Attorney General James and Department of Health Commissioner Dr. McDonald Issue Alert Reminding New Yorkers to Beware of Health Insurance Scams

 

New York Attorney General Letitia James and State Health Commissioner (DOH) Dr. James McDonald today cautioned New Yorkers about health insurance enrollment scams as the 2024 enrollment through the NY State of Health is set to begin on November 16. The NY State of Health, New York’s Health Plan Marketplace, offers one-stop health insurance shopping for both public health programs (Medicaid, Child Health Plus, and the Essential Plan) and commercial health insurance (Qualified Health Plans). Earlier this year, after the pandemic’s continuous coverage rules expired, New York state resumed the practice of reviewing and renewing eligibility for those enrolled in public health programs. Health insurance scams regarding these renewals are increasing. Attorney General James and DOH Commissioner McDonald previously highlighted concerns about scammers potentially taking advantage of New Yorkers seeking to enroll in health insurance programs in May.

“We cannot allow scammers to prey on vulnerable New Yorkers who are simply trying to secure or renew their health insurance,” said Attorney General James. “As people enroll in health plans through NY State of Health, there are unfortunately bad actors trying to take advantage of the situation. I urge all New Yorkers to be vigilant and I encourage everyone to contact my office immediately if they think they’ve been approached by a scammer.”

“It’s very unfortunate that New Yorkers who are only trying to protect themselves and their families with health insurance coverage are being taken advantage of,” said DOH Commissioner Dr. McDonald. “I encourage all New Yorkers to continue to be very cautious and follow important guidelines such as keeping personal information private and looking for the official New York State of Health, Medicaid, or State Department of Health logos on forms before completing them. We want all residents to protect themselves from these fraudulent activities.”

Attorney General James and DOH Commissioner Dr. McDonald are warning New Yorkers to be wary of scammers who call, text, or email pretending to be from the NY State of Health or other New York state agencies.

There are several ways scammers prey on New Yorkers who are trying to obtain or keep health insurance:

• Scammers use fear by threatening New Yorkers that their Medicaid or other health coverage is at risk for cancellation or that they have already lost their Medicaid or other health coverage unless they provide hundreds of dollars to reinstate or continue benefits.
• Scammers will also use false offers of generosity to lure New Yorkers into providing personal information. This is typically done through phishing scams offering people gift cards or money to “update” their health accounts so as not to lose coverage.
• The New York agencies that administer Medicaid, Child Health Plus, and Essential Plan benefits will never charge or ask for money from consumers to enroll or re-enroll. They will also not offer New Yorkers rewards to renew their coverage.
• To learn how to renew Medicaid, Child Health Plus, or Essential Plan health insurance, New Yorkers are encouraged to visit the NY State of Health webpage or the NY Medicaid website. To learn about enrolling or renewing commercial Qualified Health Plan coverage for 2024, New Yorkers are encouraged to visit the NY State of Health website.

Attorney General James and DOH Commissioner Dr. McDonald provided the following tips:   

• No one can ever charge a fee to renew health insurance in Medicaid, Child Health Plus, or the Essential Plan.  
• If enrolled in health insurance through the NY State of Health, many people are available to help you renew for free. These include the state’s health-certified enrollment assistors (including navigators, agents, and brokers) and customer service representatives. For information or guidance, visit the NY State of Health website or call 1-855-355-5777.    
• If enrolled in Medicaid through either your county’s Medicaid office or through New York City’s Human Resources Administration (HRA), there are also many people available to help for free. Contact the office where you enrolled to ask questions and get help with renewing insurance.  
• Government agencies will never threaten, demand payment, or ask for credit information in a text message, email, or phone call.   
• Many websites will try to make residents think that they are the official New York State health insurance marketplace. There is only one official NY State of Health website.
• Submitting contact information to some websites may lead to calls, texts, or emails from scammers.
• Report suspected fraud.   

Enrollment in Medicaid, Child Health Plus, and the Essential plan is open year-round. However, New York state requires enrollees to renew their eligibility for these health plans every 12 months, although the annual renewal was suspended during the COVID-19 emergency. Enrollees are being sent renewal notices well in advance of their coverage end dates with detailed instructions on how to stay covered and their deadline to renew.

To enroll in a Qualified Health Plan for 2024, New Yorkers must do so during the open enrollment period that starts on November 16. Enrollment must be completed by December 15 for coverage to begin on January 1, 2024. New Yorkers who experience qualifying life events (for example, a marriage, divorce, or birth of a child) can enroll in a Qualified Health Plan outside of the open enrollment period. It is important to note that most people are eligible for tax credits which lower the monthly costs of a Qualified Health Plan. 

Any New Yorker who suspects that they are a victim of a scam is encouraged to report it to the Office of the Attorney General by submitting a complaint online or calling 1-800-771-7755.  

Statement by New York City Comptroller Brad Lander on FY 2024 Modified Budget

 

New York City Comptroller Brad Lander released the following statement: 

“The budget cuts proposed risk doing harm to the wellbeing of all New Yorkers, especially our most vulnerable.

“City Hall should stop suggesting that asylum seekers are the reason for imposing severe cuts when they are only contributing to a portion of these budget gaps, much of which already existed. It is contradictory of City Hall to simultaneously impose 30- and 60-day time limits that eviscerate the right-to-shelter, but assume they have no budgetary impact. Scapegoating immigrants for those cuts is antithetical to the defining role of New York as a beacon of promise, inscribed at the base of the Statue of Liberty.

“We must continue to press for more state and federal funding. And as my office has been proposing for nearly a year, our focus should be on helping asylum seekers file their Temporary Protected Status and asylum applications, obtain work authorizations, get jobs, move out of shelter and contribute to the economy — to avoid slashing services to them and all New Yorkers.”

Governor Hochul Signs Legislative Package to Protect New York Tenants

 

Legislation S.7456/A.7273 Requires the New York City Housing Authority to Give Residents Timely Notice When Water is Not Safe for Drinking or Cooking

Legislation S.2294A/A.2134A Requires Multifamily Property Owners to Provide an Emergency Contact List of Residents to Emergency Services Personnel Upon Request

Legislation S.358B/A.2258B Prohibits the Installation of Certain Security Devices Used to Control Access to Common Areas of a Residential Building Without Written Permission

Legislation S.548/A.458 Allows the Executor of a Deceased Tenant to Terminate the Tenant’s Lease to Avoid Unnecessary Costs to the Estate and Free Up Units

Governor Kathy Hochul today signed a legislative package to ensure tenants’ safety during certain emergencies, among other security measures. The new legislation requires the New York City Housing Authority to notify residents within 24 hours if NYCHA is advised by a utility or government agency that the water is unsafe for drinking or cooking; requires owners of multifamily buildings to provide the names and contact information of all their building’s residents to emergency services personnel upon request during fires or other emergencies; prohibits the installation of certain building security devices used to access common areas of a residential building without the building’s written permission; and allows the estate of a deceased tenant to terminate a tenant’s lease.

“Every New Yorker deserves access to a safe and healthy home,” Governor Hochul said. “New York has the highest percentage of renters of any state in the nation, and I’m proud to sign this legislation which will ensure tenants have additional, critical protections.”

Legislation S.2294A/A.2134A requires owners of multifamily rental buildings to provide the names and contact information of all their building's residents upon the request of emergency services personnel responding to an emergency, such as a fire, gas leak, or any event where tenants need to be located to determine their safety.

Per the legislation, the owner must obtain specific and informed written consent from tenants and the lists cannot be used or disseminated for other purposes. Owners will need to update the list whenever they enter into, renew, or modify a lease. Based on agreement secured by the Governor to amend the law next session, public housing authorities can update the list upon annual recertification of eligibility for public housing, ensuring this otherwise beneficial legislation does not cause these critical affordable housing sources undue administrative burden.

Legislation S.358B/A.2258B prohibits any person or entity from installing a keyless security device to gain access to a residential building’s common area without express written approval from the building. Thanks to another agreement secured by the Governor with the Legislature, the law will be amended next session to additionally require building owners or managers to give 30 days’ notice to residents of any approved installation, as well as guaranteeing the installation of the devices will neither lead to changes in rent nor cause residents any issues in getting into their buildings.

Legislation S.548/A.458 allows the executor, administrator, or legal representative of a deceased tenant to terminate the tenant’s lease upon written notice to the landlord. The bill safeguards both the estate’s and the landlord’s financial security by allowing the estate to stop paying rent while requiring the estate to pay any outstanding charges owed to the building at the time of termination. The legislation also lets rental units get back onto the market more quickly, helping future tenants find housing.

NYC PUBLIC ADVOCATE'S STATEMENT ON FY24 BUDGET MODIFICATIONS

 

"Yesterday, the mayor celebrated an increase in public school enrollment, driven primarily by the migrant families who have come to our city seeking asylum, as a sign that ‘New York is back.’ Today, he released a budget that slashes public education funding, along with services throughout the city, and cast blame on the arrival of those same families, justifying cuts that will harm all New Yorkers by pointing to the most vulnerable. This repeated strategy by the administration pits the New Yorkers who have less against new New Yorkers who have least, and it is irresponsible messaging and governance. 

"Every time the city has faced a challenge in the last two years, the answer from the administration has been to cut. Blaming fiscal woes solely on the asylum crisis, even though, truthfully, has absolutely impacted our budget, it only explains a portion of a shortfall we've anticipated long before the first bus arrived. These cuts aren’t abstract, and do real harm to our systems of government and New Yorkers relying on those services. While there is a clear and urgent need for additional funding and resources from the state and federal government, the mayor should come to the table with a scalpel instead of cuts across the board. He should also reconsider the administration's annual opposition to supporting common sense revenue raising options that ensure the city can continue to uphold its fiscal responsibility and moral responsibility at the same time."

MAYOR ADAMS, GOVERNOR HOCHUL RELEASE DETAILS FOR FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND JOB AND EDUCATION HUB FOR GROWING HEALTH SECTOR

 

New Master Plan and Design RFP Advance SPARC Kips Bay Project, Future Anchor of NYC Life Sciences Industry

 

Project Will Create More Than 15,000 Jobs, Generate $42 Billion in Economic Impact

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), and The City University of New York (CUNY) today unveiled the Science Park and Research Campus (SPARC) Kips Bay Master Plan for this first-of-its-kind life sciences career and education hub that will anchor the industry in New York. Arriving just over one year since SPARC Kips Bay was announced, the master plan unveils key project details, including a new site plan and conceptual design, a new model for education and job training pipelines, and updated economic impact projections showing how significantly it will further New York City’s role as a global leader in creating and attracting accessible jobs in life sciences, health care, and public health by creating a pipeline from local public schools to careers in these essential sectors. The project is expected to create more than 15,000 total jobs and generate $42 billion in economic impact. 

In addition to the master plan, the Adams administration launched a new community task force led by NYCEDC to shape and steer the project’s vision and released a request for proposals (RFP) for design of key public space, community infrastructure, and a pedestrian bridge for the project’s first phase. The major steps for this critical project come as part of Mayor Adams’ “Working People’s Tour,” continuing to create jobs and power New York City’s economic recovery after the city recovered  all of the nearly 1 million jobs lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“It’s no secret that New York City has the most talented workers, and the SPARC Kips Bay campus will continue this legacy by creating more than 12,000 jobs right here in Manhattan,” said Mayor Adams. “This campus will be a bridge to the next generation, preparing New York City students of today for the jobs of tomorrow in a rapidly growing sector with higher education opportunities through our academic partners at CUNY and internships at every level. This project will help us create a healthier, more prosperous city through true community engagement and public-private partnership.” 

“The SPARC Kips Bay Master Plan is New York’s road map to establishing a hub for innovation, job growth, and education in the life sciences right in the heart of Manhattan,” said Governor Hochul. “With a projected 15,000 jobs and $42 billion in economic impact over the next 30 years, SPARC Kips Bay will help to build on statewide efforts like New York’s transformative Life Science Initiative to grow 21^st-century businesses and jobs and ensure that the future of medicine starts in New York.”

With new details and projections released in the master plan, SPARC Kips Bay is now expected to generate approximately $42 billion in economic impact over the next 30 years; create 15,000 jobs, including12,000 construction and 3,100 permanent jobs in the life sciences sector; and transform an entire city block — with up to 2 million square feet of academic, public health, and life sciences space, advancing the LifeSci NYC goal of 10 million square feet of life sciences space by 2030.

View of SPARC Kips Bay, looking northeast from First Avenue and 25^th Street.

Credit: SOM/ Miysis

 

 

View from SPARC Square, looking west. Credit: SOM/Mysis

Aerial view of the SPARC campus within the Manhattan skyline. Credit: SOM/Mysis

The project will continue this legacy of successful public-private partnerships to help New York grow its life sciences industry, as supported by LifeSci NYC — a $1 billion initiative overseen by NYCEDC — to create 40,000 jobs over the next 10 to 15 years. Most recently, Mayor Adams and Governor Hochul announced alongside the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) plans for the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub New York, a new biomedical research hub in New York City that will leverage a nearly $300 million public-private investment to drive collaboration between leading research institutions and solve significant scientific challenges.

SPARC Kips Bay Master Plan: The SPARC Kips Bay Master Plan outlines key new project details, including a new site plan and conceptual design of the transformation of this city block. Additional highlights of the SPARC Master Plan include:

• Transforming the Hunter College Brookdale Campus into a more public and inviting campus with active ground floor spaces, neighborhood-serving retail, and public spaces for the community;
• A unique model for education and job training that co-locates secondary and post-secondary education with industry and public health institutions to better connect New Yorkers to new career pathways through hands-on learning and training at all stages of their careers; and
• Establishing a unified plan to implement the project that meets both the needs of the campus institutions and broader neighborhood.

Community Task Force: In addition to the master plan, NYCEDC launched the SPARC Kips Bay Community Task Force — co-chaired by New York City Councilmember Keith Powers and Manhattan Community Board 6 — to facilitate a substantive partnership with local stakeholders. The task force will convene on a regular basis and engage elected leaders, civic advocates, residents, and local community partners.

Workforce Development Task Force: NYCEDC and the Mayor’s Office of Talent and Workforce Development will also convene the SPARC Kips Bay Education, Training, and Workforce Development Task Force alongside CUNY, the New York City Department of Education (DOE), the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner (OCME), NYC Health + Hospitals (H+H), and citywide industry and workforce organizations to help shape the workforce opportunity at the future campus. The task force will inform new curriculum development to support the industries at SPARC Kips Bay and advance apprenticeships and other career-connected learning models to leverage the co-location of education and public and private industry.

First Phase of Design RFP: NYCEDC is releasing an RFP to procure a designer for the first phase of the project, including modern facilities for CUNY and DOE and long-overdue community infrastructure — notably one acre of new open space and improved public realm investment, neighborhood resiliency, and a new universally accessible pedestrian bridge at East 25^th Street.

Tech Forward Life Sciences Center: NYCEDC is releasing a request for expressions of interest in Q1 2024 to solicit interest from academic, research, and newly formed consortia to establish a Tech Forward Life Sciences Center at SPARC Kips Bay.

SPARC Kips Bay will be anchored by new, modern facilities for students from the Hunter College School of Nursing and School of Health Professions, the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, and the Borough of Manhattan Community College’s multiple health care programs. The hub will also feature:

• An H+H/Bellevue ambulatory care center that will offer screenings, same-day procedures, diagnostics, and preventative care — reducing average wait times for patients by up to seven days;
• A co-locating H+H Nursing Advanced Practice Center that will serve H+H employees systemwide and allow CUNY students and others to simulate real-life medical situations in an educational setting;
• A DOE FutureReady NYC high school providing hands-on and career-connected learning in health care and sciences to prepare students for secondary education and careers in these growing sectors by leveraging partnerships with partner institutions;
• A new OCME Forensic Pathology Center, which will be a nation-leading training facility for forensic pathologists, with a 24/7, year-round operational schedule; and
• New life sciences office space, dry and wet labs, and translational research facilities that focus on growth trends in the industry like the use of machine learning for drug discovery.

“We are moving full speed ahead with SPARC Kips Bay, a first-of-its-kind hub for jobs, workforce training and education in New York State that will create thousands of employment opportunities for New Yorkers while also generating research and treatments with global benefits,” said Deputy Mayor of Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Maria Torres-Springer. “I want to thank all of our partners for their commitment to this bold initiative and to the generations of scientists, students, entrepreneurs and public servants whose work at SPARC Kips Bay will help accelerate the growth of life sciences in our city while advancing the health of New Yorkers and people around the world.”

"Just over a year ago, we announced the vision for SPARC Kips Bay, a transformative project that will cement New York City as the global leader in the life sciences industry while building a more vibrant and inclusive economy,” said NYCEDC President and CEO Andrew Kimball. “With the release of the master plan, the formation of the SPARC Kips Bay Community Task Force and the Education, Training, and Workforce Development Task Force, and release of the design RFP, we are taking a major step forward in turning vision to reality by building a unique campus and ecosystem connecting DOE high school students as well as CUNY graduate and undergraduate students with the jobs of today and the future in the private sector life sciences industry and in key government health agencies. SPARC Kips Bay will not only generate enormous economic impact, create tens of thousands of jobs, update outdated city agency buildings, and create an industry pipeline for New Yorkers, but it will bring dramatic improvements to the public realm in Kips Bay.”

“The thoughtful and comprehensive SPARC Kips Bay Master Plan is an exciting step forward as we work to bring together three CUNY schools and programs into a single campus to advance research, education and practice in the life sciences, health care and public health sectors and expand the college-to-career pipeline for thousands of CUNY students,” said CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez.

“The New York City region leads the country in life sciences, and with projects like this, it’s easy to see why. SPARC is a long-term investment in education, jobs, health care, and public space — a big win that will reverberate for decades to come,” said New York City Department of City Planning Director and City Planning Commission Chair Dan Garodnick. “As our economy continues to evolve, it’s great to see the East Side of Manhattan become a center of global innovation. And with ‘City of Yes for Economic Opportunity,’ we’re going to help more of these important life science facilities open and expand in our city.”

“I am thrilled to see the city’s vision for career-connected learning and workforce development captured so perfectly in brick and mortar via the SPARC master plan released today,” said Mayor’s Office of Talent and Workforce Development Executive Director Abby Jo Sigal. “SPARC co-locates the full spectrum of public-private partners necessary to position New Yorkers for career success in health care and life sciences. I am excited by a future when a New York City public high school student can have a hands-on learning experience in a corporate life sciences lab and then decide to enroll in Hunter’s flagship nursing program, which includes gaining essential professional skills through on-the-job learning at a Health + Hospitals site. And that this all can happen without ever leaving the SPARC campus.”

“As a world leader in forensic pathology with roots in the neighborhood that extend over a century, we are excited to take this next step in the SPARC Kips Bay project under the leadership of Mayor Adams and Governor Hochul, in collaboration with many inspiring partners,” said New York City Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Jason Graham. “The emerging outline for SPARC Kips Bay promises to elevate our crucial operations in service of New Yorkers, while transforming the surrounding community with opportunities for young people to pursue careers in public health, health care, and the life sciences.”

“This bold project, spearheaded by Mayor Adams and Governor Hochul, showcases cross-agency cooperation and will transform an entire city block into a state-of-the-art hub for the life sciences industry,” said New York City School Construction Authority President and CEO Nina Kubota. “With a cutting-edge school within this life sciences and public health campus promises new and exciting opportunities for students venturing into careers within these thriving industries, the project will drive continued investment and economic activity for years to come."

“The SPARC master plan represents an exciting step forward, propelling our city into a new era of innovation and opportunity,” said “New” New York Executive Director B.J. Jones. “With a vision for a dynamic ecosystem that integrates biotech companies, educational institutions, and healthcare facilities, the Adams Administration is building a bridge from education to real-world careers, empowering students and workers to thrive in the life sciences industry."

SPARC Kips Bay is expected to enter into the city’s Uniform Land Use and Review Procedure in spring 2024, break ground in late 2025, and be completed by the end of 2031.

SPARC Kips Bay complements New York State’s $620 million Life Science Initiative, designed to spur the growth of a world-class life science research cluster in New York, as well as expand the state's ability to commercialize this research and grow the economy. This multifaceted initiative includes $320 million for strategic programs that attract new life science technologies to the state, promote critical public and private sector investment in emerging life science fields and create and expand life science-related businesses and employment throughout New York.

“As New York continues to reinvigorate its economy, we must invest in development projects that will help New York City deepen its role as a leader in healthcare and life sciences infrastructure, creating thousands of family sustaining careers along the way,” said Gary LaBarbera, president, Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York. “The SPARC Kips Bay plan drives New York’s leadership in research and scientific advancement forward with a public health and education hub that will also pave accessible paths to the middle class for our hardworking people, including the union workers who will help build it from the ground up. We applaud Mayor Adams and Governor Hochul for their continued commitment to driving forward these initiatives that will further economic growth and improve the lives of all New Yorkers.”

"Focused, resourced, and sustained linkages between economic development in our city and state and high quality workforce training will always be the most essential drivers of job creation. The SPARC Kips Bay campus design and approach advances our shared desire to position NYC as a global leader in life sciences and health care - opening up new and dynamic education and employment opportunities for generations of New Yorkers - while enhancing and improving accessibility to our public spaces," said Gregory J Morris, CEO, New York City Employment and Training Coalition. "We are enthusiastic about engaging in current and future efforts to build public and private industry partnerships as well as college and career connections at SPARC Kips Bay. Our collective success will help to ensure that we are meeting the public health challenges of the future while supporting inclusivity and diversity of opportunity in a high wage, high growth sector."   

"SOM is proud of our work with NYCEDC to devise a master plan that integrates a diverse range of education, health care, and research programs into a vertical campus seamlessly connected to adjacent open spaces and healthcare facilities" said SOM Principal Keith O'Connor. "Anchored on First Avenue, the fully resilient campus embraces the new SPARC Square and offers spectacular views of the East River. SPARC will welcome visitors, students and scientists with modern buildings, landscapes, and infrastructure that will support cutting-edge research for decades to come.”

Council Member Marjorie Velázquez - 🦃Thanksgiving Turkey Distribution🦃

 

Dear Neighbor,

This year, I have the privilege of partnering with New York State Senators Jamaal T. Bailey, Nathalia Fernandez, and Gustavo Rivera, and New York State Assembly members Michael Benedetto and John Zaccaro Jr. in hosting several Thanksgiving Turkey Distributions throughout the district. Our mission is to ensure no one in our community goes without this holiday season, especially as food insecurity grows throughout the district.

Please register to ensure we have a turkey for you.  Any turkeys left over at the end of the distribution will be given out on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Important Information

• Turkeys are limited to one (1) per household.

• Limited Kosher turkeys are available at Bronx House

If you would like to register, please click the link associated with the location you would like to pick up your turkey. If you need assistance, call 718-931-1721.

Monday, November 20 @ 3 PM - 5 PM

Pelham Parkway Houses

780 Astor Avenue

Bronx, NY 10467

Monday, November 20 @ 4 PM - 6 PM

Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club

550 Balcom Avenue

Bronx, NY 10465

Monday, November 20 @ 5 PM - 7 PM

Bronx House

990 Pelham Parkway South

Bronx, NY 10461

Pelham Parkway

Kipps Bay/Throggs Neck

Bronx House