Astoria home care: NYIA, MLTC, and the in-person counseling site on 30th Drive

Astoria mixes long-settled Greek and Italian households, newer Arabic-, Spanish-, and Bengali-speaking families, and one of the larger public housing complexes in Queens. Older residents here are split between people who have had Medicaid for years and people who own a house on a side street and have never dealt with HRA in their lives. This page covers both. Astoria also has one of the four NYC Aging in-person HIICAP sites in Queens, which makes free face-to-face help easier to reach than in most of the borough.

Approximately 11102, 11103, 11105, and 11106, with 11106 sometimes described as Ditmars or Astoria Heights depending on who is talking. Verify with USPS. County: Queens.

NY Connects, 1-800-342-9871 (Relay 7-1-1); say "Queens." NYC Aging runs the city's NY Connects and describes it as free, objective information about long-term services and supports for people of all ages and income levels. HIICAP, 1-800-701-0501, for free Medicare counseling; say "Queens."

The in-person site: RAICES / Astoria Senior Center, 21-21 30th Drive, Astoria 11102, 718-726-9642, Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., by appointment. It is a HIICAP counseling site, so the counselor's job is Medicare, but that is often where the home care conversation starts for people with both programs. Call first; sites and hours change.

Astoria Medicaid is HRA, citywide: 1-888-692-6116. Adults 65 and older, people with disabilities, and people on Medicare apply through HRA, not through the marketplace. Office locations are on nyc.gov/hra.

1. Medicaid active. Confirm with HRA before calling the assessor.
2. Call NYIA, 1-855-222-8350 (TTY 1-888-329-1541), Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. or Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. State the language you need. In-person or video is usually offered.
3. Nurse assessment, then clinical appointment. The nurse asks about medicines, moving around the home, dressing, bathing, equipment, and who helps. The clinician reviews medical history and may call your doctor.
4. Outcome notice. It says whether the person meets the requirements to request personal care or consumer directed services, or to enroll in MLTC. Disagreements go to a conference or a fair hearing, requested within 60 days per the NYIA FAQ.
5. New York Medicaid Choice (1-800-505-5678, long term care 1-888-401-6582) if MLTC plan selection is the next step.
6. Plan visit, care plan, and start of services. Hours are decided by the plan.

• Expecting the 30th Drive counselor to schedule the assessment. The site is a HIICAP counseling site, by appointment, for Medicare questions. Only the person with Medicaid or their authorized representative can call NYIA.
• A homeowner assuming the only choice is Medicaid or private pay. Residents 60 and older who are not on Medicaid can ask NYC Aging for in-home services through Aging Connect, 212-244-6469. A case management agency does an intake and home visit; the fee or suggested contribution depends on income.
• Calling the assessor from a public housing management office to "put in a request." Building management is not a party to the assessment. The request has to come from the person or the representative named on the designation form.

Orientation only: Mount Sinai Queens on 30th Avenue. The N and W trains along 31st Street link the neighborhood to the rest of the city's counseling sites.