Start here if you do not know which program applies
NY Connects
1-800-342-9871 · Relay 7-1-1
What it is: the statewide line for free, unbiased information about long-term services and supports for people of all ages and disabilities, whether or not they have Medicaid. In New York City it is run by NYC Aging; the statewide number reaches it.
What to ask: “My parent needs help at home. They do / do not have Medicaid. Which program should we look at, and who do we call first?”
What it cannot do: schedule the Medicaid assessment, authorize hours, or enroll anyone in a plan.
If the person has Medicaid
New York Independent Assessor Program (NYIA)
1-855-222-8350 · TTY 1-888-329-1541 · Mon–Fri, 8:30 a.m.–8:00 p.m.; Sat, 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m., closed state holidays
What it is: the statewide program that schedules and performs the assessment for Medicaid personal care, consumer directed personal assistance, and Managed Long Term Care enrollment: a nurse’s community health assessment, then a clinical appointment. Independent of any plan or agency.
What to ask: “I have an active Medicaid number and need the home care assessment. In person or video? Can I request an interpreter now? Can a family member be present?” After the letter: “Can you explain what my outcome notice means and what the next step is?”
What it cannot do: say how many hours anyone will get. Hours come from the plan’s care plan later. It will not schedule without a Medicaid number, and if you are already receiving services and need a reassessment, the FAQ says to contact your plan or district instead.
New York Medicaid Choice
1-800-505-5678 · long term care line 1-888-401-6582 · TTY 1-888-329-1541 · Mon–Fri, 8:30 a.m.–8:00 p.m.; Sat, 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
What it is: the managed care enrollment program of the New York State Department of Health. The official channel for choosing and enrolling in a Medicaid managed care or Managed Long Term Care plan, and the place to request the authorized representative form.
What to ask: “The NYIA letter says I may enroll in MLTC. Which plan types serve my county? How do I check whether my doctor and pharmacy are in a plan’s network? What is my enrollment effective date?”
What it cannot do: perform the assessment, set hours, or recommend one plan over another. It is not a plan and not an agency.
NYC HRA Medicaid Helpline
What it is: the citywide line for Medicaid eligibility, applications, renewals, and address changes in all five boroughs. There is no borough Medicaid office phone number; HRA lists its office locations on nyc.gov/hra. Outside the city, the county Department of Social Services does this.
What to ask: “Is my Medicaid case active? Is my address correct? When is my renewal due?”
Also: HRA’s long-term care page routes home care questions to the DSS OneNumber at 718-557-1399 and to borough CASA offices. HRA’s Home Care Services Program handles fee-for-service cases for people who are not in a managed care plan. If you are in a plan, the plan authorizes services, not HRA.
If the person is 60 or older and not on Medicaid
NYC Aging Connect
212-244-6469 · 212-AGING-NYC
What it is: the door to NYC Aging’s in-home services for residents 60 and older who are not on Medicaid, the city’s version of the State’s Expanded In-home Services for the Elderly Program (EISEP). NYC Aging’s page says a case management agency contracted for your neighborhood does a phone intake and a home visit, and that depending on income you may be asked to pay a fee or make a suggested contribution for some services; case managers do not charge for their time. NYC Aging also states that Medicaid recipients are not eligible for its funded home care. Outside the city, the county Office for the Aging runs EISEP; NY Connects will route you.
What to ask: “I am calling about in-home services for someone 60 or older who is not on Medicaid. How does intake work in our neighborhood?” You can also ask for HIICAP to book an in-person Medicare counseling appointment.
What it cannot do: provide Medicaid home care or run the NYIA assessment.
If Medicare questions are tangled up with home care
HIICAP (free Medicare counseling)
1-800-701-0501 · Mon–Fri, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
What it is: New York’s State Health Insurance Assistance Program. Free, unbiased counseling on Medicare, delivered locally by NYC Aging inside the city. Say your county when the recording asks (Brooklyn is Kings, Manhattan is New York, Staten Island is Richmond).
What to ask: “I have Medicare and Medicaid and the NYIA letter points to a long term care plan. Can you explain how the Medicare side works with the plan types New York Medicaid Choice described?”
What it cannot do: assess anyone, authorize hours, or enroll anyone in a Medicaid plan.
If the bigger problem is food, housing, or transportation
Social Care Networks (for Medicaid members)
What they are: the Department of Health describes Social Care Networks as “groups of local, primarily non-profit organizations that support the health and well-being of communities across New York State.” They screen Medicaid members for health-related social needs such as living situation, access to healthy food, transportation, employment, education, and personal safety; help members find services (navigation); and, for some managed care members with specific health conditions, arrange one-time or temporary services of up to six months. DOH says there is no cost for screening or navigation.
How to reach one: DOH’s program page links a statewide self-screening tool, and your doctor’s office, your Medicaid managed care plan’s member services line, a participating community organization, or your care manager can start a screening. DOH’s page lists the lead organization for each regional network by county; this site does not name them. The official list is at health.ny.gov.
What they cannot do: replace the home care assessment. DOH’s FAQ says medical benefits are not affected by the program; screening adds to, and does not substitute for, the NYIA process.
What no line on this page can promise
- A number of hours before the plan writes the person-centered service plan.
- A start date before New York Medicaid Choice or the plan confirms it.
- An assessment without an active Medicaid case.
- A recommendation of one plan or agency over another.
Write it down
For every call: who you spoke with, the date, and what they said to do next. If weeks pass with no contact after a step, call back and ask for the status. Our borough and neighborhood pages add the local layer: county names for forms, in-person counseling sites, and the mistakes families in your area tend to make.
Free help
Still not sure which line to call first?
NY Connects, New York’s free line for long-term services and supports. Free, any age, on Medicaid or not. They do not sell services. Relay 7-1-1
Sources
NY Connects; NYS Office for the Aging, EISEP; NYC Aging, In-Home Services and NY Connects; New York Independent Assessor Program FAQ and contact pages; New York Medicaid Choice; NYC HRA, Long Term Care and Health Assistance; NYS DOH, Social Care Networks (program page, information for members, and summary of eligibility for enhanced HRSN services). Checked September 10, 2026. Confirm on nyconnects.ny.gov, nyc.gov/aging, nyindependentassessor.com, nyc.gov/hra, and health.ny.gov (Social Care Networks).
A few questions about Medicaid status, age, and where you are in the process. You get a plain-language summary of which path you described. Held by this site only, never sent to any plan or agency.