NYIA phone number, scheduling, and what to do if your assessment is late

1. Medicaid is active. The state says that if you do not have active Medicaid, NYIA will send you back to your local social services office (HRA in NYC) to apply or check your application. Pending is not enough.
2. You have the Medicaid ID (CIN) handy. Also have the person's date of birth, address, and a phone number that will be answered.
3. It is not an emergency case. If the person has no one to help and needs care right away, the fast track is called Immediate Need, and it starts at the local social services office, not with NYIA. The state says people may not skip the local office for Immediate Need. Our hospital discharge guide explains when that applies.

1. Call 1-855-222-8350. A caregiver, the person, a Medicaid plan, or the local office can call. The state says NYIA schedules both appointments during the same call.
2. Pick in person or video. NYIA offers a home visit or a Zoom telehealth visit for each appointment. If you choose video, someone should be there to help with the device.
3. Ask for an interpreter if needed. The state says NYIA can do both appointments in your preferred language.
4. Write down both dates and times and the name of the person you spoke with.
5. Answer unknown numbers. A nurse is supposed to call 24 to 48 hours before the assessment. The state says the caller ID should read "NY Independent Assessor."
6. Do the nurse assessment first. It is called the Community Health Assessment (CHA). The clinical appointment comes after it. If the CHA is missed, the clinical appointment has to be moved too.
7. Wait for the letter. After both appointments, NYIA sends the outcome. If the person is eligible, the next step is choosing a plan or working with the local office. See MLTC enrollment steps after your eligibility letter.

Department of Health guidance says the CHA and clinical appointment will be scheduled and completed by NYIA within 14 calendar days of contact with NYIA, as long as the person has active Medicaid. It also says that if the appointments cannot be completed in that time, NYIA staff must note the reason. Calendar days means weekends count.

1. Call NYIA back at 1-855-222-8350. Ask for the earliest date, and ask whether an in-person or a video slot is sooner.
2. Ask them to note the delay. Say: "It has been more than 14 days since my first call on [date]. Please note the reason in my record."
3. Put it in writing to the state. The Department of Health's NYIA program mailbox, listed in its guidance, is independent.assessor@health.ny.gov. Legal advocates suggest the Medicaid member send it themselves. Include the person's name, date of birth, CIN, the date of the first call, what dates were offered, and whether video or in person was offered.
4. Already in a Medicaid plan? You can also call your plan's care manager. If you are in a Managed Long Term Care plan, the state's MLTC complaint line is 1-866-712-7197 (mltccomplaints@health.ny.gov).
5. Get free help. NY Connects (1-800-342-9871) can help you find the right office.

• Call the helpline as soon as you know you cannot make it.
• If you miss the nurse's reminder call, call the helpline back the same day.
• Keep a simple log: date, time, who you spoke with, what they said.

• Calling NYIA while Medicaid is still pending.
• Asking NYIA for Immediate Need. That starts at the local social services office.
• Letting calls from unknown numbers go to voicemail during the scheduling window.
• Not writing down the date of the first call. The 14 days count from there.