by millions.

CHCANYS’ budget and policy priorities focus on addressing longstanding underinvestment and removing barriers that impede patient access. Key requests include:

• Modernizing Medicaid reimbursement for Community Health Centers, which currently rely on rates based on 1999–2000 cost data. CHCANYS is calling for a $300 million investment to update the methodology, ensure financial stability, and allow CHCs to expand services.
• Protecting the federal 340B Drug Discount Program by safeguarding CHC savings from restrictive drug manufacturer and PBM practices. Legislation (A6222/S1913) would preserve access to discounted medications and critical reinvestments in patient care at no cost to the State.
• Ensuring fair telehealth reimbursement, restoring CHCs’ full Medicaid rate to strengthen behavioral health access, support workforce retention, and meet high patient demand for remote care.
• Authorizing Medical Assistants to administer vaccines (A5460B/S5340A), expanding capacity for timely immunizations and easing care-team bottlenecks—an initiative the Governor advanced last year and is encouraged to include again.

“The Institute for Family Health is proud to serve everyone who comes through our doors, regardless of ability to pay,” said Dr. Eric Gayle, President and CEO of the Institute for Family Health. “We look to our supporters in New York State government to ensure that we can continue to meet New York’s most pressing community health needs.”

“With rising need and the chilling effects of recent federal actions, Community Health Centers are the first and last line of defense for New Yorkers who need them most,” said Rose Duhan, President & CEO of CHCANYS. “We are grateful for Governor Hochul’s partnership, and we urge the administration to take these critical steps in the FY 2026–27 budget to ensure health centers can continue delivering high-quality, accessible care in every corner of the state.”

CHCANYS stresses in the letter that these priorities are essential to protecting patient access, maintaining a robust statewide safety net, and ensuring that Community Health Centers can meet the growing needs of New Yorkers in the year ahead.

To read the full letter, visit the CHCANYS website.

To learn more about CHCANYS, visit https://www.chcanys.org/.

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About The Institute for Family Health. The Institute for Family Health is a federally qualified health center network in New York State serving 100,000 patients annually. Services are available to people of all ages, regardless of ability to pay.

About CHCANYS. The Community Health Care Association of New York State (CHCANYS) is the voice of New York’s 80 Community Health Centers. CHCs provide care for 1-in-8 New Yorkers at almost 900 locations across the state. CHCANYS provides training and technical assistance to New York’s CHCs in areas including clinical quality improvement, emergency management, data and technology, workforce development, and compliance and operations. CHCANYS also supports CHCs through policy and advocacy work, strengthening and focusing health center voices at the local, state, and federal levels. For more information, visit www.chcanys.org.