Dr. John Rugge

BIOGRAPHY

Following earning a B.A. degree at Williams College, a Master of Theological Studies at Harvard, an M.D. at Yale, and internship at Albany Medical Center, he came north in 1974 to complete a book on wilderness canoeing. His plan was to practice medicine in the area for a few months and then return to residency.

That fall, he was employed by the nearest hospital (30 miles away) as the covering physician of a new ER Extension Center which had lost all three local physicians that summer. His assignment was to provide hands-on care for patients and supervise four PAs (physician assistants) who were among the first to receive this training in the state. 

By spring, he gave up the plan to return to Albany since many surrounding towns were losing their doctors—the last generation of solo GPs—and there would be no place to refer his patients. Additionally, the hospital itself was losing money and felt unable to continue operating its clinics. 

Dr. Rugge came to hear of certain government funding for community health centers in underserved areas. He secured designation for the area as Medically Underserved and began writing applications for both federal and state grant support. 

These dollars proved lifesaving, and, by 1980, four health centers in small neighboring towns looked to have a possible future. That year, federal requirements forced the centers to separate from the hospital and become independent.

What followed for Dr. Rugge was recruiting community leaders to form a Board of Directors and, with their support, assume full operational responsibility, while also securing local backing, including rent-free health center facilities from rural towns.

Additional financial support from local donors and regional foundations enabled services previously unavailable in the region, beginning with Lamaze classes and nutrition counseling, expanding to insurance enrollment assistance, care coordination for complex cases, a Homeward Bound program providing house calls, and now the development of a full-scope OB-GYN center—the only remaining practice serving Glens Falls and the surrounding area.

Service development and expansion followed the same pattern—local support to initiate a program which then attracted state attention and support leading to federal recognition and financing.

Recognized as a pioneer, Dr. Rugge was appointed to 37 New York State councils and commissions, ranging from the Rural Health Council to chair of Governor Mario Cuomo’s Health Care Advisory Board. This work later led to his service on President George W. Bush’s Medicaid Commission, which despite its original mandate to reduce the program ultimately helped protect it.

These efforts led to recognition of Hudson Headwaters’ capacity to effectively deploy new resources. As a result, the Network was selected by the state to pilot New York’s Medical Home model of care. Through Medicaid authority and encouragement from the Commissioner of Health to commercial insurers, Hudson Headwaters, certified as a Medical Home, became eligible to receive an additional $7 per patient per month for comprehensive primary care.

Two years of data showed that the provision of this PMPM funding in addition to standard insurance reimbursement resulted in both improved quality for patients and lower costs for payers. As a consequence, this Medical Home pilot was extended to become a statewide benefit for qualifying practices.

Upon retiring from Hudson Headwaters, Dr. Rugge continued service as a board officer or council leader for a number of health care entities including the University of Vermont Health Network, the Public Health and Health Planning Council of New York State, and the Primary Care Development Corporation (a nonprofit organization providing financial loans, consulting services and advocacy work across the nation). 

Most recently, he has been an organizer of the Healthcare Coalition for the North Country, a group of 200 health care professionals and community leaders in NYS Congressional District 21 dedicated to explaining to elected officials at all levels “Why Medicaid Matters Here.” 

Additional important activities for him include enjoying time with family, relaxing at the family cottage on Tripp Lake, and staying in touch with friends and colleagues from across the decades.