Are refugees eligible for Medicaid? USCRI Albany enrolls all refugees in Medicaid when they arrive in the United States. Refugees are automatically eligible for Medicaid for their first 8 months in the United States. After that time, refugees have to re-certify, and are subject to the same qualifying criteria as everyone else (income, family size, etc). Medicaid recipients must periodically re-certify (if they obtained Medicaid through DSS), or re-enroll (if they obtained Medicaid or other health insurance via the New York State of Health). For more information about the Medicaid program click here.
What health screenings do refugees receive? All refugees must undergo, and pass, am exhaustive health screening overseas before being approved for resettlement in the United States. They are screened for communicable diseases and any important issues are communicated to their United States resettlement site in advance of their arrival. A record of the exam is sent with them when they travel to the United States. USCRI keeps a copy of these records in each family’s case file, the originals stay with the family. The refugee must bring these records with them to their domestic health screening, where a copy is made and kept in their medical file.
How does the domestic health screening (Refugee Health Assessment) work? Refugees must have a Refugee Health Assessment within 30-90 days after arriving in the United States. In New York State, the New York State Department of Health contracts with local facilities to complete this. In Albany, they are the St. Peter's Rensselaer Health Center, The IMA Group, Koinonia Primary Care and Whitney M. Young Jr. Health Center.
The Refugee Health Assessment is a series of 2-4 appointments: a physical examination by a physician, a TB screening (PPD), blood work, and stool samples. Refugee Health Providers help refugees link to other services including mental health, dental, and specialists. Refugees have the option to continue primary care with the same providers that conducted the Refugee Health Assessment.
How can I help a refugee fill their prescriptions or get medications they need? Prescriptions can be filled through local pharmacies, such as Rite Aid or CVS, by presenting the patient’s health insurance card (usually CDPHP or Fidelis), along with the prescription script. If you are trying to assist a refugee family, you need to know that health plans may restrict the member to getting prescription meds through a particular pharmacy chain. For example, if a refugee has selected CDPHP as the health insurance plan, they must get their prescriptions filled at CVS pharmacies if they want the meds covered.
You can help a refugee family choose a pharmacy that’s convenient for them and that will accept their insurance.
You can help a refugee family learn how to use a pharmacy to fill and re-fill their prescriptions.
By state law, chain pharmacies must provide telephonic language interpretation. It is important to understand how to take the medications properly, so you can help by encouraging adult family members to ask questions at the pharmacy to be sure that they understand.
You can also help by explaining the importance of securing the medicine at home – keeping it out of the reach of children.
You can help by explaining how to properly dispose of any unused or expired medicines.
Refugees resettled in Albany by USCRI are immediately enrolled in Medicaid, which is activated by the Department of Social Services 30-45 days after arrival. Coverage is retroactive to the date of arrival. New arrivals are all enrolled in Medicaid by USCRI, if a refugee requires a prescription before Medicaid has become active they have to wait until their Medicaid is active (30-45 days after arrival), or need to work with a USCRI staff person to urge the Department of Social Services to approve emergency Medicaid for them.
What is the process for Medicaid recertification? Medicaid recipients should receive a notification in the mail stating that it’s time to renew their coverage. Recipients should follow the instructions included. If a Medicaid recipient misses the renewal deadline, they will have to renew via mail rather than by phone – the process may require more documentation if a deadline is missed. You may call New York Health Options at 1-855-693-6765, they use telephonic interpreters who can help over the phone. For more information click here.
What should a refugee do if they receive a medical bill? If a refugee has received their Medicaid card, or has their Medicaid account number, they can call the billing department listed on the medical bill and ask them to resubmit the bill to their Medicaid account or provider. Mentors and volunteers can help refugees make this call. If a refugee has not received their medicaid card yet, or does not know their account number, they can bring their medical bill into the USCRI Albany office to obtain further assistance.
For health services refugees receive within 8 months after arrival: Medicaid may not have been active yet on the date of the service, but the coverage is made retroactive to date of arrival. You can call the billing office of the health services provider and give them the medicaid identification number and they can (re)submit a claim to medicaid.
You can call the medicaid case worker.
Serviced beyond 8 months: depends on health coverage (check policy/benefits).
Where can refugees go for primary care? How do I know if a refugee has a primary care physician (PCP)? Refugees may opt to establish PCP with the provider that conducted their refugee health assessment. You can check with the refugee health provider to see if the refugee is an established patient.
How do I help a refugee make a health specialist appointment? Yes, volunteers can help refugees find a health specialist that accepts their insurance, but the PCP should be referring the patient to a specialist as medically appropriate. A volunteer can help ensure that the specialist to whom the refugee is referred is one that offers language interpretation and the volunteer can make sure that the need for language interpretation on the day of the specialist appointment has been arranged. Specialists through Albany Medical Center or St.Peter's Health Partners are more likely to provide interpretation services for refugee clients.
Will an interpreter be provided to a refugee at a health appointment? According to Federal law Title VI of Civil Rights Act, any provider who accepts Federal funds, including Medicaid, must provide adequate interpretation to ensure equal access to services for patients with limited English proficiency. Unfortunately, there is little to no enforcement of this mandate, and many providers do not have a system in place that provides qualified interpreters. Many providers expect a patient with limited English proficiency (LEP) to bring a family member or friend to interpret. This is never okay in a health setting.
This Public Service Announcement, from the Texas Association of Healthcare Interpreters and Translators highlights the importance of interpretation services for patients with limited English Proficiency.
In the Capital Region, facilities that are affiliated with a hospital network (St. Peter’s, Albany Medical Center) or federally qualified community health clinic (Whitney Young) are the most likely to have interpretation services available. These are usually via telephone, but may sometimes be provided in-person. Refugees should know that they can always request an interpreter. USCRI Albany and other sites have “I Speak” cards available that state the language the client speaks and that they require an interpreter. Volunteers can also assist in advocating for qualified interpreter services.
How can refugees get transportation to health appointment? In all cases, it is best if you help a refugee learn how to get themselves to their appointments. Look up the bus route for them, ride the bus with them, and show them how they can do these things on their own in the future.
However, USCRI Albany can help in certain cases. USCRI Albany's Patient Navigator Volunteer (PNV) Program enlists volunteers to help refugees get to their health appointments by providing transportation and waiting room advocacy. With a few days notice, the PNV coordinator may be able to find a volunteer to help, but often there are more appointments than available volunteers. Please call the USCRI Albany office at 518-459-1790 for more information. If you are interested in volunteering, you may download a PNV form here.
I heard that a refugee I interact with has tuberculosis (TB), am I at risk? Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by a bacterium. Not everyone infected with TB bacteria becomes sick. As a result, there are two TB-related conditions: latent TB infection (LTBI) and TB disease. People with LTBI have the bacteria in their body, but do not have signs and symptoms of TB disease, and they cannot spread TB to others. About 5-10% of people with LTBI will develop TB disease over their lifetime if not treated.
All refugees and immigrants are screened for TB prior to coming to the U.S. No one with an active (contagious) case of TB is allowed to travel to the United States. Progression from untreated LTBI to TB disease accounts for approximately 80% of U.S. TB cases. LTBI treatment is essential for controlling and eliminating TB disease in the U.S.
If you are working with a refugee for whom a TB evaluation and/or treatment has been recommended, encourage them to follow through with that process.
Specific questions may be addressed to the New York State Department of Health Bureau of Tuberculosis Control: [email protected].
What are the differences between the classes of conditions for incoming immigrants? Class A Conditions are illnesses of public health importance that prohibit a person from entering the United States due to the infectious nature of these diseases. These conditions include the following:
Addiction or abuse of specific substance without harmful behavior
Mental disorder with harmful behavior or history of such behavior, along with likelihood that behavior will recur.
Quarantinable diseases designated by any Presidential Executive Order: cholera, diphtheria, infectious tuberculosis, plague, smallpox, yellow fever, viral hemorrhagic fevers, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and novel influenza (e.g. pandemic flu).
Events that are reportable as a public health emergency of international concern to the World Health Organization under the International Health Regulations of 2005: polio, smallpox, SARS, novel/pandemic influenza (flu), and other public health emergencies of international concern.
Class B Conditions are physical or mental disorders that are significant enough to interfere with a person’s ability to care for himself and may require extensive medical treatment or institutionalization but is NOT contagious and does not exclude immigration to the United States.
Where can a pregnant refugee obtain prenatal services? St. Peter’s Family Health Clinic on South Pearl Street has served many pregnant refugee women, who usually then deliver at St. Peter’s Hospital where maternity ward nurses have had some training in working with refugees. However, refugees can receive services anywhere their insurance is accepted. For additional information on providers for women’s reproductive health that offer language interpretation, click here.
Are refugees eligible for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC)? Yes! WIC provides nutrition education, breastfeeding support, referrals, and a variety of nutritious foods to low-income pregnant, breastfeeding or postpartum women, infants and children up to age five in order to promote and support good health. For more information click here.
Refugees can enroll through two providers in Albany: Whitney M. Young Health Services and Women Health Center at Albany Medical Center. If refugees arrive with young children or a refugee woman is pregnant when she arrives, the USCRI Albany staff will enroll them in the WIC program. Refugees may need additional support understanding how to use their WIC coupons, WIC staff generally are very helpful.
Where can refugees receive family planning services? Many refugee women want information about family planning options. Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood in Albany is very familiar with refugees, having participated in several tailored outreach events. They accept Medicaid, in addition to other health plans, and are very open to seeing refugee clients. For more information, call 434-5678.
What maternity and women's health resources are available to refugees? A number of health care facilities provide maternal health services to refugee populations in the Albany area. These health centers accept Medicaid or a Medicaid managed care health insurance plan, and provide free telephone language interpreter services to patients with limited English language proficiency. Maternal and adult medical care can be accessed at the following health facilities: St. Peter’s Family Health Center, St. Peter’s Rensselaer Health and Dental Center, Whitney M. Young, Jr. Health Center, Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood, Women Infants and Children (WIC), Koinonia Primary Care, Albany Medical Center (obstetrics and gynecology) Concentra Urgent Care (for treatment of minor illness and injuries). You can download a complete list of theses facilities and their contact information here.
Community Cradleis a non-profit organization which aims to improve the health and well-being of women, children and families in the Greater Capital Region by providing educational programs and resources for consumers and providers. Community Cradle have partnered with USCRI, St. Peter’s Hospital, pregnant refugees and their volunteers in order to provide culturally appropriate care to refugee women and their families.
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC)offers nutrition education, breastfeeding support, referrals and a variety of nutritious foods to low-income pregnant, breastfeeding or postpartum women, infants and children up to age five to promote and support good health. Refugees can enroll through two providers in Albany: Whitney M. Young Health Services and Women Health Center at Albany Medical Center. If refugees arrive with young children or a refugee woman is pregnant when she arrives, the USCRI Albany staff will enroll them in the WIC program. Refugees may need additional support understanding how to use their WIC coupons, WIC staff generally are very helpful.
Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood (UHPP)is a non-profit organization that provides reproductive health care and sex education to communities in the Greater Capital Region. UHPP has three health centers and its services are available to populations in the Albany, Columbia, Greene, and Rensselaer Counties. UUPH informs, educates and advocates for policies that enable communities to access comprehensive reproductive and sexual health care, education, and information. UHPP provides reproductive and sexual health education and information to refugee women, men as well as refugee service providers in the Capital Region.
Child Birth Classes and Other Education BirthNet is a non-profit organization which provides resources and classes about maternity care and maternal health. BirthNet has also created a directory of midwives in the Capital Region that is available on their website.
Midwifery Care The American Pregnancy Association website has complied information on Midwives and Midwife certification practices. Local Care Midwifery is a midwifery practice operating in the Capital Region.
Additional Resources The following websites offer some additional resources for maternal health support and information on choosing a maternal health provider:
Are there free health or immunization clinics in Albany? Yes! The clinics and organizations listed below all provide free or low cost medical services.
Whitney M. Young Jr. Health Center This is a health care center funded by the federal government. This means even if you have no insurance you can be covered. The center is also income based for those making an income. This health center can cover services such as checkups, treatment, pregnancy care (where applicable), immunizations and child care (where applicable), prescription medicine and mental and substance abuse where applicable. For full details, call (518) 465-4771.
Albany County Department of Health Immunization Program Vaccines are provided against childhood diseases for infants and children to meet school and child care requirements. Clinics are held on weekdays as well as during evening hours on the first and third Wednesday of the month. For more information and appointments, please call 447-4589. Adult and college immunizations are also available by appointment please call (518) 447-4589.
Are interpreters available for healthcare appointments, and how do I request one? Ensuring that clients understand all the information provided to them during a healthcare appointment is extremely important, and many providers in the Capital Region offer interpretation services in the languages spoken by the area's refugee populations. The cost of these interpreters is now covered by Medicaid. Refugees typically seek medical care from facilities, such as St. Peters that provide language interpretation. A list of healthcare providers in the region who provided phone interpretation services can be downloaded here. It is typically not necessary to call ahead and notify the healthcare provider that an interpreter will be needed.
What kind of health screenings do refugees go through before arriving? All refugees must undergo an health screening overseas before being approved for resettlement. They are screened for communicable diseases and important issues are communicated to their United States resettlement site in advance of their arrival. A record of the exam is sent with them when they travel to the Unites States. USCRI Albany keeps a copy of these records in each family’s case file, the originals stay with the family.
Where can I find information regarding domestic abuse for refugees? Click here for a downloadable list of resources and helpful tips from the Office of Temporary Disability Services.