NYC Care Expands New York Free Medicare Program: What You Need to Know

This will address the issue of inequality and ensure access to quality health and mental health services in the communities that need them most. This is stated in a press release published on the site of the city hall New York.

New York will expand NYC Care to areas most affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Thanks to this, another 10 thousand people will receive quality health care services.

What will change

By September, New Yorkers living in the areas most affected by the pandemic will have access to guaranteed health care. This will be possible thanks to the expansion of the NYC Care program to Queens and Manhattan (at the moment it operates only in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Staten Island).

To this end, 26 service providers will be created in these areas, which will provide primary health care, medical and financial consultations, and the hours of pharmacies have been expanded.

The program has already been launched in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Staten Island. Thanks to this, New Yorkers who do not have or cannot afford medical insurance receive quality medical services for free or at a low price.

Today, 22 New Yorkers are enrolled in NYC Care.

By September 2020, the city will also open three primary centers (Centers of Excellence, COEs) to provide greater access to primary care in some areas of Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx most affected by COVID-19. In particular, in these centers it will be possible to undergo treatment and recovery from illness, as well as to test for the presence of coronavirus.

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Communities with the highest mental health needs are least likely to gain access to mental health resources during and after a pandemic. This need is compounded by the tragic death of black men and women at the hands of law enforcement agencies.

To help them deal with workplace insecurity and various trauma related to the pandemic, the city will reorient its mental health first aid (MHFA) staff to a phased approach to helping vulnerable populations .

According to forecasts, from July to December 2020, 10 thousand residents of the most affected communities will be able to receive support. To reach even more people, it is planned to attract religious organizations in the most affected communities.

“Our mission to provide affordable, quality healthcare for every New Yorker has never been more urgent,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. - COVID-19 has exposed the most painful imbalances in our city, including access to health care. By expanding NYC Care, we are addressing inequalities and providing affordable health and mental health resources to the communities who need them most. ”

This program is especially relevant today, "in a period of economic uncertainty and civil unrest," stressed First Lady Shirlein McCray.

“During this period, it is more important than ever to ensure access to mental health resources and high-quality health care in communities of color,” said the first lady. "I want blacks and Latino people in New York to know that your city sees you, and we won't rest until your neighborhoods are healthier, stronger, and safer."

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To identify which issues are most relevant for residents of affected areas, a Task Force on Racial Integration and Equality conducted a survey. In total, 300 people were interviewed, based on the answers of which a list of services available to residents of these communities was created.

“We hear our communities loud and clear, and we must do more to ensure that systems designed to serve New Yorkers are responsive today and are always treated with dignity and respect for New Yorkers,” said Grace Bonilla, HRA Administrator and Executive Director. Task Force on Racial Integration and Equality. “By addressing the hardest hit areas and working with our community leaders, we are taking the first steps towards joint healing.”

Recall that in February the medical program NYC Care has become available to low-income residents of Brooklyn. Then the authorities promised that by the end of 2020, the NYC Care preferential medical program would be available in every district of New York, but it was possible to expand it ahead of schedule.