Affordable Health Care NYC

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:

            http://www.metroplus.org/mpp_family_health_plus.php

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. 

For more information about Child Health Plus visit: http://www.metroplus.org/mpp_child_health_plus.php

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).

To find the HHC facility closest to you visit  http://www.nyc.gov/html/hia/html/resources/hhc.shtml

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.

http://www.nyc.gov/html/hia/html/resources/community.shtml

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.

http://www.nyc.gov/html/hia/html/resources/clinics.shtml

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.

http://www.nyc.gov/html/hia/html/resources/services_dental.shtml

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.

https://a069-webapps7.nyc.gov/healthinslink/home.aspx

Prescriptions

Save an average of 47% on prescriptions with Big Apple Rx.

Get your discount card here.

http://www.bigapplerx.com/

Save up to 75% on prescriptions with New York Rx card.

Get your discount card here.

http://newyorkrxcard.com/index.php

Manhattan Clinics

The following is a list of three excellent, affordable clinics in Manhattan.

New York City Free Clinic (NYCFC)

            16 East 16^th 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.

For more information visit http://nycfreeclinic.med.nyu.edu/

Weill Cornell Community Clinic

505 East 70^th 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.

For more information visit http://weill.cornell.edu/wccc/index.html

Al Hirschfield Free Health Clinic

475 W 57^th 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.

For more information visit http://www.actorsfund.org/services-and-programs/al-hirschfeld-free-health-clinic

The resources are out there.  Call a clinic today and ensure your health for tomorrow.