Health Care Access & Meds
Everyone deserves quality health care!
Resources
NYC Health Insurance ACCESS Link.
Helps citizens and small businesses in search of health insurance.
NYS Health Insurance Marketplace.
Compare health insurance plans available through the NYS Marketplace and enroll online in one that’s right for you.
Community Health Advocates.
NY Statewide program to help people of all ages find insurance and resolve insurance issues with help available in multiple languages from community partners (888) 614-5400.
Health Information Tool for Empowerment (HITE).
Online health insurance access resource.
Health Insurance Information Counseling and Assistance Program
(HIICAP) (800) 701-0501.
Benefits Checkup
New York Counsel on Aging.
Medicare Rights Center
National, nonprofit consumer service organization that works to ensure access to affordable health care for older adults and people with disabilities through counseling and advocacy, educational programs and public policy initiatives.
Healthcare.gov
Getting Coverage Outside the Marketplace Plan Finder.
Medicaid Buy in Program for Working People with Disabilities
Single person can make up to approximately 56,000 a year and still maintain Medicaid.
Medicaid Excess Income (“Spenddown” or “Surplus Income”) Program
Emergency Medicaid for undocumented immigrants.
Community Health Advocates
NY Statewide program to help people of all ages find insurance and resolve insurance issues with help available in multiple languages from community partners (888) 614-5400.
NYS Office of Health Insurance Programs
Email: omcmail@health.state.ny.us
NYS Department of Financial Services Insurance Department – Consumer Assistance Unit
Toll free: 1-800-342-3736 (NY)
consumers@ins.state.ny.us
www.dfs.ny.gov/complaint
The following programs offer HepCap, which covers the cost of Hep C medical care for eligible patients. Funded by the NYS Department of Health.
Mount Sinai Primary Care Hep C Program (Manhattan)
Contact: Jocelyn Camacho, (212) 824-7729
Montefiore Medical Center (Bronx)
Contact: Sheila Reynoso, 1-844-287-3428
Acacia Network (Bronx)
Contact: Haizel Fernandez, (718) 960-7532
Brightpoint Health (Bronx & Brooklyn)
Contact: Amyir Holland or Medesa Garrett at hepc@brightpointhealth.org, (855) 681-8700 ext. 3474 or 3476
Washington Heights Corner Project (Manhattan)
Contact: Billy Garcia, (212) 923-7600 Ext. 118
NY Presbyterian Hospital Comprehensive Health Program (Manhattan & Bronx)
Contact: Anna Andel, (917) 923-9558
SUNY Downstate Medical Center (Brooklyn)
Contact: Tracey Griffith, (718) 270-1715
This site treats patients co-infected with HIV and Hep C
Mount Sinai St. Luke’s and Mount Sinai West (Manhattan)
Contact: Cherry Jones, (212) 523-2925
This site treats patients co-infected with HIV and Hep C
Public Hospitals (HHC) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC)
provide care regardless of ability to pay. To find hepatitis clinics in these systems, see the online Site Locator.
HHC Options
Through HHC Options, low and moderate-income NYC Public Hospital (HHC) patients can get affordable healthcare. HHC helps patients apply for public health insurance programs for which they may qualify. If a patient is not eligible for public insurance, we reduce the patient’s fee to an affordable amount, based on family size and income. For example, a child in a family of four whose annual income is between $57,626 and $69,150 can be seen at an HHC hospital or clinic for a fee of $15 per visit.
Clinical Trials.gov
Some trials are open to people without health insurance.
Medicaid Buy in Program for Working People with Disabilities
Single person can make up to approximately 56,000 a year and still maintain Medicaid.
Medicaid Excess Income (“Spenddown” or “Surplus Income”) Program
Emergency Medicaid for undocumented immigrants.
Community Health Advocates
NY Statewide program to help people of all ages find insurance and resolve insurance issues with help available in multiple languages from community partners (888) 614-5400.
NYC Managed Care Consumer Assistance Program
Provides trainings and patient assistance.
NYS Department of Financial Services Insurance Department – Consumer Assistance Unit
Toll free: 1-800-342-3736 (NY)
consumers@ins.state.ny.us
www.dfs.ny.gov
https://www.dfs.ny.gov/contact_us/main
NY Insurance Marketplace
Find health insurance through the NY Marketplace here.
NYS Medicaid Pharmacy Benefit Information Website
Provides easy access for members and providers looking for information on the drugs and supplies covered by different Medicaid and Family Health Plus health care plans.
Specialty Pharmacies
Help patients and medical providers with ordering medications, prior authorization, counseling patients about use, and providing treatment adherence support.
CoverMyMeds
A free web based service that helps physicians and pharmacists complete Prior Authorization and other insurance coverage determination forms for any drug and almost all drug plans.
N-CAP Naloxone Co-Payment Assistance Program
The NYS AIDS Institute Office of Drug User Health funds N-CAP to provide individuals with prescription coverage as part of their health insurance plan. NCAP covers up to $40 when getting naloxone at a participating pharmacy and it does not require a prescription from healthcare provider.
- List of participating pharmacies: Visit NYC Health Map or download PDF (35 pg)
- Registered Opioid Overdose Prevention Programs (for clients without insurance)
Community Health Advocates offers resources to assist providers and patients in filing appeals, fair hearings and grievance or complaints.
Give them a call to get started: 800-614-5400.
- Appeal: A treatment denial can be appealed. Medical providers and patients can contact the health insurance company using the phone number on the back of the membership card to file an appeal.
- Fair Hearing: If the treatment is still not approved after the appeal, a Fair Hearing can be requested. A Fair Hearing is a chance for you to tell an administrative law judge why you think your health insurance should cover your treatment.
- A grievance or complaint should be filed if a recommended medication is denied. Filing a grievance or complaint is the only way health insurance regulators will know there is a problem with patient care.
- Report it to the Health Care Bureau. The NYS Attorney General’s office requests that all patients, their doctors, or their representatives make a call to Health Care Bureau’s toll-free Helpline or fill out a complaint form if they feel they have been wrongly denied coverage for their Hep C treatment medications.
Other helpful resources
- Legal Aid Society – Health Law Unit and Services Hotline: 888-663-6880
- NY State Department of Health’s Managed Care Hotline: 1-800-206-8125
- NY State Department of Financial Services: 1-800-342-3736
- NY State Attorney General’s Health Care Bureau: 1-800-428-9071
- Contact the NYS Department of Health Medicaid Pharmacy Program at ppno@health.state.ny.us to report your issues if the patient is covered by Medicaid.
Cover the cost of medications or co-pays
Pharmaceutical Patient Assistance Programs
- Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs: Hepatitis B. Positively Aware.
- Harvoni and Sovaldi Gilead Support Path Program
- Gilead U.S. Patient Access
- Bristol-Myers-Squibb All in One Access Program for Baraclude
- Zepatier Merck Patient Assistance Program
- Asegua Therapeutics (generic for Epclusa and Harvoni): Patient Support
- AbbVie Patient Assistance
Prescription Assistance 360
Partnership for Prescription Assistance Programs
Brings together America’s pharmaceutical companies, doctors, other health care providers, patient advocacy organizations and community groups to help qualifying patients without prescription drug coverage get free or low-cost medicines through the public or private program that’s right for them.
Patient Access Network (PAN)
Independent non-profit organization that provides assistance to under-insured patients for their out-of-pocket expenses for life-saving medications. Has Hep B & Hep C assistance!
NeedyMeds
Non-profit information resource devoted to helping people in need find assistance programs to help them afford their medications and costs related to health care.
Chronic Disease Fund
Non-profit charitable organization that helps people with chronic disease, cancer and other life-altering conditions obtain the life-savings medications they need. Disease states may open and close throughout the year as funds are diminished or become available.
RxAssist
Comprehensive database of patient assistance programs, as well as news and practical tools.
Patient Advocate Foundation
Case Managers can assist patients and providers with medication assistance program applications. Program is able to cover hepatitis B medication co-pays up to $4,000 per year and $24,000 per year for hepatitis C medications.
Harbor Path
Provides a single site for all patient assistance program applications for both HIV and HCV medications.
Healthwell Foundation
Their newly formed hepatitis C co-pay assistance program can provide up to $15,000 to eligible patients who are insured and have an annual household income of up to 500% of the federal poverty level.(800) 675-8416
*Group leaders: Please contact us with any changes to the information below.