The Challenge of Health Insurance – MCCAP Can Help

Thirty-one percent of Latino adults in New York State are without health insurance. This compares to 21 percent of Blacks and only 13 percent of Whites who are uninsured. In New York City, only 44 percent of Latinos get health insurance on the job; just 29 percent get health coverage for their family; 25 percent have prescription drug coverage.

The top three health issues within the Latino communities in New York City are finding and obtaining health insurance, keeping their health coverage - including recertification in public health programs – and paying for accessing care. In addition, many Latinos have health insurance problems because of language barriers or limited English proficiency.

The place many Latino New Yorkers go for help getting health insurance is the New York City Managed Care Consumer Assistance Program (NYC MCCAP) and its network agencies.

The Community Service Society (CSS) implemented NYC MCCAP after persuading the City Council to establish the program in 1998. CSS coordinates the program for the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and provides training to NYC MCCAP agencies. CSS also holds managed care workshops geared to social service professionals. This spring, free workshops include information on Medicaid, Medicare Part D (prescription drugs), and the rights of the consumer in the managed care system. All workshops are held at CSS offices at 105 East 22nd Street. To attend a NYC MCCAP workshop, call Lisa Moore at 212-614-5346.

CSS has endeavored to bring attention to programs like NYC MCCAP that educate people about managed care and health insurance in general. But education means more than just providing information. It means learning how and when to use information. MCCAP’s ultimate goal is to help people acquire the skills that allow them to get the care they need and to know what to do when they don’t.

NYC MCCAP services are provided through a network of 26 community-based organizations located throughout the five boroughs. The diversity of the NYC MCCAP network allows it to provide services in 12 languages, including Spanish. Nearly 40 percent of NYC MCCAP clients are Latino.

Here are a couple of NYC MCCAP agencies that predominately serve members of the Latino communities.

Make The Road New York has an Immigrant Health Access Project that offers education and support services to assist low-income New Yorkers in obtaining critical health benefits. Their services offer a comprehensive guide that is culturally, linguistically, and competently supportive of low-income, immigrant families and children.

The Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation (NMIC) can assist residents to deal with the challenges of a large and often complicated health care system. Due to language barriers and other difficulties, many of their clients find themselves without health insurance and in debt. NMIC has helped to link residents to health insurance, as well as reducing or eliminating their debt to the hospital system and navigating the complex system to get what they need for their health needs.

By helping New Yorkers use their managed care plans effectively, NYC MCCAP helps more people improve their health status. This is good for all New Yorkers. Access to quality care is a public health issue that concerns all of us.

If you have a problem getting access to health care, or if you need help with your managed care plan, contact NYC MCCAP at CSS at 212-614-5400. Or you can go online for information at MCCAP’s website: www.nycmccap.org. The site includes a listing and location of all MCCAP agencies as well as some basic health insurance information for consumers and advocates.

From El Diario/La Prensa
April 25, 2008