Enroll Now for Affordable, High-Quality Health Coverage in 2020
 
Free, In-Person Enrollment Help is Available: Click Here to Find a NY State of Health Certified Assistor

ALBANY, N.Y. (January 28, 2020) – NY State of Health, the state’s official health plan Marketplace, announced that consumers will have an additional week to enroll in a Qualified Health Plan (QHP) for 2020. The Open Enrollment deadline has been extended until February 7 to give consumers more time to enroll. NY State of Health’s Customer Service Center representatives and in-person assistors are available to help individuals find the best plan for themselves and their families.

Enrollment through NY State of Health continues to grow with more than 4.8 million enrolled across all programs. Currently, 259,153 consumers have enrolled in a Qualified Health Plan.  Twenty percent of enrollees are new, and 80 percent have renewed their coverage.

“While the Trump Administration continues to roll back the Affordable Care Act, we are doing the opposite in New York,” said NY State of Health Executive Director Donna Frescatore. “By extending the Open Enrollment Period, we are putting consumers first, making sure they have time to find the plan that best fits their needs and enroll in coverage for 2020.”

New Yorkers can easily find plans and check their eligibility for financial help by entering their ZIP code, household income and the ages of those who need coverage using the Marketplace estimator tool.  Nearly all Marketplace enrollees will see no increase in costs in 2020. This includes enrollees in Medicaid, Child Health Plus, Essential Plan and QHPs who receive tax credits. Consumers who receive premium tax credits, typically about 60 percent of QHP enrollees, will see no change, or in some cases a small decrease, in the cost of coverage compared to 2019.

NY State of Health has made important changes to QHP cost-sharing levels to improve the value of insurance products to enrollees. In 2020, standard Silver products have a lower deductible -$1,300 down from $1,700 in 2019. Also new in 2020, standard Bronze products now cover three free “sick visits” to a provider without copayments or being subject to the deductible. Additionally, there are Gold and Silver plans in every county that also include three low-cost sick visits not subject to the deductible. This benefit ensures that consumers can receive primary care when they need it.

Consumers can enroll in a health plan:

• Online at nystateofhealth.ny.gov
• With the help of an in-person assistor 
• By calling the Customer Service Center at 1-855-355-5777

 
The Customer Service Center is open Monday - Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. and has extended hours this weekend: Saturday and Sunday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  Consumers can enroll online until 11:55 p.m. on Friday, February 7. Once the Open Enrollment Period ends, consumers may sign up for a QHP only if they experience a qualifying life-change event, such as losing health coverage, getting married, having a child or moving. Enrollment in the Essential Plan, Medicaid and Child Health Plus is available year-round.

​With the dramatic increase in the number of reported flu cases and hospitalizations across the state in recent weeks, the New York State Office for the Aging reminds older New Yorkers and caregivers about the importance of getting their flu vaccination as soon as possible. It’s not too late—flu season can extend as late as May.
 
“The best way to protect against the flu is to get an annual flu shot,” said Acting Director Greg Olsen. “Our immune systems are more easily compromised as we age, and older adults, especially those with chronic health conditions, have an increased risk of developing serious complications from the flu. Getting the flu vaccine helps prevent the spread of the virus and offers vital protection for older adults and their caregivers.”
 
Flu activity has been high this season and continues to increase. According to the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), last week 1,964 New Yorkers were hospitalized with lab-confirmed influenza, up 34 percent from the previous week. To date, there have been 5,694 flu-related hospitalizations. In addition, 10,085 laboratory-confirmed flu cases were reported to the State Department of Health last week, a nine-percent increase in cases from the week prior. There have been 32,848 lab-confirmed cases of the flu reported so far this season.
 
Influenza symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people may also have vomiting and diarrhea. People infected with the flu may also have respiratory symptoms without a fever. The flu can cause mild to severe illness. Adults aged 65 years and older, people with certain chronic medical conditions, young children, and pregnant women are among those who are at highest risk.
 
Older adults often bear the greatest burden of severe flu consequences. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that in recent years between about 70% and 85% of seasonal flu-related deaths have occurred in people 65 years and older, and between 50% and 70% of seasonal flu-related hospitalizations have occurred among older adults.
 
According to the CDC, adults over the age of 65 should take the following precautions:

• Get your annual flu shot as soon as possible. As long as flu viruses are circulating, vaccination should continue throughout flu season, even in January or later.
• Practice good health habits, including covering coughs, washing hands often, and avoiding people who are sick.

• Seek medical advice quickly if you develop flu symptoms to see whether you might need medical evaluation or treatment with antiviral drugs. It's very important that antiviral drugs be used early to treat flu in people who are very sick with flu (for example, people who are in the hospital). 
• Get pneumococcal vaccines. People who 65 years and older should also be up to date with pneumococcal vaccination to protect against pneumococcal disease, such as pneumonia, meningitis, and bloodstream infections. Talk to your doctor to find out which pneumococcal vaccines are recommended for you.

For more information:

• The New York State Flu Tracker provides timely information about local, regional, and statewide influenza activity. (NYSDOH)
• 65 or Older? You and the Flu (NYSDOH)
• People 65 Years and Older & Influenza (CDC)

 
About the New York State Office for the Aging and Health Across All Policies/Age-Friendly New York
New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) continuously works to help New York State’s 4.3 million older adults be as independent as possible for as long as possible through advocacy, development and delivery of person-centered, consumer-oriented, and cost-effective policies, programs, and services that support and empower older adults and their families, in partnership with the network of public and private organizations that serve them.
 
New York is nationally recognized for being the first age-friendly state in the nation. Using the state’s Prevention Agenda as the overarching framework, in 2017, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo launched a Health Across All Policies approach, where public and private partners work together to positively impact population health by marrying health care, preventive health, and community-design, in concert with addressing social determinants of health, to improve the lives of all New Yorkers, young and old.
 
Stay connected—download the NYSOFA mobile app for iOS or Android; visit the NYSOFA Facebook page; follow @NYSAGING on Twitter; or visit www.aging.ny.gov.

The Association on Aging in New York (AgingNY) Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Rebecca Preve has been appointed as Executive Director. Preve started in her new role January 6th at the not-for-profit membership organization, which provides leadership for New York's expansive aging services network to promote independence, preserve dignity and provide support for New York State residents as they age.

AgingNY Board of Directors President AnnMarie Maglione said, “The AgingNY Board is excited to continue the valuable work of the aging network under Becky’s leadership. Becky brings a wealth of knowledge and a commitment to the aging population that will benefit the residents of New York State. Her leadership will be instrumental in continuing to expand services and supports for the older population, their families and caregivers.”

New York State Office for the Aging Director Greg Olsen said, “I am thrilled that Becky has joined the Association. Her passion and knowledge of both the clinical and non-clinical environment make her the perfect choice to lead the aging network in this new environment that seeks to address the social determinants of health and expand value based payment arrangements to include the aging network, and further our first-in-the-nation efforts around business acumen to strengthen the connection between health and non-health organizations to better serve older New Yorkers.”

For the past six years, Becky Preve served as Director of the Franklin County Office for the Aging where she substantially increased revenue, expanded services to older residents and their families, and better connected various public and private systems and organizations to serve older New Yorkers more holistically. Her hard work helped save not only Franklin County but New York State money while improving outcomes for the customers they serve. Additionally, she has served as an acute care social worker at a rural northern New York hospital, and continues to hold numerous Board of Directors seats, including for the Hospice of the North County, Adirondack Health Institute, and the Joint Commission for Economic Opportunity. Preve received a Bachelor of Science Degree from Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York, and has received Certification from the Institute for Health Care Improvement.

AgingNY provides advocacy and support for the state’s Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) in strengthening and expanding long-term services and supports for older adults. By providing home and community-based services, AAAs work to make it possible for older adults to live with independence and dignity in their homes and communities of choice, often for much longer than would be possible without this assistance. AgingNY also provides professional development and educational opportunities through webinars, regional forums, in-person and online training, and a yearly leadership institute. Each year, AgingNY holds Aging Concerns Unite Us (ACUU), New York’s premiere professional development conference for aging service professionals. Now in its 24th year, ACUU is focused on best practices, innovative programs, and service delivery reforms that enhance services and programs for older adults and further New York’s State’s efforts to serve as the first age-friendly state in the nation.

New York State ranks fourth in the nation in regards to residents 60 or older, with 4.3 million people residing within it. It is estimated that by 2030, this population will grow to more than 5.3 million individuals, or 25 percent of the state’s population. Furthermore over the next decade, 52 of the state’s 62 counties are estimated to have populations consisting of at least 25 percent aged 60+. It has been estimated that 24 of these counties will have at least 30 percent of their population above age 60. As the aging population continues to grow, AgingNY, the state’s 59 Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) and the ever growing network of more than 1,200 aging services provider organizations are committed to supporting the changing demographics and evolving desires and needs of New York State’s older adults and their loved ones.

About the Association on Aging in New York (AgingNY)
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The Association on Aging in New York (AgingNY) supports and advocates for New York's 59 mostly county-based Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) and works collaboratively with a network of organizations that exist to promote independence, preserve dignity, and provide support for residents of New York State as they age. For more information on AgingNY, visit www.agingny.org or call 518-449-7080.