Resources Health care and insurance
Living with HIV: treatment and help
How to get HIV treatment for free without insurance or citizenship, what the City’s HASA offers, and what HIV means for immigration papers.
Which medicine to take and at what dose is for a doctor to decide.
Start here
- The state program ADAP gives HIV medicines for free; citizenship is not required. Apply online: nyucp.providecm.net.
- Any New York City resident with HIV qualifies for the City’s HASA: help with Medicaid, food aid, cash assistance and housing. On the HASA line, say "Russian" and a free interpreter joins.
- Since January 4, 2010, HIV is not a medical reason to refuse a green card.
A state program pays for HIV medicines; citizenship is not required. If your diagnosis is new, book a clinic such as Callen-Lorde or Brooklyn Plaza Medical Center, and apply to the state program online right away.
New York State Uninsured Care Programs (ADAP)
Any statusFree
New York State Health Department programs for state residents with no or not enough insurance and family income below 500% FPL. Citizenship is not required. ADAP (AIDS Drug Assistance Program) gives HIV medicines for free; ADAP Plus gives free primary care at some clinics; HIV Home Care covers care at home; APIC (ADAP Plus Insurance Continuation Program) pays insurance premiums; PrEP-AP helps with PrEP. Apply online at nyucp.providecm.net or by mail on form DOH-2794 (also in Russian: health.ny.gov/forms/doh-2794ru.pdf); decisions take 1–3 business days. Closed November 11 and 26 and December 25, 2026.
Brooklyn Plaza Medical Center, Rising Heights Program
Any statusPrice depends on income
A community clinic in Brooklyn with the Rising Heights program for people with HIV. Help getting insurance, sliding-scale fees, payment plans. Two sites: 1089 President Street, and Medical Center at Benjamin Banneker Academy, 77 Clinton Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11205, Mon–Fri 8 am–5 pm.
HIV/AIDS Services Administration (HASA)
Any statusNYC residentsFree
A unit of the City's benefits agency HRA. HASA manages your case and helps you get benefits and services: Medicaid, SNAP food aid, cash assistance, temporary and permanent housing, rental help, home care, referrals for mental health and substance use care, help with work and transportation, and applying for and appealing federal disability payments SSI/SSD. Since August 29, 2016, any New York City resident with HIV or AIDS qualifies. A HASA worker will explain what you can get. On the HASA phone line, say "Russian" and a free interpreter joins. If you have trouble with HASA, the legal nonprofit Legal Services NYC helps for free: 917-661-4500, press 3 for Russian.
QARAVAN does not provide legal services. Only an immigration lawyer can answer questions about your case.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Policy Manual, Volume 8, Part B, Chapter 6
Any status
The manual for USCIS officers. Since January 4, 2010, HIV is not a medical ground for inadmissibility to the US.
- HIV
- Human immunodeficiency virus.
- PrEP-AP, ADAP, HASA
- Assistance programs: PrEP-AP and ADAP are New York State's; HASA is the City's.
- FPL (federal poverty level)
- The federal poverty level, from which income limits for assistance programs are calculated.
- Sliding scale
- The price depends on your income and can be zero on a very low income.
This is general information, not legal advice: QARAVAN has no lawyers. QARAVAN does not help anyone enter the US and cannot arrange visas, invitations, sponsorship or evacuation. For your own case, talk to a licensed immigration attorney or a representative accredited by the U.S. Department of Justice.