“Sometimes you simply need a helping hand”

Jo Y. is an actress living in Manhattan. A few years ago she enrolled in Medicaid, and has continued to recertify each year through the New York State of Health (NYSOH) Marketplace.

Shortly after undergoing surgery, she tried to make an appointment at her primary care doctor for monitoring, but the office informed her that her Medicaid had been discontinued. Jo was shocked and extremely worried, as she needed regular care and follow-ups, but couldn’t afford those services without insurance. After going many months without medical care, Jo decided to seek assistance from Community Health Advocates.

A Community Health Advocates (CHA) Advocate made several calls and discovered that Jo’s enrollment in a food assistance program had been mistaken as a duplicate application in the Medicaid system, consequently overriding Jo’s eligibility status.  The Advocate helped Jo get this mistake fixed, and her Medicaid was reinstated. “If it weren't for the dedicated Community Health Advocates (CHA) team, I might still be without medical care.” Now Jo does not have to worry about accessing the lifesaving care she needs, and can focus on acting and staying healthy. “[CHA’s] dedication and persistence paid off, and I'm happy to say I now have excellent, consistent coverage. I owe it all to my friends at CHA!”