Englewood - U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) today attended the ribbon cutting ceremony of a new community health center in Englewood. North Hudson Community Action Corporation (NHCAC) is opening the doors of this state-of-the-art health care facility to provide families throughout Bergen County with a full range of greatly needed health services including primary, pediatric, OB/GYN and dental care. Menendez was joined by Englewood Mayor Frank Huttle, NHCAC President and CEO, Chris Irizarry, and President and CEO of Englewood Hospital, Douglas Duchak.

"For many New Jersey families, community health centers are often their only health care option. That's why we must ensure these health centers have the resources they need to provide all New Jerseyans, regardless of income and social status, with quality care," said Menendez. "Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, great New Jersey institutions like North Hudson Community Action and Englewood Hospital can get the funding they need to improve the health and wellbeing of residents in Bergen County and across the State."

NHCAC has leased and refitted this 6,500 square-foot space from Englewood Hospital with the help of federal grants provided by the Affordable Care Act. Under NHCAC's leadership, Englewood Hospital residents will staff 12 new exam rooms. Specialists will rotate through the center to service patients in the areas of Oncology, Urology, Neurology, Podiatry, General Surgery and more. Along with a mobile dental care facility, this community health center is expected to serve around 13,000 patients a year.

Senator Menendez, who received the 2012 Distinguished Community Health Champion award, authored an amendment to the Affordable Care Act (which included in the final law) requiring private insurers in the exchange to fully reimburse Federally-Qualified Health Centers, like NHCAC's centers, for the services they provide. This provision will help ensure FQHCs do not lose revenue when treating newly insured patients gaining coverage through the new health insurance exchanges.

In New Jersey, the Affordable Care Act and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act together have provided more than $66.2 million in funding for the State's health centers to expand their operational capacity. These investments are already making returns beyond improving access to quality care; the National Association of Community Health Centers estimates that community health centers in New Jersey generated nearly $400 million in economic benefit in 2009 alone.

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