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Health Options

Sakhi’s Women’s Health Initiative
Health Insurance
Insurance Programs in NYC
Immigrant Eligibility
How to Enroll
Options for Undocumented Immigrants

Sunanda is a 51-year-old woman from Guyana. She is diabetic and her U.S. visa expired 3 years ago making her an undocumented individual who is ineligible for benefits that include health insurance. Sunanda has been working with Sakhi for the past few years to receive emotional support and has been an active participant in Sakhi’s health and economic empowerment workshops.

She approached a Sakhi staff member during one of the classes and expressed that she needed medical care for frequent chest pains that she started getting recently. She wasn’t too sure where to seek this care because she did not have health insurance to help her pay for the doctor’s visit. The Sakhi staff member put her in touch with a member of Sakhi’s Health Provider Network. Sunanda’s chest pains and diabetes are now being treated and she continues to go back for regular visits.

If you are a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or an eligible immigrant, you may qualify for healthcare. To find out if you are an eligible immigrant click here to download a chart in PDF format. If you do not qualify, please contact a South Asian anti-domestic violence organization to see if they will be able to further assist you.

Sakhi’s Women’s Health Initiative

Sakhi works to educate and inform survivors as well as healthcare providers on the effects of violence on women’s mental, physical, and sexual health.

We help the women we work with access healthcare and learn about health issues through one-on-one support, workshops, Support Group, and public education materials.

Through our Health Provider Network, we provide access to a core group of mental health providers and physicians that speak South Asian languages and can serve the needs of survivors through low-cost or free consultations and exams.

Health Insurance

Healthcare in the United States can be very costly. Insurance helps you pay for healthcare in case you fall sick. In order to keep you and your family healthy, it is recommended that you visit a doctor or dentist on a regular basis to prevent and treat illness before it gets too serious. Insurance helps you pay for regular doctor visits and dental check-ups that will help keep your family healthy.

Insurance Programs in NYC

Immigrants in New York State can access various public health insurance programs. Eligibility for these programs depends largely on your immigration status, age, and income. Here are some options for accessing healthcare coverage:

• Medicaid, Child Health Plus, and Family Health Plans provide health coverage to low-income individuals residing in New York;
• Emergency Medicaid is available to cover health care during an unexpected medical emergency;
• Pregnant women are eligible to enroll in the Prenatal Care Assistance Program (PCAP);
• Family planning services are available through the Family Planning Benefit Program (FPBP) and the Family Planning Extension Program (FPEP);
• The AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) pays for medications and medical care for individuals who are HIV-positive; and,
• If you would like to receive more information about these programs, you can call 311 and ask for Health Stat. You will be provided with an application kit which will include a list of places that can help you enroll in these programs.

What is Family Health Plus?

Family Health Plus (FHP) is a program that provides comprehensive health insurance coverage at no cost to lower-income, uninsured adults (between the ages of 19 and 64) who do not have employer-sponsored coverage and are not eligible for Medicaid or Medicare. Individuals must also meet certain income requirements to qualify for FHP. FHP is not available to undocumented immigrants.

What is Child Health Plus?

Child Health Plus is a health insurance program that provides coverage to most uninsured children under the age of 19 in New York City. Children are eligible for Child Health Plus regardless of their immigration status - even undocumented children. The insurance program covers most of children's healthcare and dental needs. The income requirements make it possible for working families to get free or low-cost health insurance for their children. The program is available for free for many families with children. Some families may have to pay a small monthly amount depending on their yearly income.

Immigrant Eligibility

What types of immigration documents can I use when I apply for these programs?
(Courtesy of the New York Immigration Coalition)
Proof of immigration status is required in order to enroll in Medicaid, Family Health Plus, and Family Planning Benefit Program. Permanent resident or “green” cards are evidence of lawful permanent residence. Employment Authorization cards (I-688B or I-766) or a white Arrival/Departure Card (I-94) have codes that can be used as evidence that you are in one of the eligible immigration status listed above.

In addition, correspondence with USCIS/INS showing that you have a petition pending for permanent residence, or a notice from USCIS showing that they received an application or petition on your behalf for permission to stay in the U.S., may also be sufficient evidence that you are in a PRUCOL status for public health insurance. PRUCOL is an eligibility category for public benefits; PRUCOL is not an immigration status granted by the USCIS/INS. The PRUCOL category includes individuals who have permission from the USCIS/INS to stay in the U.S. for an indefinite period of time, or who have filed paperwork with the USCIS/INS to remain in the U.S. permanently, and who have not been denied permission to do so. Examples of PRUCOL evidence include notices from USCIS/INS, cancelled checks to USCIS/INS, copies of applications submitted for permanent residence, and postal return receipts showing that USCIS/INS received your correspondence.

Do I need a Social Security Number (SSN) to apply for these health programs?
(Courtesy of the New York Immigration Coalition)
A Social Security Number is not required for Child Health Plus, Prenatal Care Assistance Program (PCAP), and Emergency Medicaid. Applicants for Medicaid, Family Health Plus, and Family Planning Benefit Program must provide a SSN, if they have one. If you are eligible for Medicaid and Family Health Plus, and do not have a SSN, you may be asked by the social services office or Medicaid office to apply for a SSN. The application for Medicaid and Family Health Plus should be processed once you provide proof to social services or Medicaid that you have tried to apply for a SSN, even if the Social Security Office told you that you could not apply for or receive a SSN. If you do not have proof from the Social Security Office, you may have to fill out a form that explains that you tried to get a SSN.

I am an immigrant who recently came to the country. Am I eligible for Medicaid or Family Health Plus?

All legal immigrants residing in New York State are eligible to receive coverage through these programs regardless of when they came to the U.S., as long as they meet the specific eligibility guidelines. Undocumented immigrants and non-immigrants (temporary business, student, medical, and tourist visa holders) are not eligible for Family Health Plus or Medicaid, except in the case of an emergency.

(Courtesy of the New York Immigration Coalition)
The following categories of immigrants are eligible for Medicaid and Family Health Plus, as well as the State’s other health insurance programs (Child Health Plus, Prenatal Care Assistance Program, Family Planning Extension Program, AIDS Drug Assistance Program, and the Family Planning Benefit Program):

• Naturalized U.S. Citizens;
• Immigrants in the U.S. because of persecution or other problems in their home country, including: Refugees, Asylees, Amerasians, Cuban/Haitian entrants, conditional entrants, victims of trafficking, and those with Temporary Protected Status (TPS);
• Lawful permanent residents (LPR);
• VAWA Self-Petitioners (spouses and children of U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents, who have been battered or abused);
• Immigrants who have been granted suspension of deportation or cancellation of removal;
• Registry immigrants (immigrants who can show they have been continuously residing in the U.S. since January 1, 1972);
• Individuals paroled into the U.S. whose period of parole has not expired;
• Certain Native peoples born in Canada, and certain individuals from territories with special relationships to the U.S.; and
• Armed forces veterans and those on active duty and their immediate family members.

In addition, certain immigrants who the New York State Department of Health considers to be Permanently Residing Under Color of Law (PRUCOL) are also eligible for public insurance programs. PRUCOL is an eligibility category for public benefits; PRUCOL is not an immigration status granted by the USCIS/INS. The PRUCOL category includes individuals who have permission from the USCIS/INS to stay in the U.S. for an indefinite period of time, or who have filed paperwork with the USCIS/INS to remain in the U.S. permanently, and who have not been denied permission to do so. For the purposes of eligibility for health insurance programs in New York State, PRUCOL immigrants include:

• Applicants for any of the following: lawful permanent residence, asylum or cancellation of removal; or
• Applicants for, or holders of, the K3, K4, S, U, or V visas;
• Persons who have been granted deferred action, an order of supervision, or a stay of deportation; and,
• Individuals who have proof that they are here indefinitely with the knowledge and/or permission of USCIS/INS.

How to Enroll

How do I get health insurance?

Some individuals get health insurance through private health plans provided through their employers. Public health insurance is also available to low-income individuals and families who qualify based on income eligibility guidelines. If you are an undocumented immigrant, you are still entitled to receive health care and may qualify for reduced payment options based on a sliding scale. Some undocumented immigrants may also be eligible for specific public health insurance programs such as emergency Medicaid, PCAP, etc.

Where can I go to enroll in public health insurance programs?

Community Medicaid offices, some social service organizations, health plans, hospital-based enrollers, and some Department of Health Clinics can help you enroll in public health insurance programs. You can also contact the Human Resource Administration at 1.877.472.8411 for the location of your nearest Medicaid office. You can call 311 and ask for the HealthStat phone line for more detailed information on enrollment sites in your neighborhood or you can visit www.nyc.gov/html/hia/html/public_insurance/enroll.shtml.

Options for Undocumented Immigrants

I am an undocumented immigrant. Am I eligible for any public health insurance programs?

Yes. All immigrants who are residents of New York State are eligible for Child Health Plus, Prenatal Care Assistance Program (PCAP), Family Planning Extension Program (FPEP), AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP), and Emergency Medicaid. Each program has its own rules about age, income, and resources.

If I am not eligible for any public health insurance, where can I go for low-cost care?
The Health and Hospital Corporation (HHC) runs several hospitals and health care clinics throughout New York City where you can receive health care on a sliding scale based on your ability to pay. For information on facility locations and phone numbers you can consult their website at www.nyc.gov/html/hhc. For more information about health care access for immigrants, please visit the New York Immigration Coalition website at http://www.thenyic.org/issue.asp?cid=57.

You can also visit www.southasianhealth.org for a listing of community resources in New York City.