UnitedHealthcare Invests $19 Million to Help Enhance Quality of Care and Patient Services at Federally Qualified Health Centers in California

2019 MAR 19 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- UnitedHealthcare has invested $19 million to help construct and enhance several health centers in California that provide services to underserved communities in Santa Barbara, Solano and Santa Clara counties.

UnitedHealthcare made the investments through the use of New Market Tax Credits, in partnership with U.S. Bank, and the purchase of tax-exempt revenue bonds to combine resources with other project partners to fund new health center construction and renovate existing clinics and care facilities.

Details about UnitedHealthcare’s $19 million investment include: Lompoc and Paso Robles (Santa Barbara County): $9.1 million investment, in partnership with U.S. Bank, through the use of New Market Tax Credits to support the expansion of Community Health Centers of the Central Coast (CHCC) with the construction of a new health facility in Lompoc and the renovation of an existing health facility as part of a leased space in Paso Robles. The investment will help increase access to care for low-income residents in the region where a full range of health care services are provided at one location with extended hours. Vallejo (Solano County): $6 million through Optum Bank, in partnership with U.S. Bank, using New Market Tax Credits to support the La Clinica Vallejo Expansion Project aimed at increasing the capacity of La Clinica to serve its Solano County service area in Vallejo. The investment supports renovating a building and relocating La Clinica’s existing Georgia Street clinic and dental clinic to create a 26,000-square-foot, two-story state-of-the-art integrated health care facility that will enable La Clinica to double its service capacity and receive approximately 60,000 patient visits a year. San Jose (Santa Clara County): $3.8 million bond purchase as part of a $6.8 million renovation project for Lincoln Glen Manor for Senior Citizens. The project will convert 11 Independent Living Apartments into 17 Memory Care Units, and remodel and update the Central Manor and Skilled Nursing Facility. Lincoln Glen is a senior living community with Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Care and Skilled Nursing on a single campus in the Willow Glen area of San Jose.

“These investments, combined with the support from other partners, will help improve access to care and services for individuals and families in the communities served by these health organizations,” said Rob Falkenberg, CEO of UnitedHealthcare of California. “Our shared commitment to these community health centers and facilities will help enhance services and quality of care that will benefit many patients in the region for years to come.”

Kevin Kandalaft, CEO of UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of California, said: “We’re grateful for the opportunity to partner with local communities to help ensure that people in underserved areas of the state have greater access to quality health care and services. These investments go a long way in helping achieve that goal and serve these communities.”

“These clinics will have a lasting impact on the people who call these communities home,” said Maria Bustria-Glickman, vice president, business development with U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation, the tax credit division of U.S. Bank. “We appreciate our ongoing partnership with UnitedHealthcare and look forward to continuing to support its efforts to drive better health outcomes.”

UnitedHealthcare provided the $19 million in funding through its California Health Care Investment Program, which supports health care organizations that provide services to underserved, low-income and underinsured communities throughout the state. The program provides California health care entities access to capital rates that are highly competitive with those of conventional financing. Since 2007, the company has provided more than $442 million in total capital to nearly 60 health care organizations in California. UnitedHealthcare has provided these investments by working with various partners, including U.S. Bank, through the use of New Market Tax Credits and the purchase of tax-exempt revenue bonds. About UnitedHealthcareUnitedHealthcare is dedicated to helping people live healthier lives and making the health system work better for everyone by simplifying the health care experience, meeting consumer health and wellness needs, and sustaining trusted relationships with care providers. In the United States, UnitedHealthcare offers the full spectrum of health benefit programs for individuals, employers, and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and contracts directly with more than 1.2 million physicians and care professionals, and 6,500 hospitals and other care facilities nationwide. The company also provides health benefits and delivers care to people through owned and operated health care facilities in South America. UnitedHealthcare is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified health care company. For more information, visit UnitedHealthcare at www.uhc.com or follow @UHC on Twitter. Click here to subscribe to Mobile Alerts for UnitedHealth Group. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190304005140/en/

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