NYC Health + Hospitals kicked off its new program to provide better access to primary care for the city's uninsured, with enrollment starting Thursday in the Bronx.
The program, NYC Care, will offer uninsured people a membership card to help them find health services. New Yorkers who have lived in the city at least six months can sign up by calling 646-NYC-CARE if they cannot afford insurance or are ineligible because of their immigration status.
About 600,000 city residents are uninsured and Health + Hospitals expects 300,000 to be eligible for the program. The remaining group is either eligible for public insurance programs, such as Medicaid, or earns too much and would need to buy health insurance coverage.
NYC Health + Hospitals has always cared for patients regardless of their ability to pay, but NYC Care aims to connect people to primary and specialty care before they are so sick that they need more expensive hospital services.
NYC Care will be available in all five boroughs by late 2020.
"City debuts NYC Care for the uninsured" originally appeared in Crain's New York Business.
