- County on forms
- New York County (Manhattan)
- Medicaid run by
- NYC HRA, citywide
- ZIP codes (approx.)
- 10023, 10024, 10025, 10069
ZIP codes are orientation only. Verify yours with USPS.
Who this page helps
The Upper West Side, from Lincoln Square up through Manhattan Valley, has one of the highest concentrations of older adults in Manhattan, many in pre-war co-ops along West End Avenue and Broadway that run naturally occurring retirement community (NORC) programs. Some have Medicaid alongside Medicare and are getting a letter from their Medicaid plan about its Medicare D-SNP.
This page is for them, and for the adult children, NORC social workers, and home attendants who sort the mail. It explains what the letter asks, what happens if you do nothing or opt out, and how to reach a free counselor from West 72nd or West 96th Street. It does not recommend a plan or enroll anyone.
What “local” means for Medicare and Medicaid in Upper West Side
On Medicare and Medicaid paperwork the Upper West Side is in New York County. Write “New York” in the county box; the name matches the city and state, but it is the legal county for Manhattan. Medicaid is administered citywide by the NYC Human Resources Administration (HRA), not a county office. ZIPs 10023 (Lincoln Square), 10024 (the 80s), 10025 (the 90s and Manhattan Valley), and 10069 (Riverside South) are approximate.
Every New York City integrated dual plan on the state’s 2026 IB-Dual chart lists New York County, so the plan on an Upper West Side letter covers your building. The harder question is the Medicare network: the private practices clustered on Central Park West and West End Avenue, and the Amsterdam Avenue pharmacy that fills your prescriptions, are each either in a given D-SNP or not.
Mount Sinai Morningside, on Amsterdam Avenue at 114th Street, is the hospital many residents north of 96th Street use and is worth checking in any D-SNP directory. The 1/2/3 and B/C put the neighborhood a short ride from counseling downtown.
The Upper West Side is largely English-speaking, with large Spanish-speaking communities around Manhattan Valley and the Amsterdam Houses; interpreters are available on every line listed here.
How to get free help from Upper West Side
- Call HIICAP at 1-800-701-0501 and say “New York” when the recording asks for your county. Ask the counselor to compare the D-SNP’s Medicare network and drug list against Original Medicare with a stand-alone drug plan for your specific doctors and prescriptions.
- The neighborhood’s in-person site is limited: Lincoln House Outreach, 303 West 66th Street, 212-875-8958, Monday 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m., by appointment, members only. Otherwise the NYC Aging HIICAP Unit, 2 Lafayette Street, 212-244-6469 (ask for HIICAP), Monday–Friday 9–4, by appointment, is a 1/2/3 ride to Chambers Street.
- For the Medicaid plan itself, including how to opt out, call New York Medicaid Choice at 1-800-505-5678 (TTY 1-888-329-1541). Ask what your Medicaid looks like the month after Medicare starts if you stay in, and if you opt out.
- Medicaid case problems (renewals, address changes, a lapse) go to the HRA Medicaid Helpline at 1-888-692-6116. If you are starting to need help at home, NY Connects at 1-800-342-9871 is the statewide starting point.
What to ask, in one sentence each
- HIICAP“I have Medicare and Medicaid and got a default enrollment letter. Can you compare the D-SNP with Original Medicare plus a drug plan for my prescriptions and doctors?”
- New York Medicaid Choice“If I opt out of the D-SNP, what happens to my Medicaid managed care plan and my home care? How do I opt out, and by when?”
- Your plan (number on the letter)“Are my doctors and my pharmacy in the D-SNP’s Medicare network, not just the Medicaid network?”
- HRA Medicaid Helpline“Is my Medicaid active and is my address correct?” (Only if your case, not your plan, is the problem.)
Free public help from Manhattan
These lines are run by New York State, New York City, or Medicare. None of them sells plans. When the HIICAP recording asks for your county, say “Manhattan.”
- HIICAP (free Medicare counseling)Mon–Fri, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.1-800-701-0501
- NYC Aging ConnectAsk for HIICAP; in-person appointments. Also 212-AGING-NYC212-244-6469
- New York Medicaid ChoiceMedicaid plan enrollment and opt-out help. TTY 1-888-329-1541. Mon–Fri, 8:30 a.m.–8:00 p.m.; Sat, 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.1-800-505-5678
- NY Medicaid Choice long-term care lineMAP, MLTC, PACE1-888-401-6582
- NY ConnectsLong-term services and supports, any age1-800-342-9871
- NYC HRA Medicaid HelplineYour Medicaid case, renewals, address1-888-692-6116
- MedicareTTY 1-877-486-2048. 24 hours a day1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227)
Numbers checked against official sources on September 10, 2026. Hours and phone menus change; the official sites are aging.ny.gov, nyc.gov/aging, nymedicaidchoice.com, nyconnects.ny.gov, and nyc.gov/hra.
Default enrollment letter tip for Upper West Side
In Upper West Side doorman buildings the notice lands in a lobby mail rack looking like every other plan envelope. If your Medicaid plan also runs a D-SNP and you are about to get Medicare, expect the notice at least 60 days before your Medicare start date. Not every plan sends one, so a co-op neighbor may get a letter while you do not.
The local check is specialists. Many residents see a cardiologist near Columbus Circle or a physician tied to an East Side hospital, and those practices are a separate list in the D-SNP’s directory. Confirm your key doctors before the effective date; the opt-out deadline is generally the day before, so check your letter.
Not sure which letter you have? Read the default enrollment letter decoder or the blog post what to do in the first 7 days.
Common mistakes in Upper West Side
- Writing “Manhattan” in the county box. For an Upper West Side address the county is New York, and a form that says otherwise can bounce.
- Assuming the NORC social worker or the co-op board’s office can opt you out. They can help you organize questions, but only you, the plan, or New York Medicaid Choice can act on the letter.
- Showing up at Lincoln House on West 66th Street without membership or an appointment. That site is members only and open for HIICAP one morning a week; call first or use 2 Lafayette Street.
Orientation: places people in Upper West Side mention
Orientation only. Listing a hospital or center here is not a recommendation and says nothing about which plans it accepts. Always check the plan’s own provider directory.
- Mount Sinai Morningside · Amsterdam Avenue at 114th Street; hospital at the neighborhood’s northern edge
- Lincoln House Outreach (NYC Aging HIICAP site) · West 66th Street; members only, Monday mornings by appointment
- New York Public Library, Bloomingdale branch · West 100th Street; computers for Medicare.gov comparisons
Want your next steps in writing?
Answer five short questions about your coverage and your letter. We will email you a plain-language summary of what to ask and who to call from Upper West Side. Optional callback. This tool does not enroll you in any plan, does not decide eligibility, and is not from the government. Free HIICAP counseling is always available first.
Prefer to talk with a person right now? HIICAP is free at 1-800-701-0501.