NYC Care: 10,000 New Yorkers Receiving Accessible and Affordable Health Care Dec 12, 2019
NYC Care on track to launch in Brooklyn and Staten Island in late January
NYC Health + Hospitals today announced that NYC Care, a health care access program that is a key component of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s commitment to guarantee accessible and affordable health care for all New Yorkers, has enrolled more than 10,000 New Yorkers in the Bronx since its launch in August, two months ahead of projected schedule. To date, all new members were offered a primary care appointment within the first two weeks of enrolling. After its successful implementation in the Bronx, NYC Care will launch in Brooklyn and Staten Island in January 2020, and will be available citywide by the end of next year.
“In the world’s wealthiest nation, no person should ever have to choose between taking their child to the doctor and putting food on the table, said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “In New York City, we are making this right a reality, and providing low-cost affordable, healthcare to all those who need it. With over 10,000 Bronxites now enrolled in NYC Care, we are showing firsthand what it means to be a City that puts working people first.”
NYC Care is the new no- or low-cost health care access program of NYC Health + Hospitals for New Yorkers who are not eligible for insurance or who cannot afford it. The program, which is now operating in the Bronx and will be available citywide by the end of 2020, is expected to dramatically change the way the City’s public health system connects people to personalized, coordinated primary and preventive care at its 70-plus patient care locations throughout the five boroughs, including 11 hospitals and its Gotham Health Federally-Qualified Health Center (FQHC) network. NYC Care offers affordable medications day or night, culturally responsive care, extensive language access and interpretation services, and provides new 24/7 customer service support.
Through the program’s extended pharmacy hours, members have filled over 14,000 prescriptions in the program’s extended pharmacy hours in just the first four months, most commonly for prescriptions to treat diabetes and hypertension, conditions that require timely medication management and adherence. Through a partnership between the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) and the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City to contract with five Bronx community based organizations to conduct culturally appropriate outreach to prospective NYC Care members. To maintain the enrollment momentum, NYC Health + Hospitals and MOIA will extend funding to these five organizations for an additional six months.
The five Bronx community based organizations, Bronx Works, Emerald Isle Immigration Center, Mekong NYC, Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition, and Sauti Yetu Center for African Women, will receive additional funding for six months to help connect more New Yorkers in the Bronx to primary and preventive care. As part of outreach efforts, CBOs conduct culturally appropriate outreach to prospective NYC Care members in the Bronx. The five CBOS were selected through a request for proposal process.
In addition, NYC Health + Hospital is running a borough-wide multilingual public awareness campaign including advertisements in public transportation, social media, neighborhood stores, ethnic and community media and LinkNYC terminals as well as street marketing outreach and special ethnic media partnerships.
Eligible New Yorkers can enroll by calling 646-NYC-CARE to meet with a financial counselor at a health system patient care site. Members will receive a personalized membership card in the mail to star enjoying NYC Care services.
“Health care is a human right, and NYC Care is fundamental to Mayor de Blasio’s vision of guaranteed and affordable health care for every New Yorker,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Dr. Raul Perea-Henze. “The swift achievement of our 10,000-member enrollment goal in the Bronx shows the urgent need for regular access to high-quality primary care, especially within our immigrant and lower-income communities. We look forward to changing more lives with the upcoming expansion of NYC Care to Brooklyn and Staten Island.”
“We are proud to say that over 10,000 members in the Bronx now have enhanced access to high-quality, affordable healthcare,” said Mitchell Katz, MD, President and CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals. “Meeting this enrollment milestone in a short period time confirms what we already knew, that this program is a necessity for many New Yorkers to receive care to live their healthiest lives.”
“Thanks to the tremendous efforts of our Bronx community-based partner organizations, we have met our goal and have connected over 10,000 Bronx residents to NYC Care two months ahead of schedule,” said Bitta Mostofi, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs. “We are thrilled that these partnerships will be extended, and even more Bronxites will be connected to quality, affordable health care. As the program expands to Brooklyn and Staten Island in 2020, we look forward to continuing our work with NYC Health + Hospitals, and connecting more New Yorkers to the care they need, regardless of immigration status or ability to pay.”
“We’ve been working hard on the ground to connect New Yorkers to much-needed services such as primary and preventive care, low-cost prescriptions, and a new member experience,” said NYC Care Executive Director Marielle Kress. “This 10,000-member milestone is significant as we prepare to engage with additional community partners to connect even more New Yorkers in Brooklyn and Staten Island to the care they need.”
“Enrolling in NYC Care helps previously uninsured New Yorkers access primary care and prescription drugs in a timely manner, avoiding more dangerous and expensive complications down the line,” said Assembly Health Committee Chair Richard N. Gottfried. “These enrollment numbers show the clear need for the program, and I commend Mayor de Blasio, H+H, and the Office of Immigrant Affairs for their commitment to patient outreach in the Bronx.”
“Healthcare is a human right, and I support the Mayor’s office’s efforts to help vulnerable New Yorkers access healthcare. I am excited to see Brooklynites benefit from NYC Care and look forward to working with the Mayor’s office to make this program as successful as possible,” said State Senator Julia Salazar. “I hope that this program will be a first step towards universal healthcare that is free at the point of care in New York City and New York State.”
“I am blown away by the progress of NYC Care in such a short period of time. I am grateful to NYC Health + Hospitals and their partner organizations for their work in connecting 10,000 Bronxites to affordable, quality healthcare. This is a notable milestone that moves us closer to achieving the goal of the Bronx no longer having the worst health outcomes in the state. I look forward to watching the number of enrollees grow as we continue our efforts to expand access to critical health services for all New Yorkers,” said State Senator Alessandra Biaggi.
“Having access to quality and affordable health care means that New Yorkers will be able to lead healthier lives. This means prioritizing preventative care while also reducing unexpected and sometimes costly visits to the emergency room. With health insurance being one of the biggest expenses for New Yorkers, the expansion of NYC Care will go a long way to ensure access to quality and affordable health care. I applaud Mayor de Blasio and NYC Health and Hospitals for their dedication to this important issue,” said Assembly Member Joseph R. Lentol.
“Within just 4 months after its launch, NYC Care is ahead of its enrollment goal schedule in the Bronx with all members receiving primary care appointments within the first two weeks of enrollment,” said Council Member Vanessa L. Gibson. “This is a testament to providing truly accessible and affordable healthcare for all New Yorkers. We look forward to the continued expansion of this program to other boroughs beginning in January. “
“I’m pleased to see that the NYC Care outreach efforts in The Bronx have been such a huge success. High quality health care is a human right, even if someone cannot afford health insurance, and this program is making real progress in reaching the vulnerable people who are most in need of these services,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “Thank you to NYC Health + Hospitals for your outreach efforts and for providing this powerful resource to improve the health of our community.”
“CSS commends the NYC Health and Hospitals system for achieving another milestone as part of the implementation of NYC Care in the Bronx.”, said David Jones, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Community Service Society of New York (CSS). “We are also thrilled to see the continued commitment to partnering with local Community Based Organizations (CBOs) in the Bronx who are uniquely positioned to help NYC Care reach those in dire need of accessing affordable, comprehensive, and quality care options offered by the program.”
“While we join HHC in celebrating the enrollment milestone achieved in the Bronx, our work has only just begun. Access to affordable healthcare including preventative services is vital for all of our Bronx neighbors. BronxWorks is committed to our outreach efforts on behalf of NYC Care,” stated Eileen Torres, Executive Director, BronxWorks.
“We are excited to see that NYC Care is meeting enrollment goals with the invaluable support of trusted community-based organizations,” said Max Hadler, Director of Health Policy at the New York Immigration Coalition. “Strong enrollment – even in the face of relentless attacks from the Trump administration on New York’s immigrant communities – demonstrate the power of an inclusive message delivered by the organizations that know their communities best. We stand with NYC Health + Hospitals and the NYC Care outreach partners to spread the message that affordable health care is a right for all in our city.”
“NYC Care is heading in the right direction by hitting target goals and milestones. I credit this to the leadership and vital partnerships with other local organizations. An important resource in this coordinated effort are community-based organizations that handle the outreach and tailor it to the unique needs and circumstances of the areas they serve and engage. Combined integrated approaches to outreach and ensuring assistance to accessing health care services in our public hospital system improves the sign-up rates even further for both the NYC Care program for those not eligible for insurance and health insurance enrollment for those who are eligible,” said Anthony Feliciano, Director of the Commission on the Public’s Health System.
Contact: City Hall Press Office, 212-788-2958