In New York, there are more than one million people without health insurance, says a report by the Community Service Society (CSS, which is a funder of City Limits) and the Citizens Budget Commission (CBC).
Adi Talwar
The Lincoln Medical Center, located at 149th Street and Morris Avenue in the Bronx
In the United States, Latinos continue to have the highest rates of uninsured of any racial or ethnic group.
In 2010, before the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was passed, only 42% of Latinos had access to medical care in the United States, or 14.2 million Latinos out of the 33.9 million Latinos aged 18 at age 64.
By 2015, the proportion of Latino adults without health insurance had fallen to around a third, positioning Latinos as the group with the highest gains in access to health insurance, reaching an all-time low of 19.3 % of Latinos uninsured in 2016.
However, after this year, the number of uninsured Latinos grew to almost a quarter of the population, 23.6%, in the first half of 2021.
In New York, there are more than one million people without health insurance, says a report by the Community Service Society (CSS, which is a funder of City Limits) and the Citizens Budget Commission (CBC).
In Queens alone, there are about 209,000 uninsured people, 159,000 in Brooklyn and 111,000 in the Bronx, according to the CSS and CBC report.
In April, the six-month residency requirement for the NYC Care program was lifted, “to ensure that all new immigrants can have immediate access to quality health care,” the statement said.
City Limits therefore put together this guide to explain how undocumented immigrants can enroll in the NYC Care program after speaking with Dr. Jonathan Jimenez, Executive Director of the program.
What is NYC Care and how is it different from health insurance?
NYC Care is a low-cost (or free) health care access program for New Yorkers who are not eligible or cannot afford health insurance. Unlike health insurance, which is paid monthly whether you use it or not, this is not the case with NYC care.
“Medical insurance programs normally have an insurance premium (Premium), monthly fees, deductibles, disbursements,” Dr. Jiménez explained.
In 2019, New York City created this program and opened it in stages: first in the Bronx in August 2019 and in September 2020 the program opened citywide.
Can anyone, regardless of immigration status, enroll in the New York City Care Program?
Yes, anyone, regardless of immigration status, can enroll in NYC Care as long as they don’t have access to health care or because they don’t qualify for insurance illness, or because the health insurance to which he is entitled is unaffordable.
What are the requirements?
Live in one of New York’s five boroughs. Not being able to afford health insurance and not being eligible for a health insurance plan available in New York State. And be in the income bracket of the program.
What documents are needed to enroll in the NYC Care program?
Proof of identity such as driver’s license, NYC ID, passport, alien card, resident card or work permit, certificate of naturalization, visa, school ID, marriage certificate, birth certificate , Electronic Transfer Card Benefits or Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) or Common Benefits Identity Card (CBIC), among others.
Proof of income such as pay stubs, letter of employment, unemployment assistance, or statement of employment.
Proof of residence such as utility bill, rental agreement, mortgage statement.
How can you register?
Registration is free and there are two ways to register: by phone (by dialing 1-646-692-2273) or in person.
You can enroll in person with a NYC Health + Hospitals financial advisor or through one of more than 20 community organizations in the five boroughs. A list of organizations is available here.
When you join the program, you will receive a NYC Care membership card that will have your primary care provider’s name on it. Membership in the program lasts for one year and must be renewed to continue in the program.
Care in New York
Care in New York
With this card, you will be able to choose a primary health care provider, you will have options for telemedicine services (with access to telephone translation in 200 languages), access to specialists and examinations, affordable medicines and Moreover.
Which hospitals are part of the NYC Care Hospital Network?
The 11 public hospitals in New York are part of the NYC Care program and other centers of care:
Bellevue Hospital Center
Coney Island Hospital
Elmhurst Hospital Center
Harlem Hospital Center
Jacobi Medical Center
Kings County Hospital Center
Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center
Metropolitan Hospital Center
Bronx North Central Hospital
Queens Hospital Center
Woodhull Medical and Mental Health Center
In this link you can check the costs of some services and examinations.