More than 10,000 Bronx residents enrolled in Mayor de Blasio's NYC Care health coverage card
The
"In the world's wealthiest nation, no person should ever have to choose between taking their child to the doctor and putting food on the table," Mayor de Blasio said in a statement. "In
De Blasio has frequently touted the card as "universal health care." His failed 2020 campaign for president even bragged that he was providing "universal quality health care for all New Yorkers."
But uninsured New Yorkers -- including undocumented immigrants -- already have access to the public hospital system. Instead, the program is intended to help them better manage their health and avoid costly emergency room visits.
The program launched in the
The city is on track to expand the program into
The program is expected to save the city money from a reduction in ER visits and hospital stays, which are more expensive than preventative doctors' visits for patients and the hospitals themselves.
About 300,000 of those who can benefit from the card are undocumented immigrants who can't be insured, and the rest either can't afford health coverage through Affordable Care Act exchanges or have opted out of purchasing it. Those who can't be insured can get the NYC Care card and membership for access to a primary care doctor in the city's Health + Hospitals network.
The card provides members with their own doctor, pharmacy services day and night, a 24/7 hotline to make appointments and "clear" affordable co-pays, according to the mayor's office.
As part of the program, the city hired more doctors in the
Anyone uninsured who's lived in the city for at least six months can get the card.
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