What You Need to Know About Medicare, the ACA and Signing Up For Health Insurance on the New York Benefit Exchange
Oct 06, 2015
New York City Health + Hospitals and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) are teaming up to offer free workshops to help New Yorkers understand Medicare, health care reform, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and how to select and purchase insurance at “New York State of Health,” the state’s official online marketplace set up to provide health insurance under the ACA. Health insurance specialists from CMS will conduct six free sessions at Health + Hospitals facilities in Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens between October 7 and November 10. The workshops are open to all members of the public, with senior citizens, caregivers and those who work with seniors especially encouraged to attend.
“While it is wonderful that through the Affordable Care Act people have increased access to care,” said Dr. Ram Raju, President of NYC Health + Hospitals, “to ensure themselves the greatest patient experience and the optimal use of resources available to them, people must be well informed about their choices to make the best possible decisions for themselves. That’s why we’re delighted to work with CMS to help patients navigate their benefits and take full advantage of the options available to them.”
The next open enrollment period for New York State of Health, when residents will be able to change their insurance plan or sign up for health insurance for the first time, will take place from November 1, 2015 through January 31, 2016. For people with Medicare, the annual enrollment period begins October 15, 2015 and ends December 7, 2015. During this time, people with Medicare can select a Medicare Advantage plan or prescription drug plan or switch plans if they are already enrolled.
The workshops will cover:
- The benefits of the Medicare program and how to apply;
- The parts of Medicare – Part A: hospital insurance; Part B: medical insurance – outpatient visits, lab work, preventive services; Part C: health plans; and Part D: prescription drug coverage;
- The Medicare programs in place for people with limited income and resources;
- Medicare information and resources now available online;
- Updates on the New York State of Health;
- Enrollment resources for the uninsured.
No programs have changed the lives of Americans over the last 50 years more than Medicare and Medicaid,” said Raymond Hurd, CMS Regional Administrator. “For example, before there was Medicaid, far too many people with disabilities, families with children, pregnant women and low-income working Americans were unable to afford the medical care they needed to stay healthy and productive.”
Registration is free and required ahead of the event. Event links for each location below provides additional information, including online registration, and a map of each location. Participants may also register by calling 212-788-3450 .
Manhattan:
Wednesday, October 7
Harlem Hospital Center
506 Lenox Avenue, New York, New York 10037
Herbert G. Cave Auditorium
8:30am – 1pm
Bronx:
Friday, October 16
Lincoln Medical Center
234 East 149th Street, Bronx, NY 10451
Conference Rooms 4 and 5 (First floor)
8:30 – 1pm
Brooklyn:
Tuesday, October 20
Kings County Hospital
451 Clarkson Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11203
T Building Auditorium – 2nd Floor
8:30 – 1pm
Thursday, October 29
Woodhull Medical Center
760 Broadway, Brooklyn, NY 11206
Auditorium – 3rd Floor
8:30 – 1pm
Queens
Tuesday, November 10
Queens Hospital Center
82-68 164th Street, Jamaica, NY 11432
Auditorium
8:30 – 1pm
Contact: Ian Michaels, 212-788-3339
Jennifer Bender, 212-788-3339
About NYC Health + Hospitals
The NYC Health + Hospitals health care system is a $6.7 billion integrated healthcare delivery system, the largest municipal healthcare organization in the country, and one of the New York area’s largest providers of government-sponsored health insurance, MetroPlusHealth Health Plan, the plan of choice for nearly half a million New Yorkers. The NYC Health + Hospitals health care system serves 1.4 million New Yorkers every year and more than 475,000 are uninsured. The system 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. NYC Health + Hospitals/Home Care also provides in-home services for New Yorkers. The NYC Health + Hospitals system 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.nychealthandhospitals.org or find us on https://www.facebook.com/NYCHealthSystem or twitter.com/NYCHealthSystem.
About The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. CMS is the federal agency which administers Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program and parts of the Affordable Care Act. CMS provides information for health professionals, local governments, consumers and other stakeholders. For more information about CMS, visit www.cms.gov. For more information about the Health Insurance Marketplace, visit www.healthcare.gov.