As a parent, you want to do everything you can to prepare your child for the new school year – including getting them the required physicals, screenings and immunizations.

If your child doesn’t have health insurance…

Apply for coverage through NY State of Health today! Nearly 99 percent of NY State of Health enrollees qualify for free or low-cost insurance that covers important benefits, including doctor visits, immunizations, mental health services, prescriptions, and hospital care.  Child Health Plus provides additional dental and vision coverage.

Consumers can enroll in a health plan by:

• Calling the Customer Service Center at 1-855-355-5777
  • Monday to Friday, from 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
  • Saturdays, from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
• Logging onto the website at nystateofhealth.ny.gov
• Speaking with an enrollment assistor. Find an assistor here.         

If your child already has coverage through NY State of Health…

Be prepared for important changes. Starting in Spring 2023, New York State restarted eligibility checks for enrollees in Medicaid, Child Health Plus, and the Essential Plan.  This means enrollees may need to take action to renew their health insurance.  If your family has health insurance through any of these programs, there are things you can do now to prepare for the upcoming renewal process.

1. Sign up for text alerts.

Sign up to receive SMS/MMS text alerts from NY State of Health.  Text START to 1-866-988-0327 to receive important health insurance updates, including reminders for when it’s time to renew your coverage.  Learn more at https://info.nystateofhealth.ny.gov/COVID-19-Changes.

2. Make sure your address is up to date. Make sure NY State of Health or your local Medicaid office has your current mailing address, phone number and email address so you can be contacted about your health insurance.

• If you have insurance with NY State of Health, call 1-855-355-5777 (TTY: 1-800-662-1220), log into your account at nystateofhealth.ny.gov, or contact an enrollment assistor.  Find one at https://info.nystateofhealth.ny.gov/findassistor.
• If you have Medicaid through your county’s Medicaid office or through New York City’s Human Resources Administration (HRA), contact your local office to update your address and contact information.

3. Take action.

When it is time to renew your health insurance, you will receive a letter from NY State of Health or a renewal packet if you enrolled through your county’s Medicaid office. This letter/packet will let you know what you need to do to renew your coverage and how much time you have to respond. Follow the instructions right away.

To stay informed and learn more, visit https://info.nystateofhealth.ny.gov/COVID-19-Changes.    

This page is updated regularly to ensure you have access to the information you need.