News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 18, 2014 

Gouverneur Helps Spanish- and Chinese-Speaking New Yorkers Apply for Health Insurance

HHC Gouverneur Health Center Helps Spanish- and Chinese-Speaking New Yorkers Apply for Health Insurance Before Affordable Care Act Deadline

Bilingual Counselors Available On-Site to Help Uninsured Individuals Sign Up for Affordable Healthcare Coverage

	MetroPlus Deputy ED for Marketing Roger Milliner and Executive Director Dr. Martha Sullivan

New York, NY ― New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation’s Gouverneur Health center officials today announced that English, Spanish- and Chinese-speaking health insurance enrollment counselors will be available on-site to help New Yorkers access affordable health insurance before the March 31 Affordable Care Act (ACA) deadline. Gouverneur Health will partner with HHC’s own health plan, MetroPlus, and with HealthFirst, to provide walk-in hours for new patients and appointments for existing patients by calling 212-238-7139, to meet with bilingual counselors from 9:00am - 5:00pm, Monday - Friday, free of charge, at their Lower East Side health center located at 227 Madison Street.

The lack of access to bilingual counselors has been identified as a major barrier for enrolling limited English speaking New Yorkers in health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. That’s why HHC and Gouverneur Health are making available certified, bilingual enrollment counselors to inform and educate the community about the best health insurance options and ways to minimize premiums and out-of-pocket costs. March 31 is the deadline for individuals to enroll in health insurance coverage to avoid a penalty for not obtaining insurance in 2014 under the ACA.

“The majority of our patients are Latino or Chinese, and for many, English is their second language,” said Martha A. Sullivan, DSW, Gouverneur Health Executive Director. “Navigating the healthcare system can be challenging for people with limited English proficiency, and our facility has a successful track record of offering in-language resources to the community. Gouverneur remains committed to eliminating language as a barrier to accessing healthcare and we are determined to accommodate as many people as possible as the March 31 deadline approaches.”

“Gouverneur’s successful efforts to accommodate Spanish- and Chinese-speaking New Yorkers demonstrates an unmet need as the March 31 deadline approaches,” said Roger Milliner, MetroPlus Deputy Executive Director. “Many people in the community were discouraged because it’s difficult to find bilingual representatives to help with the enrollment process. Partnering with Gouverneur Health to offer walk-in access to in-language counselors is key to reaching these communities.”

HHC’s health plan, MetroPlus, is one of the options on the health insurance Marketplace. MetroPlus offers access to a network of more than 12,000 primary care physicians and specialist sites cross the city and has the most affordable options in three of the four levels available on the Marketplace. As of March 17, more than 49,000 shoppers on the NY State of Health – the official health insurance marketplace in New York – chose MetroPlus as their preferred health insurance option, making it one of the most popular choices among New York City residents. The plan covers all essential health benefits, including emergency services, maternity and newborn care, mental health and substance use services, prescription drugs, and preventive and wellness services. It also offers a vision and dental rider for an additional low cost; the rate varies per level.

 

About Gouverneur Health

Gouverneur Health provides primary and specialty outpatient care through its Diagnostic and Treatment Center (D&TC) and residential care for the elderly and infirmed in its Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF). Gouverneur Health is in the final phase of a $250 million modernization project to offer enhanced, cutting edge healthcare services in a transformed space. Gouverneur’s D&TC is the largest freestanding D&TC in New York, providing more than 300,000 visits per year on the Lower East Side. Gouvernuer provides a comprehensive array of on-site services, including pediatrics, women’s health, dentistry, primary care, behavioral health, podiatry, optometry, ENT, digital imaging, infections disease, and other specialties and sub-specialties. Gouverneur Health’s Skilled Nursing Facility provides 24-hour care for individuals in need of short-term or long-term care. Residents receive medical, nursing and rehabilitative care in an atmosphere of dignity and compassion. Therapy services include physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech and audiology, and vocational rehabilitation. For more information contact 212-238-7897.

About HHC

The New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) is a $6.7 billion integrated healthcare delivery system with its own 420,000 member health plan, MetroPlus, and is the largest municipal healthcare organization in the country. HHC serves 1.4 million New Yorkers every year and more than 475,000 are uninsured. HHC provides medical, mental health and substance abuse services through its 11 acute care hospitals, five skilled nursing facilities, six large diagnostic and treatment centers and more than 70 community based clinics. HHC Health and Home Care also provides in-home services for New Yorkers. HHC was the 2008 recipient of the National Quality Forum and The Joint Commission's John M. Eisenberg Award for Innovation in Patient Safety and Quality. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/hhc or find us on facebook.com/nycHHC or twitter.com/HHCnyc.