BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — One of Western New York's largest health care systems is closing two therapy clinics as it braces for the impact of federal health care cuts from the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act."
Kaleida Health confirmed it will no longer operate its two Buffalo Therapy Services clinics located on Maple Road in Amherst and at DeGraff Medical Park in North Tonawanda. Both facilities are scheduled to close on Nov. 10, affecting about 30 employees and numerous patients who rely on these clinics for treatment.
WATCH: Kaleida Health to close two Buffalo Therapy Services clinics due to federal health care cuts
The closures come as health care providers across the country explore cost-cutting measures to mitigate the decrease in Medicaid spending over the next decade. Kaleida Health said the decision was based on several factors, including reductions in funding and reimbursement, financial viability and sustainability of the locations and access to these services in the community.
Phil Stokes, a Hamburg resident who received treatment at the Maple Road location after suffering a traumatic brain injury, expressed disappointment about the announcement.
"I was in a car accident, the day before Thanksgiving in 2017, and in 2018, I was still experiencing a lot of symptoms from a severe concussion," Stokes said.
Stokes worked with a cognitive therapist for six months to help improve his memory and speech back to pre-accident levels.
"Working with their staff, they were very patient, they were compassionate, and they were very good at keeping me on track, challenging me to push myself to continue to improve," Stokes said.
He said the closures are particularly concerning for patients on Medicaid.
"I think about my parents and I think about how now it's going to be more difficult for people to find a provider. It's going to take longer for someone to get an appointment when they are initially diagnosed with some issue," Stokes said.
In a statement, Kaleida Health emphasized that the healthcare system is being forced to make these cuts, noting that:
"Kaleida Health has been and continues to evaluate the impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on our operations and services.
The cuts will force Kaleida Health, along with hospitals and healthcare systems in our region, state and country, to make many hard decisions in the coming weeks, months and years.
At this time, our organization is no longer able to sustain operations at Buffalo Therapy Services locations in both Williamsville and North Tonawanda at DeGraff Medical Park. As a result, we will close these two clinics on Monday, November 10.
The decision was based on several criteria, including reductions in funding and reimbursement, financial viability and sustainability of these locations and service lines, as well as access to these services in the community.
This unfortunate shift in the healthcare economic landscape does not diminish these teams' skills or commitment to our patients and our community. We are extremely proud of the care and service we have been able to offer at these sites over the years.
We are committed to supporting affected staff through this transition as well as ensuring continuity of care for patients who were receiving care at these locations. 31 total employees will be affected at the two sites. Human Resources is working closely with impacted employees to connect them with other opportunities.
We are continuing service for 90 days to ensure the vast majority of all patients have completed their course of treatment. Patients are being notified of closure timeline and alternate providers in the area that they can transition their care to as needed. If patients have specific questions, they should contact the clinics.
We continue to advocate to our local, state and federal advocacy groups as well as elected officials to help find solutions to the challenges we face and protect our region's healthcare organizations.
As always, Kaleida Health remain focused on providing the highest quality, patient-centered care that our community deserves."
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