Resources Health care and insurance
Urgent medical care
What to do when you need medical care right away: when to call 911, what a hospital must do, and where to go if it is not an emergency.
Start here
- If your health is in danger, call 911 or go to an emergency room (ER): the hospital must examine you and stabilize you, even without insurance.
- Thoughts of suicide: call 988 and say "Russian"; an interpreter joins in about 20 seconds. Any time.
- Possible HIV exposure: PEP must start within 72 hours. Go to any ER, which must give you a free interpreter. The 24/7 PEP hotline, 844-373-7692, is in English.
From the call to discharge.
Decide whether it is an emergency
Call 911 for signs of a stroke (weakness on one side of the face or body, trouble seeing or speaking, sudden confusion), a suspected heart attack, severe pain, trouble breathing, seizures, fainting, labor, or any other serious threat to your health. If in doubt, call.
Call 911 or go to the nearest hospital
Give the address and say what is happening. If you don't speak English, say "Russian": the 911 operator will bring in an interpreter. Any nearby emergency room will do, not only a city one: under federal law it must take an emergency patient whether or not they can pay.
Say that you need an interpreter
New York State hospitals must give you a free interpreter. Family and friends are allowed to interpret only if you turn the interpreter down (state rule 10 NYCRR 405.7). Say "I need an interpreter" at the entrance and name your language.
Let the hospital examine you and stabilize your condition
First doctors check whether there is an emergency (labor included), then they must stabilize it. The federal law EMTALA requires this.
If you have no insurance, say so, and ask for a financial counselor
It does not affect emergency care. The hospital's financial counselor will help you apply for Emergency Medicaid and for a discount on the bill. Emergency Medicaid pays for emergency treatment for people who cannot get full Medicaid because of their status.
Keep your papers and do not leave bills unanswered
Ask for your discharge papers and every document, and keep letters from the hospital. You can ask for a discount or for the bill to be canceled at any time, even after it has gone to a collection agency.
Urgent situations and where to go
| Where | What you get | Cost without insurance | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Danger to health or life, severe pain, labor | 911 or the ER of the nearest hospital | An examination and treatment that stabilizes your condition | Care does not depend on whether you can pay; the bill can be reduced later |
| You need a doctor today, but it is not an emergency | ExpressCare (video visits from city hospitals NYC Health + Hospitals), expresscare.nyc | A video visit at any hour, with an interpreter | $145, less on a low income, down to $0 |
| A cold, flu, urinary tract infection, a suspected sexually transmitted infection (STI) | Callen-Lorde Quick Care (a clinic for LGBTQ+ people) | Walk in, or book for the same or next day | By income; no one is turned away for not being able to pay |
| Thoughts of suicide, severe emotional pain | 988 (call, chat, text) | A counselor by phone: say "Russian" and an interpreter joins in about 20 seconds (240+ languages). Chat and text in English and Spanish only | Free; your phone company may charge for the call or text |
| Poisoning or a suspected poisoning | NYC Poison Center, 212-764-7667; say "Russian" and a free interpreter joins; or chat | Advice from a pharmacist or nurse, interpreters in 150+ languages | Free and confidential |
| A possible exposure to HIV in the last 72 hours | Any ER (free interpreter), or the PEP hotline, 844-373-7692, in English | A starter pack and a doctor, whatever your insurance | Medicaid and many insurance plans cover PEP; financial help exists |
You don't have to go to a hospital or wait weeks for an appointment.
ExpressCare (NYC Health + Hospitals)
Any statusPrice depends on income
A video visit with a doctor at any hour while you are in New York State, with interpreters in 200+ languages. Without insurance a visit costs $145, less on a low income, down to $0; a sexual health video visit (Virtual Sexual Health Urgent Care) costs the same. You can also walk in: the ExpressCare center at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln, Mon–Fri 8 am–8 pm, Sat–Sun 10 am–4 pm.
Callen-Lorde Quick Care
Any statusPrice depends on income
Urgent care at a clinic for LGBTQ+ people: walk in (first come, first served) or book for the same or next day. They treat colds, flu, COVID-19, sore throats, ear infections, urinary tract infections and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and test for HIV, STIs, strep, flu, COVID-19, RSV and pregnancy. No X-rays and most specialists are not on site. Urgent dental care for pain or swelling is in Chelsea only. Call and say "Russian": a Russian interpreter is provided on request.
NYC Poison Center
Any statusFree
If someone has swallowed, breathed in, or got a dangerous substance on their skin or in their eyes, call or use the chat right away, even with no symptoms. Do not make them vomit. If the person is unconscious, has seizures or has trouble breathing, call 911. Have ready their name, age and weight, the substance and how much, when it happened, and the symptoms. On the phone, say "Russian" and a free interpreter joins.
If thoughts of hurting yourself won't go away, don't stay alone with them.
988
Any statusFree
A free crisis line for anyone thinking about suicide, overwhelmed by stress, worried about someone close, or worried about alcohol or drugs. Open 24/7. Call and say "Russian": an interpreter joins in about 20 seconds. Interpreters are on calls only; chat and text are in English and Spanish. No insurance needed. If a life is in danger right now, call 911.
PEP prevents HIV after a possible exposure if you start it as soon as possible, within 72 hours.
The PEP hotline (NYC Health Department)
Any statusFree
PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) is taken daily for 28 days. Go to any ER, clinic or city sexual health clinic. The city Health Department's 24/7 line helps you get a starter pack and a doctor whatever your insurance. The line is in English. If you speak no English, go to any ER: it must give you a free interpreter.
- ER (emergency room)
- A hospital emergency department. You can walk in at any hour.
- EMTALA
- A federal law: a hospital with an ER must examine any patient and stabilize an emergency, even if they cannot pay.
- Stabilize
- To give treatment so your condition stops getting quickly worse. It is not a full cure.
- Financial counselor
- A hospital staff member who helps you get insurance, a discount on the bill, and Emergency Medicaid.
- PEP
- Post-exposure prophylaxis: medicine taken after a possible HIV exposure to prevent infection.
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.