Uninsured?
Underinsured? While we wait
for the new healthcare act to take effect, the following resources for New York
City residents are instrumental in providing comprehensive care to the large
percentage of un- and under- insured people in this city.
MetroPlus
MetroPlus has a number of affordable health care programs
for NYC residents. The following
are programs for those who don’t meet income requirements for Medicaid but
still need low cost healthcare.
Family Health Plus
New York State-sponsored health
insurance for adults ages 19-64 with income too high to qualify for
Medicaid. Benefits include regular
check ups, prescriptions, referrals to specialists, emergency and hospital
care, family planning, etc.
For
more information about Family Health Plus and income restrictions visit:
Child Health Plus
New York State-sponsored health
insurance for children under the age of 19 who are uninsured and are not
eligible for Medicaid. Insurance
premiums run from $0-$193.46 (As of April 2011) a month depending on household
income level. There is no income limit for this program. Benefits include regular checkups,
immunizations, emergency and hospital care, vision care, dental care, and
more.
New York City Health
and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) OPTIONS.
HHC Options is a program that provides sliding scale care
for those with limited income who do not qualify for public health insurance
programs. The fee is determined
based on income and family size.
An adult fee for an emergency room or a clinic visit will cost somewhere
between $15 and $60, and covers almost all outpatient services (including blood
tests and most x-rays).
Community Health
Centers (CHC)
Community Health Centers provide affordable primary care and
various supportive services (dental, vision, mental health, etc) depending on
location. Check your location to
see which services they provide.
Visit here for a list of centers.
Department of Health
and Mental Hygiene Clinics (DOHMH)
DOHMH offers free health services including immunizations,
STD testing, etc with no income requirements or restrictions. For a list of clinics and their
specific offerings visit.
Dental
Dental clinics and schools offer reduced-cost dental
treatment. The following link
offers a list of options. I
personally have used the clinic at NYU’s dental school for everything from
getting a cleaning to a filling to a dental implant. While each visit is a solid two hours, the savings are
worthwhile and the quality of care is excellent.
NYC Health Insurance
Link
NYC Health Insurance Link is a new online tool that finds
you an affordable healthcare plan based on your specific circumstances and
requirements.
Click here to get started.
Prescriptions
Save an average of 47% on prescriptions with Big Apple Rx.
Get your discount card here.
Save up to 75% on prescriptions with New York Rx card.
Get your discount card here.
Manhattan Clinics
The following is a list of three excellent, affordable
clinics in Manhattan.
New York City Free Clinic (NYCFC)
16
East 16th Street
For uninsured adults 18 years or
older, the NYCFC provides basic primary care, disease screening and prevention,
a women’s health clinic, and many other services. For more comprehensive care, free referrals are available to
the clinic at Bellevue Hospital Center and all extra care provided there is
free.
Weill Cornell Community Clinic
505 East 70th Street
A student run clinic for uninsured
NYC adults 19 years or older. Open
every Monday from 5pm-8pm. Provides
primary health care services, social work services, some laboratory tests, and
access to community resources like eye care services and cancer screenings.
Al Hirschfield Free Health Clinic
475 W 57th Street
Funded by The Actors Fund, this
clinic is specifically for entertainment professionals 18- 64 years of
age. The clinic provides free
primary, and specialty care in addition to lab screenings, women’s health, and
referrals to affordable specialty clinics and doctors.
The resources are out there. Call a clinic today and ensure your health for tomorrow.
