Staten Island (Richmond County): D-SNPs, IB-Dual, MAP, and default enrollment letters

County on forms: Richmond County
Medicaid run by: NYC HRA, citywide
Say on the HIICAP line: “Staten Island”

In short

Staten Island is Richmond County on every Medicare and Medicaid record. It is the smallest borough by population, and it has fewer clinics and senior centers than the others, so people here tend to travel farther for care and rely more on phone help. The five-borough integrated dual plans on the state’s 2026 IB-Dual chart all list Richmond County, so a Staten Island resident’s default enrollment letter is almost always offering a plan that covers the whole island.

Because the island’s health care is concentrated in two hospital systems, the single most useful question a Staten Island resident can ask about a D-SNP is whether their hospital and its affiliated practices are in the plan’s Medicare network. A HIICAP counselor can check that with you for free.

This page is educational, names no plans, and does not enroll anyone.

How the help channels work in Staten Island

Medicaid on Staten Island is administered by NYC HRA, exactly like the other boroughs. There is no Richmond County Department of Social Services. Use the HRA Medicaid Helpline; the Staten Island Medicaid office location is on nyc.gov/hra.

HIICAP counseling for Staten Island is coordinated by NYC Aging. NYC Aging’s citywide listing shows one Staten Island community site: the Community Agency for Senior Citizens (CASC) on Stuyvesant Place in St. George, by appointment. You can also call the statewide HIICAP line and say “Staten Island” or “Richmond,” or call Aging Connect and ask for HIICAP.

New York Medicaid Choice is the official contact for Medicaid managed care enrollment, opting out of default enrollment, and Managed Long Term Care and Medicaid Advantage Plus questions. Their number is statewide.

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 Staten Island

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 “Staten Island.”

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.

In-person HIICAP counseling sites in Staten Island

NYC Aging publishes a citywide list of community sites where HIICAP counselors meet people. These are the Staten Island entries as listed on September 10, 2026. All are by appointment. Call the site or NYC Aging Connect (212-244-6469) before going; sites and hours change.

Community Agency for Senior Citizens (CASC)
120 Stuyvesant Place, Suite 409, Staten Island, NY 10301
Mon–Fri, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
By appointment
718-981-6226

Neighborhood guides in Staten Island

Each neighborhood page adds local ZIP orientation, the closest in-person counseling site, a letter tip for that area, and the mistakes people there tend to make.

Default enrollment letter tip for Staten Island

Staten Island residents who get a default enrollment letter should look closely at two things: whether the D-SNP’s Medicare network includes the hospital system they use on the island, and how the plan handles care in Brooklyn or Manhattan, since many islanders see specialists across the bridge. Ask HIICAP to pull the plan’s provider directory with you before the effective date.

Full walkthrough: the default enrollment letter decoder.

Letter checklist (any borough)

Effective date: the day your Medicare and the D-SNP would start (usually the first of a month).
Opt-out deadline: generally the day before the effective date. Confirm it on the letter.
Which version: standard (IB-Dual, you stay in your Medicaid managed care or HARP plan) or long-term-services (points to a Medicaid Advantage Plus plan).
Plan names: your current Medicaid plan and the aligned Medicare D-SNP, from the same company.
How to opt out: call the plan number on the letter or send a written request; New York Medicaid Choice can connect you.
What you lose by opting out: in most cases your Medicaid managed care plan, with Medicaid continuing as fee-for-service.

Common mistakes in Staten Island

Writing “Staten Island” in a county field. The county is Richmond.
Assuming there is nowhere on the island to get in-person counseling. NYC Aging lists a St. George HIICAP site, and phone counseling works from anywhere.
Letting the effective date pass and then assuming nothing can change. People with both Medicare and Medicaid have monthly opportunities to change certain coverage; ask HIICAP which applies.

Orientation: hospitals people in Staten Island often 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.

Staten Island University Hospital (North campus) · Ocean Breeze / Mid-Island
Staten Island University Hospital (South campus) · Prince’s Bay, South Shore
Richmond University Medical Center · West Brighton, North Shore

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 Staten Island. 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.

Get dual-plan help Call HIICAP 1-800-701-0501