For more stories about how the ACA is helping New Yorkers get covered, see our full booklet: The ACA is Working: New Yorkers Tell Their Stories of Getting Covered

Age: 35
Enrolled in: Child Health Plus and Medicaid
Final premium: Free
Before the ACA, Alma’s high-needs son had nowhere to turn for help.
Now, she knows there is community help to enroll in health coverage for the whole family.

Alma lives in Staten Island with her husband and three children. Several years ago, while still living in Mexico, one of her children was diagnosed with autism and Attention Deficit Disorder. When Alma and her husband moved back to the US, they were extremely worried about accessing services for their high-needs child. Their whole family was uninsured and they didn’t think they had any insurance options because of their immigration status. Alma pursued all avenues she knew to try and get her kids covered. Finally, someone recommended a local navigator agency, Make the Road New York, where a Spanish-speaking Navigator explained that her US-born children were eligible for Medicaid and her undocumented son was eligible for Child Health Plus. What’s more, Alma enrolled in Medicaid for pregnant women and her husband was able to enroll in Emergency Medicaid. Now, the entire family is has better health care access for free.

“Lo que más aprecio es el trato que me dieron. Me alegra mucho saber que hay una oficina como esta en mi comunidad, esto era lo que le faltaba a esta área.” [What I appreciated most was how I was treated.  It makes me very happy that there is a place like this in my community, it is what was missing here.]

Special thanks to Make the Road New York the for contributing this story!