Page 6 - SFHN March 2018

Funding for Community Health
Protecting Your Assets
Centers Reauthorized
If you are thinking about getting married,
you should consider whether you have assets
that you want to preserve and protect in the
event of a divorce. If you own your practice,
have saved substantially through your
401(k), have deferred compensation accumu-
lated, own commercial or real property, or
inherited assets from family members, you
should think about a prenuptial agreement,
or if you have already married, consider a
postnuptial agreement to protect those assets.
Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements
generally abbreviate or waive rights one
spouse might be entitled to receive in the BY ANGELA R. NEAVE,
event of divorce or death. For example, if you ESQUIRE
purchased your home prior to getting mar-
ried, and are paying down the mortgage with
your current income, and you do not have a prenuptial agreement desig-
nating the home as a non-marital asset and your income as non-marital
income, your spouse may be entitled to a portion of the value of the house
in the event of a divorce. Protecting your home or other assets can happen Community Health of South Florida, Inc. staff wore red on Red Alert Day
through a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement. to highlight the need for funding Community Health Centers.
In addition to protecting assets you already own, prenuptial agreements
can abbreviate or waive rights to alimony or spousal support and attor- Intense concern and worry over funding Community Health Centers to provide
neys’ fees and costs. Entering into a prenuptial agreement and agreeing is alleviated after Congress passed legisla- high quality, affordable healthcare.
upon a waiver of alimony or attorneys’ fees and costs or designating a cer- tion to fix the health center funding cliff Licensed Mental Health Technician and
tain amount of alimony or attorneys’ fees and costs you are willing to pay with a two-year extension and $600 mil- Coordinator for Quality Assurance and
ensures that you can predict what your alimony and attorney fee obliga- lion in additional dollars to further sup- Quality Improvement, Celia Mion, wore
tions are in the event of a divorce and allows you to have predictability in port health center operations and address red pants on Red Alert Day in honor of
preserving your future income. unmet needs. The news came as a huge CHI’s mission.
comfort to Community Health of South “I really believe in bringing healthcare to
Florida Inc. (CHI) and other community all people,” said Mion. “We need it not
If you have questions about protecting your assets, a prenuptial agreement
or a postnuptial agreement, and want to discuss your options with an attorney, health centers nationwide who had been only for people who can’t afford it, but also
call Angela R. Neave, Esquire, at (954) 981-2200 for a free consultation. waiting on reauthorization of funding the people who rely on these programs to
since October 2017. improve their lives regardless of econom-
The good news didn’t stop there. ics.”
Congress also reauthorized funding for Latricia Segura-Branch PharmD, a phar-
two years for Teaching Health Center macist at CHI wore a large red flower in
GME programs such as the Brodes H. her hair along with fellow pharmacy staff.
Hartley Teaching Health Center at She knows the dire need and said without
Community Health of South Florida, Inc. support for life-saving medications and
CHI’s teaching health center develops and medication management services that
trains medical residents to address a loom- community health centers provide,
ing shortage of primary care physicians. patients are in danger.
The extension of funding for that program “If there were no pharmacies in commu-
IN HEALTHCARE SERVICES helps realign finances by closely linking nity health centers especially 340B phar-
them to the true cost of training physicians macies, patients would go without the
in primary care specialties proper medications that they need,” said
“This is a win, win situation for every- Segura-Branch.
one,” said Brodes H. Hartley Jr., President According to the National Association
and CEO of CHI. “It’s a win for the 83,000 for Community Health Centers (NACHC)
patients that we care for every year. We the extension of funds secures healthcare
SM
manage diseases for them, heal their ail- for27 million patients by ensuring thou-
At WithumSmith+Brown, PC, our client-focused ments and care for them physically and sands of sites will be able to keep their
philosophy and goal-oriented approach delivers mentally. This is also a win for our employ- doors open.
expertise, efficiency and innovation to meet the unique ees who devote themselves to caring for For those tasked with the job of molding
these people and a win for our residents the next generation of doctors, reautho-
needs of the healthcare industry.
learning to care for a diverse population.” rization of funding for teaching health cen-
Scott J. Mariani, JD, Partner The victory comes just days after an all- ters is a big burden relieved from their
Practice Leader, Healthcare Services Group out advocacy effort. CHI employees hearts and minds.
smariani@withum.com adorned themselves in red to show a pas- “Traditionally underserved rural and
sion and urgency for healthcare funding. urban areas face the greatest challenges
The National “Red Alert Day,” on February recruiting physicians,” said Dr. Saint
6th prompted CHI staff and people across Anthony Amofah, Chief Academic Officer
the country to post photos on social media and Chief Medical Officer. “We are so
and make phone calls and emails to U.S. grateful that the federal government is
Congressional and Senate leaders urging helping with this investment to grow our
them to address the funding cliff facing own physicians. This goes a long way in
community health centers nationwide. addressing key healthcare gaps among
The health of 27 million Americans was in some of the most vulnerable people in our
jeopardy. Those people rely on communities.”

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6 March 2018 southfloridahospitalnews.com South Florida Hospital News