MetroPlusHealth Opens Enrollment for its Gold Health Plan 

“Champion Gold Room Celebration” at MetroPlusHealth Headquarters to kick off series of events throughout the city

Gold Open Enrollment runs November 1 – November 30

(NEW YORK, NY – November 1, 2023) – MetroPlusHealth, New York City’s high-quality and affordable health plan, released the findings of its third annual MetroPlusHealth Healthy People Study today, which measures national and NYC consumers’ attitudes towards their health care and what they care about most as it relates to cost, quality of care, and their health insurance plans.

Findings from the survey underscore the escalating concern among New Yorkers regarding health care costs, with 89% finding it to be too expensive, a sentiment that has been on a three-year rise and tracks closely with national survey respondents. Key insights from the MetroPlusHealth Healthy People Study include:

• 46% of New Yorkers avoid visiting the doctor due to cost uncertainties, also a three year high, up from 43% in 2022 and 40% in 2021.
• Nearly 6 out of 10 New Yorkers (58%) worry they’ll go into debt because of health care expenses, a stat that is up from 54% in 2022 and 52% in 2021, respectively.
• 85% of New Yorkers believe health insurance should cover mental health at $0.

“New York is recovering, but growth could be hindered by mounting concerns over escalating health care costs,” said Mitchell Katz, MD, President, and CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals. “That is why it is so critical to have a health care system that provides exceptional quality care at an affordable rate.”

Talya Schwartz, MD, President, & CEO of MetroPlusHealth, added, “Our Gold Plan embodies our commitment to providing top-tier health care to New York City employees, ensuring it is not only high-quality but also easily accessible.  By eliminating financial barriers like copays and premiums, we empower City employees to prioritize their health and well-being and that of their families.”

During the pandemic, many City and health care workers were celebrated as heroes as they worked selflessly to care for the sick and save countless lives. However, as a result, nearly 40% of health care workers developed PTSD and experienced burnout from COVID-19. With MetroPlusHealth Gold Plan, all members get unlimited mental health visits, with $0 copays.

The Gold Health Plan is offered exclusively to all New York City (NYC) employees, non-Medicare eligible retirees, their spouses or qualified domestic partners, and eligible dependents. In addition, to unlimited mental health visits, the plan provides comprehensive benefits which include $0 copays, $0 premiums, $0 prescription drug coverage, and $0 unlimited telehealth services, offering a zero-cost solution to alleviate the financial burden of health care for City workers.   MetroPlusHealth members have access to an expansive network of 40+ prestigious hospitals including NYU Langone and Mount Sinai, over 34,000 top care providers, and 110+ urgent care sites – including CityMD – across all five boroughs. Additional perks include up to $1,000 for fitness activities and reimbursements towards weight loss. MetroPlusHealth’s Gold Plan enrollment runs November 1 – 30, 2023.

MetroPlusHealth will kick off its Gold Plan enrollment with a “Champion Gold Room Celebration” on November 2, 2023, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, at 50 Water Street. City employees can register here to attend the kickoff event.  The “Champion Gold Room Celebration” is part of a series of MetroPlusHealth Gold events taking place throughout the city to engage and educate City employees about MetroPlusHealth’s benefits and services. Attendees will enjoy free, nutritious snacks and beverages, essential information, capture the moment at a photobooth, enjoy the live music provided by a DJ, and indulge in upper body & hand massages.

For more information about MetroPlusHealth Gold, please visit: metroplus.org/gold.

About MetroPlusHealth

Since 1985, MetroPlusHealth has helped the people of New York City get quality health care at little to no cost. MetroPlusHealth is the plan of choice for over 700,000 New Yorkers, and its commercial and government-sponsored plans meet the needs of individuals, families, and workforces. The MetroPlusHealth staff speaks more than 40 languages and is as diverse as the great City it serves. MetroPlusHealth is part of NYC Health + Hospitals, the nation’s largest public health system. For more information, visit metroplus.org. Join the conversation on social media at @metroplushealth.

MEDIA CONTACT: Michelle Dominguez; [email protected]

National Survey Methodology: This CARAVAN survey was conducted online by Big Village among a sample of 2,016 adults 18 years of age and older. The online omnibus study is conducted three times a week among a demographically representative U.S. sample of 1,000 adults 18 years of age and older. This survey was live on September 25-29, 2023.

NYC Survey Methodology: This Geo CARAVAN survey was conducted online by Big Village among a sample of 1,005 residents in the New York City MSA 18 years of age and older. This survey was live on September 26-October 1, 2023.

About Big Village
Big Village Insights is a global research and analytics business uncovering not just the ‘what’ but the ‘why’ behind customer behavior, supporting clients’ insights needs with agile tools, CX research, branding, product innovation, data & analytics, and more. Big Village Insights is part of Bright Mountain Media. Find out more at https://big-village.com/.