NYC Residents: Meet with MetroPlus about your healthcare options

HTC member Juan Rondon (Times Square Gallivant) speaks with MetroPlus representative Sonia Umanzor about his healthcare options.

Updated December 23, 2020 5:30 PM

Our Union has arranged for agents from MetroPlus (a city-operated, not-for-profit healthcare plan) to meet with union workers who are losing their healthcare in the coming months to discuss their healthcare options.

On December 17^th, New York State extended the deadline to apply for a state healthcare program or qualified healthcare plan until December 31^st for coverage beginning on January 1^st. We strongly encourage members to take the opportunity to meet with a MetroPlus agent to get a complete overview of your options.

Meet with a MetroPlus agent

MetroPlus agents are available Monday through Friday in the Union’s Gertrude Lane Auditorium (at 305 West 44th Street) and at the Midtown, Harlem, Brooklyn, and Queens Health Centers from 9 AM – 5 PM.

You can also apply by phone by calling a designated phone line for HTC represented-workers: 855-809-4073 from Monday – Friday: 8 AM – 8 PM, Saturdays: 9 AM – 5 PM and Sundays: 9 AM – 1 PM.

Holiday Hours

MetroPlus agents will be available during the holidays to meet with union workers and help them enroll in a healthcare plan. For the next two weeks, MetroPlus agents will be at the Union’s Gertrude Lane Auditorium (305 West 44th Street) and at the Midtown, Harlem, Brooklyn, and Queens Health Centers from 9 AM – 5 PM, Monday through Wednesday.

Thursday, Dec 24: Apply by phone only, 8 AM - 8 PM

Friday, Dec 25: All locations are CLOSED

Saturday, Dec 26: MetroPlus agents will be at the Brooklyn, Harlem, Midtown, and Queens health centers from 9 AM – 5 PM

Sunday, Dec 27: All locations are CLOSED

Monday, Dec 28: MetroPlus agents will be at all locations, 9 AM – 5 PM

Tuesday, Dec 29: MetroPlus agents will be at all locations, 9 AM – 5 PM

Wednesday, Dec 30: MetroPlus agents will be at all locations, 9 AM – 5 PM

Thursday, Dec 31: Apply by phone only, 8 AM - 8 PM

Friday, Jan 1: All locations are CLOSED

Saturday, Jan 2: Apply by phone only, 9 AM - 5 PM

Sunday, Jan 3: All locations are CLOSED

Starting Monday, January 4th, the Harlem and Brooklyn Health Centers will close. MetroPlus agents will be at the Queens and Midtown Health Centers and 305 West 44th Street from 9 AM – 5 PM from January 4th going forward.

Coverage

A MetroPlus agent will go over many topics, including your expected income, family size, and health needs to help you select the health insurance plan that best fits your needs.

If you are eligible for a subsidized, public health insurance plan (Medicaid, Child Health Plus, or the Essential Plan), a MetroPlus agent will help you enroll in these public options.
If you are not eligible for a public health insurance plan, MetroPlus offers a number of Marketplace plans. If you choose to enroll in one of these plans, a MetroPlus agent will help you find out if you are eligible for a tax credit. The coverage, deductibles, copays and out of pocket maximums vary widely based on which plan you select.
If you are over the age of 65 and eligible for Medicare, MetroPlus offers a Medicare Advantage Plan (Medicare Part C) that will bundle your hospital coverage (Part A), medical benefits (Part B) and may provide additional services including dental, vision, and pharmacy benefits. Please be advised that if you enroll in MetroPlus’ Medicare Advantage Plan you will not be eligible to enroll in the Benefit Funds’ Retiree Health Plan and continue using the health centers upon retirement unless you return to work and resume coverage with the Funds for 36 consecutive months before retirement.

Eligibility

To be eligible for a MetroPlus plan you must be a New York City resident and be lawfully present in the United States. There are strict income limits for the public health insurance plans, but there are no income limits for MetroPlus’ Qualified Health Plans.

Immigration

MetroPlus can only enroll New York City residents with a legal immigration status.

Undocumented New York City residents can enroll in NYC Care, a healthcare access program for New Yorkers regardless of their ability to pay or immigration status.

What if I don’t live in NYC?

MetroPlus is only available to residents of New York City, however our Union has set up a similar arrangement with the insurance provider BlueCross BlueShield for those union workers who live in New York (outside of NYC) or New Jersey.

BlueCross BlueShield has set up a dedicated phone line to help the workers we represent apply for the publicly subsidized healthcare plans in New Jersey and New York and if you don’t qualify, to enroll you in one of their Qualified Health Plans and apply for a tax credit.

Call BlueCross BlueShield at 888-809-8009 followed by pressing option 4. This devoted line is available Monday through Friday from 9 AM - 5 PM and Saturdays from 9 AM - 1 PM. When calling please mention the “Hotel Trades Council” and state whether you are a New York or a New Jersey resident.

Deadline to Apply

Normally, the deadline to enroll in a subsidized, public health insurance plan is the 15^th of the month before you lose coverage in order to begin coverage the 1^st of the following month.

However, on Thursday, December 17^th, the New York State of Health announced an extension to the deadline. New York residents now have until December 31^st to apply for Medicaid, the Essential Plan, Child Health Plus, or any Qualified Health Plan (including those provided by MetroPlus) for coverage beginning January 1, 2021.