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Press Releases

MetroPlusHealth Deepens Commitment to Staten Island with Opening of Second Community Office

As for-profit carriers reduce coverage in Staten Island, MetroPlusHealth, a City non-profit health plan, leans in

Nov 20, 2025

From left to right: Patricia Walton (Relationship Manager, MetroPlusHealth), Ian Yanda (Chief of Staff for Assemblyman Michael Tannousis), John Rinaudo (Director of Case Management for Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis), Dr. Talya Schwartz (President & CEO of MetroPlusHealth), Dr. Ginny Mantello (Director of Health and Wellness at the Borough President’s Office), Council Member Frank Morano, and Etsio Flores (Make the Road)

New York, NY MetroPlusHealth, New York City’s high-quality, affordable health plan, is proud to announce the opening of its second Staten Island community office, located at 2656 Hylan Blvd, Staten Island, NY 10306, in the heart of New Dorp Plaza. With healthcare costs rising and key Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire, access to affordable care is becoming increasingly out of reach for many. MetroPlusHealth is stepping up in Staten Island, expanding its presence to ensure residents continue to receive care they can afford. As other plans pull back coverage, MetroPlusHealth is doubling down on its commitment to the communities that need support the most. Today’s launch of a new hub strengthens the organization’s footprint and reinforces its mission to confront the growing affordability crisis through accessible, people-centered care.

“We are excited to open a second Staten Island community office,” said Dr. Talya Schwartz, Chief Executive Officer of MetroPlusHealth. “For the past two years, our mobile unit has been here in this neighborhood, meeting the urgent needs of the community and ensuring access to care. Today, that temporary solution has transformed into a permanent hub for health and wellbeing. This new location strengthens our commitment to deliver high-quality, affordable health care, and empowers residents to take charge of their health.”

From left to right: Marcos Vazquez, Sales Regional Manager; Kevin Squires, Supervisor of Field Sales Operations; Erin Drinkwater, Chief of Government Relations and Strategic Partnerships; Roger Milliner, Chief Growth Officer; and Patricia Watson, Relationship Manager.

To celebrate, MetroPlusHealth hosted a grand opening event onTuesday, November 18 featuring a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Local elected officials in attendance included Dr. Ginny Mantello, Director of Health and Wellness at the Office of Staten Island Borough President, Council Member Frank Morano, Ian Yanda, Chief of Staff for Assemblyman Michael Tannousis, John Rinaudo, Director of Case Management for Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis and Etsio Flores of Make the Road.

MetroPlusHealth opened its first Staten Island office on December 2, 2017. Over the past eight years, the office has achieved consistent double-digit annual growth, helping members access high-quality, affordable health care through a robust, top-tier provider network that includes every acute hospital on Staten Island. MetroPlusHealth also operates two mobile units and a specialized Medicare mobile unit, bringing essential health services directly into neighborhoods across the borough. Beyond health care, the Staten Island office plays a vital role in the community, partnering with elected officials to organize food, coat, and toy drives; turkey giveaways; and Back-to-School supply distributions.

Celebrating the new office in Staten Island.

The new office will operate 7 days a week.  It will serve as a vital resource hub for Staten Island residents, offering information on all MetroPlusHealth’s insurance options. On-site enrollment coordinators will provide personalized assistance to help residents choose the plan that best fits their needs, understand their member rewards and over-the-counter benefits, and get answers to their questions. The office will also help address several of Staten Island’s most pressing health challenges—including its ranking as third in the nation for opioid abuse, limited mental health services compared to other boroughs, and leading rates of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. In addition, the office will host weekly visits from community-based partners such as the New York Police Department, the Fire Department of New York, and the Pregnancy Care Center, giving residents direct access to essential support services.

MetroPlusHealth serves nearly 700,000 members across New York City and its impressive network includes tens of thousands of providers, dozens of hospitals and hundreds of urgent care centers, including NYC Health + Hospitals, NYU Langone Health, Mount Sinai, Montefiore Health System, Lenox Hill Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering, Hospital for Special Surgery, CityMD and more. For more information about MetroPlusHealth, please visit metroplus.org.

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MEDIA CONTACT: Michelle Dominguez; domingmi@metroplus.org

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About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlusHealth—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 46,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on FacebookTwitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.