The very special day (6/11) for these 2 men

Golden 金成

Today Tuesday, June 11, 2019. We, SOMOS, are hosting its ever first annual conference titled Neighborhood-Based Primary Care in NY Academy of Medicine, New York City. Our great MC Denise Oller open the floor and introduce Dr. Ramon Tallaj and myself to the audience.

2 large conference rooms in 2 floors packed with over 400 people.

　　Open remark by Dr. Ramon Tallaj.

Keynote speakers: former Medicaid director, department of health, New York State, Mr. Jason Helgerson，and Budget director of New York, Mr. Robert Mojeca.

June 11 is a very special day for these 2 men on the stage. It was exact the very same day 5 years ago, June 11, 2014, Wednesday evening, when I got into my car , ready to go home after a long working day as a primary care doctor in the community, looked at my cellphone and noticed a missing call with a voicemail. I would normally just wipe it out because the calling number was not in my guest list of my cellphone. However, it looks like someone up there made me do it. I did listen to the voicemail and to only understand few words with a strong Spanish accent man was talking: hey Dr. Chen, I am Dr. Ramon Tallaj and I’m calling for the PPS, we need to talk. The rest I was not able to understand much, but I do have that phone number. The reason I pay attention to this voicemails is that it has the name of PPS (performing provider services) which we, CCACO and ECAP, applied for as the innovative program named DSRIP (Delivery system redesign incentive program) created by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. 

With the understanding of the time horizon of the application of DSRIP, I called him immediately, he said to me that he is still in London, will be back this weekend, I then asked him if we could meet Sunday but with deep doubt about such meeting because not many people want to sacrifise their Sunday as their family day. Supprisingly, his reply was: let us meet this Sunday in your office in Brooklyn. Now, evry thing is the history. SOMOS was borned with the initial name ACP (advocate community providers) in April 2015, with $700 millions grand from Department of Health, State of New York, the second largest PPS among the 25 PPS in the entire New York State, the only PPS organised and led by community based primary care physicians, with over 2500 community based providers, including over 200 Chinese physicians, hundreds of community based organizations as our partners, cover many underserved neighborhood, particular the immigrant communitieslike the Bronx, the Washiongton Height, the Sunset Park, the Emhurst, the Flushing, and the Chinatown,  etc. 

Jason Helgerson, former Medicaid director of New York State, now has his own private consultant firm with some work done for SOMOS.

When the top level insider is telling us that “stay united, don’t let the hospitals and insurance companies play ‘divide and conquer’”, it means a lot to us.

That is his conclusion in his presentation.

Robert Mojeca, Budgeting director of State New York.

His presentation title “Time is now”

We are in the right place for the right time with the right people!

State Medicaid budget will have 3.6% increase from 2019 to 2020, which is very good for our underserved immigrant communities. We are making the voice and inference the policy makers in the State of New York to address the health care disparities among the immigrants, the minority communities.

His conclusion is the very similar as Jason：working together we will succeed!

SOMOS!

“WE ARE” together!

Why and how we can work together between the two men and two different ethnic group of doctors In such great geographic and cultural differences?

That is the man we are workkng with, so much similarities, we are all FMG, first generation American, strong family value, serve our communities, build the IPAs, the ACOs, hard working ecthic, working seven days per week, day and night thinking about the community, thinking about finding the benefit and resources for our doctors and our communities. Dr. Ramon Tallaj, in one of the Sunday in April, he calls us into his own house in New Jersey for SIMOS Community care, ACO, IPA business meeting even when he had surgery on his elbow, keep talking and moving his arms while taking painkillers.

I am taking a selfie to witness the history of join venture in the healthcare industry.

　　Discussion among the partners.

Our big time lawyer Phil is sitting on the floor for this meeting and making notes.

Another Sunday we were in SOMOS office to further discuss the development and structure of our organisations.

　　Again I witnessed this with selfie.

The meeting lasted into late night when Patricia had to catch up a train back to New Haven Connecticut for her MBA class at Yale university Monday morning. As most of time, we have David and Josephine be part of our meeting.

During the intersections of the first annual conference of SOMOS, many news media agencies came in and interview us for the activities.

SOMOS has created a WeChat platform, specific for the Chinese population.

CCACO and ECAP board members and long time supporters Dr. David Zhang, Dr. Hanbin Zheng, and Dr. George Hall. They take the time off from their very busy practice schedule, bring their spouse and staff to show support to SOMOS activities.

SOMOS in Spanish means “we are” together. This photo is the exact reflection of SOMOS! MiSOMOS!

My dear partner Dr. George Hall.

Interviewed bt China Press together.

The strong supporters: Jimmy, direcor of SOMOS, Lucia from Mount. Sinai, Ling, office manager of MetroTrue Care, Katherine, director of operationof Jennan Medical.

　　The friends and associates .

　　Our staff from Jennan medical.

Theresa from VNS, Lucia from Mount. Sinai, Alex our COO of ECAP.

　　United we stand!