VNSNY CHOICE SelectHealth Expands Service Area
HIV Special Needs Plan Available for Medicaid-Eligible New York State Residents Living Outside of NYC, in Nassau and Westchester Counties
NEW YORK, NY, October 23, 2019—VNSNY CHOICE SelectHealth, a New York State Department of Health Special Needs Plan (SNP) for Medicaid-eligible New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS and/or who identify as transgender or live in a Homeless shelter, will now be available for residents of Nassau and Westchester counties. SelectHealth is the first and only SNP of its kind to be available in New York State outside of New York City. Enrollment is available now.
VNSNY CHOICE SelectHealth has consistently achieved high benchmarks (83% in 2018) for HIV viral load suppression (<200 copies/ml) among its HIV-positive members who receive easy access to care through a team that includes a dedicated HIV-experienced primary care provider, care managers, pharmacists, and a wide variety of specialists in other fields. Similarly, SelectHealth has been successfully treating members with Hepatitis C (HCV) since 2015 with cure rates as high as 98%, comparable with those seen in clinical trial settings.
“Today it is entirely possible for people to enjoy long lives, and live well with HIV,” said Hany Abdelaal, D.O., President of VNSNY CHOICE Health Plans. “Our SelectHealth plan was designed from the beginning to break down common barriers to health care and promote adherence to proven treatment and wellness regimens. This expansion allows us to connect members of New York’s HIV community with the experts and resources they need to lead active and fulfilling lives.”
For more than 15 years, SelectHealth has worked closely with community physicians specializing in HIV and HCV care, and with clinics and Designated AIDS Centers to provide the most comprehensive care and education possible for those at risk for HIV/AIDS or HCV infection. The plan’s emphasis on inclusionary and proactive healthcare is aligned with NYS Governor Andrew Cuomo’s “Ending the Epidemic” efforts, which are aimed at keeping viral loads suppressed, preventing further transmission and supporting the general wellness of people living with or at risk for HIV/AIDS.
SelectHealth is Platinum certified (the highest level awarded) by SAGE, the world’s largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) older people.
About VNSNY CHOICE Health Plans
Created in 1998, VNSNY CHOICE is the managed care affiliate of the Visiting Nurse Service of New York and shares its mission of compassion and care for the poor, the chronically ill and elderly. Our guiding principle is to help the most vulnerable among us live safely and independently for as long as possible in their own homes and communities. On any given day, VNSNY CHOICE coordinates care for more than 25,000 members through its array of Medicare and Medicaid health plans, including Medicaid Long Term Care and Integrated Medicare-Medicaid Long Term Care Plans, and a HIV/Special Needs Plan. With offices in Manhattan, Brooklyn and upstate New York, VNSNY CHOICE health plans are available in the New York City metropolitan area as well as on a plan basis in selected counties throughout New York State.
Medicaid recipients living with HIV/AIDS and/or identifying as transgender or living in a Homeless shelter and residing in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, Nassau or Westchester—and that enrollee’s dependents—may be eligible to enroll in VNSNY CHOICE SelectHealth.
For more information, visit https://www.vnshealthplans.org/selecthealth.
