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Today, Congressman Paul Tonko announced $213,700 in grants for two community health centers in Albany and Schenectady. The Whitney M. Young Jr. Health Center in Albany and Schenectady Family Health Services have received funding in the amount of $122,173 and $91,527, respectively. Grants were made possible through the Affordable Care Act to hire additional outreach and eligibility assistance workers to enroll uninsured Americans in new health coverage options also offered through the health care law.

“Already, the Affordable Care Act has offered essential protections to millions of children, students, seniors, families, and small business owners,” said Tonko. “Capital Region community health centers have a tremendous record of delivering high-quality, primary care services that improve public health and lower the overall cost to patients. As health care reform continues to be implemented through 2014, we will only see more benefits to New Yorkers who rest at every level of our health care system.”

Statewide, 57 health centers operating 591 sites served 1,588,439 patients last year, 23 percent of whom were uninsured. With these awards, health centers will help consumers understand their coverage options in New York’s new Health Insurance Marketplace – New York Health Benefit Exchange (NY-HX). They will also help determine an individual’s eligibility for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program; any financial help they can get; and enroll them in new affordable health coverage options. 

The new, consumer-focused HealthCare.gov website and the 24-hour-a-day consumer call center are available to help New Yorkers prepare for open enrollment and ultimately sign up for health coverage.  These new tools will help New Yorkers understand their coverage options and select the plan that best suits their needs when open enrollment in the new Health Insurance Marketplace begins October 1, 2013.

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