SERRANO EXPRESSES OUTRAGE OVER RESULTS OF HOUSING WORKS SURVEY

Congressman José E. Serrano (D-NY) and three other members of Congress have written to Nancy Ann DeParle, Administrator of the federal Health Care Financing Administration, to express outrage over the results of a Housing Works survey of 16 Medicaid HMO’s doing business in the Phase One mandatory enrollment areas in New York City. The letter, also signed by Congresswomen Nydia Velazquez and Nita Lowey, and Congressman Jerrold Nadler (all D-NY), urges DeParle and HCFA to fix the problems uncovered in the mandatory Medicaid managed care system before the effort expands to areas of the Bronx and Queens. An excerpt from the letter says: “As the state prepares to expand mandatory enrollment to the Bronx and Queens, we fear that Medicaid participants in these two boroughs will face the same difficulties that already plague Brooklyn, Staten Island and Manhattan enrollees. Therefore we urge you to do everything you can to ensure that Medicaid HMOs operating within New York City provide access to and information about translation services, maintain a sufficient number of primary and specialty care providers, and adequately address the unique health needs of people living with HIV and AIDS.”

SERRANO SECURES FUNDING FOR JOYCE KILMER PARK

Congressman Serrano  announces a $150,000 grant  to the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation  for phase three of the rebuilding and restoration of Joyce Kilmer Park in the South Bronx.  Joyce Kilmer Park is located in a densely populated low-income inner city neighborhood on the Grand Concourse.  The Grand Concourse is on the National Register of Historic Places and the Park is included as part of the surrounding area.  In terms of its size, Joyce Kilmer Park is one of the most heavily utilized public recreation spaces in the City of New York.  The third phase of the project includes construction of granite curbs and concrete sidewalks, the placement of benches, bollards, and trash cans, and the building of a fence. “This park plays an important role in our community and we must continue to support efforts to restore it,” Serrano said. “Rebuilding the park will give more children and their families an opportunity to enjoy the natural resources the park has to offer.” In addition, Serrano secured $300,000 during fiscal year 1999 to the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation for the rebuilding and restoration of the park. 

SERRANO AMENDMENT TO INCREASE LEGAL SERVICES FUNDING APPROVED

On June 22, the House of Representatives approved Congressman Serrano’s amendment to provide a $134 million increase in funding for the Legal Services Corporation. The funding would increase the Legal Services appropriation from $141 million to $275 million in the Commerce, Justice, State, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. The money would restore funding for legal services to the poor and disadvantaged across the country. “This is just a start to restoring funding for an organization that provides such an important service for our nation’s neediest,” Serrano said. “It is so important that the poor and disadvantaged in this country have equal access to the justice system - surely a basic human and constitutional right.”