NYIA assessment prep checklist: what to bring and what assessors ask

Medicaid number. The program's FAQ says people 18 and older who have Medicaid, or both Medicaid and Medicare, can be assessed. Without an active Medicaid case there is nothing to schedule. If you do not have Medicaid, the FAQ directs you to your local social services district (in New York City, HRA at 1-888-692-6116).

Who will call. The person being assessed can call. A family member can call with them on the line. If someone else will handle the case going forward, the program's site says to name an authorized representative through its designation form, which you can request from New York Medicaid Choice at 1-800-505-5678 (TTY 1-888-329-1541), or by sending a copy of a power of attorney or guardianship order. The representative can then receive notices, request appeals, and act for you with both NYIA and New York Medicaid Choice.

If you are already in a Medicaid managed care plan. The FAQ says that if you are not yet receiving services, contact your plan and it will call NYIA with you on the line to schedule. If you are not in a plan, contact the local district. If you already receive services and need more hours, the FAQ says to contact the plan or district for a reassessment, not NYIA directly.

Language. Interpreting is available in any language, including sign language, but the FAQ says to tell the program when you schedule, not on the day.

The call itself. 1-855-222-8350, TTY 1-888-329-1541, Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., closed on state holidays.

The FAQ describes two options. An in-person appointment means the nurse assessor or clinician comes to your home, a relative's home, or a facility where you are receiving services. A video visit covers the same ground by smartphone, tablet, or laptop. For video you need a device with a camera and Wi-Fi, or a friend or relative present who has one, plus an email address or smartphone to receive the invitation link. The program calls before the appointments to confirm the date and time.

Choose video if a home visit would delay things and someone can bring a device. Choose in person if the home itself is part of the story (stairs, a bathroom the person cannot reach, an elevator that fails).

The FAQ names three things: your identification card, a list of the medications you take, and any medical records from recent hospital stays or doctor visits. Families typically add:

• A written medication list with doses and pharmacy, not just the bottles.
• Doctors' names and phone numbers. The clinician may call your doctor.
• Any equipment you use or need: walker, wheelchair, hospital bed, shower chair, oxygen.
• A list of who helps now and when, including neighbors, building staff, or paid help.
• Notes on a typical day and a bad day, written before the appointment.

The FAQ says the community health assessment is a meeting with a nurse assessor who asks about your current health and medicines, your ability to do everyday tasks like getting around your home, dressing, and bathing, whether you need equipment such as a wheelchair or special bed, and what support you have from family or friends. A family member or caregiver can be with you.

Answer for the person as they are, not as they are on a good morning with the visitor watching. If bathing takes another person's hands, say so. If the person can dress but cannot manage buttons or shoes, say that. If getting from bed to chair is unsafe without help, say it plainly.

The clinical appointment comes after the nurse's visit. Per the FAQ, a doctor, licensed nurse practitioner, or physician assistant asks about medical history and the medical care you receive now, and what help or support you need with your care. If needed, the clinician will talk with your own doctor.

For people first assessed on or after September 1, 2025, the Department of Health's Minimum Needs Requirements are the standard. DOH states them as needing "at least limited assistance with physical maneuvering with more than two ADLs," or, with a dementia or Alzheimer's diagnosis, "at least supervision with more than one ADL." The same page says the NYIA assessment is "the first step in determining eligibility" and that afterward the program sends a notice explaining next steps. People authorized for services before September 1, 2025 have Legacy Status and are reassessed under the earlier criteria.

Do not try to score the person yourself or coach answers to a threshold. The nurse and clinician are trained to see the difference, and an honest account of daily life is what produces an accurate plan.

The letter. The FAQ says you receive a letter with the assessment results and suggests discussing it with a family member or caregiver. Questions about the letter go to 1-855-222-8350.

If you disagree. You have the right to a conference (an informal meeting with the program to point out information you believe is inaccurate) and to a fair hearing before an administrative law judge. The FAQ says a fair hearing must be requested within 60 days of receiving the outcome notice, by phone, fax, or mail, and that you can request copies of your case file.

Next steps. If the letter indicates Managed Long Term Care, plan selection runs through New York Medicaid Choice (long term care line 1-888-401-6582). If it indicates services through your existing Medicaid managed care plan, the FAQ says the plan reviews the results and goes over next steps. Either way, hours are set in a person-centered service plan written with you afterward, not in the NYIA letter.

How long it lasts. The Department of Health's program page says the community health assessment may be valid for up to twelve months, with reassessment sooner after a significant change in condition, a release from institutional care, or on request. The FAQ adds that once you are in a plan, reassessments go through the plan.

• Medicaid number confirmed
• One named caller or representative, with the form filed
• Interpreter requested at scheduling
• In person or video decided; device and Wi-Fi ready if video
• ID card, medication list, recent records
• Doctors' names and numbers
• Equipment list
• Who helps now, and when
• Notes on a typical day and a hard day
• Calendar reminder for the 60-day fair hearing window after the letter arrives