NEW YORK, Oct. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- HIP Health Plan of New York today celebrated the opening of its new corporate headquarters in Lower Manhattan with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by prominent New York leaders including Governor George Pataki; Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg; Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver; Randi Weingarten, Chairperson, Municipal Labor Committee and President, United Federation of Teachers; John C. Whitehead, Chairman, Lower Manhattan Development Corporation; Kathryn Wylde, President, Partnership for New York City; Bill Rudin, Chairman, Association for a Better New York; Carl Weisbrod, President, Downtown Alliance; and Warrie Price, President, The Battery Conservancy. Immediately after the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the leaders, along with HIP Chairman and CEO Anthony L. Watson, linked arms to symbolize the unity, strength and resilience of the New York community and the continued resurgence of Downtown Manhattan.
HIP’s relocation is the largest corporate move to Lower Manhattan following September 11th, 2001 and represents a tremendous vote of confidence and faith in the continued vitality of Lower Manhattan. HIP has relocated 2,000 jobs to 55 Water Street.
Anthony L. Watson, Chairman and CEO of HIP, said, “When the time came for HIP to move its headquarters and consolidate operations, we were offered many opportunities in other locations, but HIP was not about to move out of this city. HIP is synonymous with New York. We were founded here 57 years ago, and have been serving New Yorkers continuously since then. Our hearts, our spirit and our energy are here. We wanted to bring all of that and more to a place that has meaning. Downtown Manhattan is that place.”
“Today’s relocation by New York City’s largest HMO is another significant step in our efforts to revitalize Lower Manhattan,” said Governor Pataki. “Immediately following September 11th, we helped 14,000 hard hit small businesses with more than 140,000 workers. At the same time, we’ve used our financing programs to help attract and retain more than 100,000 jobs, like the jobs here at HIP. Thanks to our joint efforts with Mayor Bloomberg, we are strengthening Lower Manhattan’s economy, partnering with top corporations like HIP to invest and bring jobs here. I want to thank HIP for its commitment to New York and its decision to relocate its corporate headquarters in the center of the world’s financial district.”
“HIP’s decision to move to Lower Manhattan sends a strong signal to the entire New York City business community that downtown’s recovery is well underway,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “I want to thank HIP for its support of New York City and its enormous contribution to the recovery of Lower Manhattan.”
“On behalf of all people who live and work in Lower Manhattan, let me thank Tony Watson and the HIP Board of Directors for bringing the headquarters of this venerable corporation to 55 Water Street,” said Assembly Speaker Silver. “The attack on New York’s financial center and the aftermath remain fresh in our minds and we deeply appreciate HIP’s courage and commitment to this great City, and their faith in the toughness and resiliency of Lower Manhattan.”
HIP received $10,882,500 in Job Creation and Retention Program (JCRP) funds, a program jointly administered by the New York City Economic Development Corporation and Empire State Development Corporation.
Since September 11th, 2001, Empire State Development (ESD) and the New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) have disbursed almost $1 billion to assist in the economic recovery of business, large and small. Through initiatives such as the Job Creation and Retention Program and Small Firm Retention and Attraction Grants, ESD and EDC continue to assist companies with returning to Lower Manhattan.
With more than one million members, HIP Health Plan of New York is the largest HMO in New York City. HIP provides access to care in a variety of ways. Members have access to doctors organized and practicing in large multidisciplinary medical groups in medical centers. Alternatively, they may see doctors in medical centers associated with leading hospitals, including Beth Israel Medical Center, St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center, St. Barnabas Hospital, Lenox Hill Hospital or Montefiore Medical Center. Members also have access to HIP’s network of physicians practicing in their own office, which includes over 22,000 providers in more than 33,000 locations. HIP is affiliated with more than 100 participating hospitals, including those named above and other outstanding institutions. HIP acquired Vytra Health Plans in 2001. For more information about HIP, visit http://www.hipusa.com/. The website is available in English, Spanish, Chinese and Korean.
HIP Health Plan of New York
CONTACT: Cheri Fein of Rubenstein Associates, Inc. - Public Relations,+1-212-843-8019; cfein@rubenstin.com, for HIP Health Plan of New York
Web site: http://www.hipusa.com/