New York Health Insurance: What Options Do Immigrants Have

Where in New York to take out medical insurance, what to do to people without legal immigration status, and how to be someone who does not speak English, when you need to urgently see a doctor, according to the Handbook of Immigrant Rights and Services for Immigrants the official website city.

What are the health insurance programs

In New York, there are a large number of state health insurance programs, many immigrants are eligible to participate. Here is a list of them:

• Medicaid - This insurance is suitable for people of any age with a low level of income, while its effect extends not only to emergency cases. True, there is a nuance: to get this insurance you need to have a legal immigration status.
• Emergency Medicaid - such insurance is suitable for emergency situations;
• Child health plus - oriented to children and adolescents under 18 years old;
• Family Health More - suitable for people aged 19 to 64 years;
• Prenatal Care Assistance Program (PCAP);
• Family Planning Benefit Program (FPBP);
• Family Planning Extension Program (FPEP);
• AIDS Drug Support Program (ADAP) is a program for treating people with HIV-positive status.

Who can get a state health insurance

All immigrants, including undocumented immigrants residing in New York State, are eligible for the following insurance programs:

• Child health plus - children's health;
• Prenatal Care Assistance Program (PCAP) - pregnancy management;
• Family Planning Benefit Program (FPBP) - Family Planning Services Allowance;
• Family Planning Extension Program (FPEP) - family planning;
• AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) - drug addiction treatment;
• Emergency Medicaid - emergency help.

Insurance for children

In addition, all children, regardless of their immigration status, are entitled to state health insurance if their families' incomes correspond to the established level.

Generally, undocumented and nonimmigrant immigrants — people who come to the United States on a business, student, medical, or tourist visa — are not eligible for Family Health Plus or Medicaid. Exceptions are made in emergencies.

On the subject: Higher Education in New York: What Immigrants Can Count on

Below are the categories of people eligible to receive services under the said insurance programs:

• US Citizens
• Immigrated to America due to persecution or other problems in the country of residence (refugees, asylum seekers, people of mixed American-Asian descent, Cuban / Haitian, victims of human trafficking, as well as persons with temporary protection status);
• Persons permanently and legally resident in the USA;
• Petition under the Violence Against Women Act, VAWA: This category includes wives and children of US citizens or legal permanent residents who have been abused or abused;
• Immigrants who are temporarily delayed or canceled the deportation;
• “Registered” immigrants (registry immigrants) - this category of people should provide evidence that they have been resident in the United States since January 1, 1972;
• Persons who have a valid temporary residence permit in the United States (parole);
• Native Americans born in Canada, as well as people who come from territories that have a special relationship with the United States;
• veterans of the armed forces, military personnel and members of their families;
• immigrants recognized by the New York State Department of Health as Permanently Residing Under Color of Law (PRUCOL).

What to do if you urgently need medical attention

Regardless of your immigration status, if you need urgent medical care, you have the right to call an ambulance and get help at the hospital emergency room.

This assistance is provided in federally funded healthcare facilities, as well as in hospitals, diagnostic and treatment centers, long-term care facilities, and clinics affiliated with the NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation.

For more information about public health insurance, contact HRA Medicaid Help Desk at (888) NYC-6116.

What to do for people who speak English poorly

Most hospitals are required to provide language support to persons with limited English proficiency 24 (limited English proficient, LEP). The list of services includes: professional interpretation services, translation services for important questionnaires, forms, instructions and other information necessary to ensure effective communication with patients.

If the hospital did not provide you with the necessary assistance, you have the right to file a complaint with one of the organizations:

• US Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Civil Rights (US Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, OCR), phone: 212-264-3313;
• New York State Human Rights Division (NYS Division of Human Rights), phone: 718-741‐8400;
• New York City Human Rights Commission (NYC Human Rights Commission), telephones: 311 or (212) 306-7450.

In addition, hospitals in the United States have Community Advisory Boards (CABs). They are the link between the public and the Association of Health Organizations and Hospitals in New York City (H + H). Their task is to notify H + H if the patient is dissatisfied with the service provided in the medical institution, as well as inform the public about the goals and plans of healthcare institutions.

You can find out more about the tasks and goals of CAB by contacting the Office of Intergovernmental Relations of the association by phone: (212) 788‐3349 or by visiting this site.