Press Releases

NYC Health + Hospitals’ NYC Care Announces Durable Medical Equipment Benefit for Members

With NYC Care, eligible members can now access low and no-cost durable medical equipment including wheelchairs, rolling walkers, and CPAP machines

NYC Health + Hospitals’ NYC Care program today announced the launch of a durable medical equipment (DME) benefit, available at all NYC Health + Hospitals facilities. The new benefit allows all ambulatory care providers to prescribe low and no-cost durable medical equipment to eligible NYC Care patients. The provision of durable medical equipment is supported by NYC Care exclusive partner AdaptHealth, a network of full-service medical equipment companies. Patients without traditional medical insurance previously had to purchase any prescribed durable medical equipment out-of-pocket. A pilot program was launched in October 2023 at the Safety Net clinics at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue and Woodhull, resulting in 746 unique DME ordered for 136 patients. From the launch of the pilot program to November the most commonly ordered DME were CPAP machines + associated accessories, diabetes related supplies, mobility devices, and urinary supplies.

“The launch of the durable medical equipment benefit for eligible NYC Care members is an important milestone for the program as we continue to eliminate barriers to health care for New Yorkers. From wheelchairs to continuous glucose monitors to CPAP machines, eligible members can now obtain the durable medical equipment their ambulatory care provider prescribes– thanks to our partnership with AdaptHealth. To learn more about NYC Care, visit NYCCare.NYC or call 646-692-2273 to find out if you are eligible,” said Jonathan Jiménez, MD, MPH, Executive Director of NYC Care from NYC Health + Hospitals.

As the new benefit continues to roll out, NYC Care member success stories point to the transformative impact of the program so far:

• KR lives in a communal shelter space, which made it challenging to manage incontinence symptoms without the use of diapers. Thanks to this initiative, she was able to receive necessary diapers to help her manage her bladder fistula symptoms.
• YZ has unsteady gait and a history of stroke. He has become injured in the past after multiple falls. We were able to get him a wheelchair and he is now able to complete the activities of daily living more safely and is more independent as a result.
• JM has end stage Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and is living in a shelter. He relies on oxygen and was able to receive a home oxygen setup and portable concentrator through this initiative. Without these, he would not be able to function as independently and he would likely have to stay in the hospital.

“Since we launched NYC Care in 2019, our focus has been on treating health care as a human right for all New Yorkers, without exception. This new benefit advances that commitment, and I look forward to connecting my patients in need of durable medical equipment to the range of services available. Thank you to the NYC Care team for your unwavering commitment to getting this transformative benefit to New Yorkers,” said Ted Long, MD, MHS, Senior Vice President for Ambulatory Care and Population Health at NYC Health + Hospitals.

“Empowering our patients to lead healthy lives starts with having access to lifesaving care. Through this partnership with NYC Health + Hospitals’ NYC Care, AdaptHealth is proud to support eligible NYC Care members by providing durable medical equipment to help them continue to thrive independently,” said Russell Schuster, Chief Commercial Officer, AdaptHealth.

“I am so proud of everything the City of New York, NYC Health + Hospitals, and the NYC Care program have done over the years to keep immigrant communities healthy, regardless of immigration status and ability to pay,” said NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs Commissioner Manuel Castro. “Today’s announcement is yet another great achievement towards making healthcare accessible to all New Yorkers. Access to durable medical equipment will enable immigrant New Yorkers with chronic health conditions to live more independently and improve their day-to-day quality of life. I thank the entire team involved in this initiative and our partners for making this possible.”

“By being part of the NYC Care Durable Medical Equipment pilot, Safety Net clinics were able to provide enhanced services to some of our most vulnerable New Yorkers. Having access to medically appropriate durable medical equipment has improved their quality of life and fostered trust of our health care system,” said Junita Carn, Program Manager for the Primary Care Safety Net at NYC Health + Hospitals.

“Make the Road New York applauds NYC Health + Hospitals for launching the new system-wide Durable Medical Equipment benefit for eligible NYC Care members. This program increases the standard of care for patients and is vital for our communities to thrive. By accessing medical equipment that they otherwise wouldn’t have access to, individuals regain the capacity to safely complete daily tasks and navigate challenging health situations with dignity,” said Arline Cruz Escobar, Director of Health Programs at Make the Road NY.

NYC Care has grown to over 140,000 active members and has provided over one million primary care appointments for its members. Since launching in 2019, it has provided hundreds of thousands of specialty care appointments, including 365,226 women’s health appointments, 284,766 eye care appointments, and 187,425 behavioral health appointments. NYC Care’s community-based organization partners have reached over 1 million New Yorkers, scheduled over 43,000 enrollment appointments, and facilitated over 17,000 direct enrollments. In June, the program announced that over 500,000 calls have been received by the NYC Care 24/7/365 hotline. From working with the Department of Health & Mental Hygiene to launch the Groceries to Go program providing discounted groceries for members, to developing multi-lingual video series about the program and deploying public awareness campaigns, NYC Care continues to champion the health needs of all New Yorkers, regardless of immigration status or ability to pay.

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About NYC Care
NYC Care is a health care access program that provides comprehensive and low or no-cost healthcare services through NYC Health + Hospitals for New Yorkers who cannot afford or are ineligible for health insurance. NYC Care provides a membership card, 24/7 customer service, access to comprehensive and affordable healthcare services, like primary care, mental health services, and sexual and reproductive healthcare, low-cost medications, and member materials in multiple languages – regardless of your immigration status or ability to pay. Call 646-NYC-CARE (646-692-2273) or visit NYCCare.NYC to learn more and sign up today – privacy and confidentiality guaranteed.

About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation. We are a network of 11 hospitals, trauma centers, neighborhood health centers, nursing homes, and post-acute care centers. We are a home care agency and a health plan, MetroPlus. Our health system provides essential services to more than one million New Yorkers every year in more than 70 locations across the city’s five boroughs. Our diverse workforce of more than 43,000 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 Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.