FIDA Program Announcement Letter for eligible Nassau county residents

December 2014

[Barcode] [Letter Code]
Jane Sample
123 Main Street
Anytown, NY 12345

Important information about a new program that can change the way you get your Medicare and Medicaid services

Dear Jane Sample:                                 [Benefit ID #]

Do you have Medicare and Medicaid? The New York State Department of Health has a new program that can make it easier for you to get your care. It is called Fully Integrated Duals Advantage (FIDA).

What is the FIDA Program?

It is a program that gives you all your Medicare and Medicaid benefits in one managed care plan.

You will get all your services, like doctor and hospital visits, medicines, long- term care services like home care and nursing home care, and more in one plan through the FIDA program. And you will have one ID card and one customer service number for all your questions and needs.

The goal of FIDA is to help you get all the care you need - more easily!

When does the FIDA program start?

It starts on January 1, 2015. You may be able to join one of the FIDA plans on January 1, 2015 if you apply now.

You may be able to join the FIDA program if you:

  • Are 21 or older, and
  • Get both Medicare and Medicaid benefits, and
  • Need long-term care like home care and nursing home care

If you have an end-stage renal disease (ESRD), you may still join the FIDA program.

What makes the FIDA program different?

With FIDA, you get all your Medicare and Medicaid benefits from one plan:

  • Prescription drugs covered by Medicare Part D and Medicaid
  • All the benefits you get now or that you might need, like help with personal hygiene, getting around in your house, getting dressed, and taking medicines. This includes home care if you are at home or nursing home care.
  • A care manager who will coordinate all the services you need - like making appointments with your doctors and arranging for your transportation.

You will not have to pay anything to your plan.

  • No plan premiums
  • No deductibles
  • No copayments

You also get a Care Team that will:

  • Help you create your new care plan
  • Help you get your Medicaid and Medicare benefits
  • Include you, your care manager, and any people you choose to help you make decisions, like your family members, your doctor, nurse or a personal attendant.

What should you do next?

  • Show this letter to your family or to the people who help you make choices about your health care.
  • Read the list of plans that are part of the FIDA program. You can join any plan on the list.
  • Call New York Medicaid Choice (NYMC) at the phone number on the last page of this letter or read more online at www.nymedicaidchoice.com.

Want to sign up now?

Generally, you can sign up for one of the FIDA plans at any time. However, the following rules apply:

Sign up for a FIDA plan on: Join the FIDA plan on:
December 20, 2014 before 12 pm January 1, 2015
December 20, 2014 after 12 pm February 1, 2015

If you have any questions, please call New York Medicaid Choice (NYMC) or connect with the ombudsman office through the Independent Consumer Advocacy Network (ICAN) at the phone numbers on the other side of this page.

Thank you,
New York State Department of Health

Questions?

New York Medicaid Choice

For questions about FIDA program and your Medicaid benefits

Call: 1-855-600-3432
TTY users: 1-888-329-1541
A free interpreter: 1-855-600-3432

Monday-Friday, 8:30 am - 8:00 pm
Saturday, 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

The call and the help are free.

Website: www.nymedicaidchoice.com

Medicare

For questions about your Medicare benefits

Call: 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227)
TTY users: 1-877-486-2048

24 hours a day, 7 days a week

The call and the help are free.

Website: www.medicare.gov

Independent Consumer Advocacy Network (ICAN)

For questions about your rights

Call: 1-844-614-8800
TTY users: 711
A free interpreter: 1-844-614-8800

Monday-Friday, 8:00 am - 8:00 pm

The call and the help are free.

Website: www.icannys.org

FIDA plans available in your county.

Please see, in the left column below, a list of FIDA plans available in your county. For your convenience, we included, in the right column, short versions of corresponding MLTC plan names.

FIDA Plan MLTC/MAP/PACE PLAN
Aetna Better Health FIDA Plan Aetna
AgeWell New York FIDA AgeWell
CenterLight Healthcare FIDA Plan CenterLight
Elderplan FIDA Total Care Elderplan/HomeFirst
RiverSpring FIDA Plan ElderServe
Fidelis Care FIDA Plan Fidelis
GuildNet Gold Plus FIDA Plan GuildNet
Healthfirst AbsoluteCare FIDA Plan HealthFirst/Senior Health Partners
EmblemHealth Dual Assurance FIDA Plan EmblemHealth/HIP
Integra FIDA Plan Integra
North Shore-LIJ FIDA LiveWell North Shore
VNSNY Choice FIDA Complete VNS/VNS
WellCare Advocate Complete FIDA WellCare