In this section, we explain the benefits EmblemHealth covers for all members, the ones EmblemHealth covers for some members, the ones that are available from both EmblemHealth and Medicaid, and the ones that are only covered by Medicaid.
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Neighborhood Care
What Medicaid Covers
What Does Medicaid Managed Care Cover?
Benefits Covered for All of Our Medicaid Managed Care Members
Learn what the plan offers and how it can benefit you.
Preventive care helps prevent health problems and find them before they get serious. Includes routine and sick visits to your primary care physician (PCP) and other network providers for:
- Regular checkups
- Well-baby and well-child care (shots, checkups and developmental screenings)
- Eye and hearing exams
- Eyeglasses and other medically needed vision aids
- Regular gynecological exams
- Breast exams (including mammography)
- Allergy testing and treatment
- HIV counseling and testing services
- Smoking cessation counseling
- Four fluoride varnish applications (for children under 7 years of age)
When medically needed, your doctor will refer you for:
- Lab work
- X-rays
- Specialty care
Maternity care
- Prenatal care, including a comprehensive prenatal care assessment at the first prenatal care visit to identify any risk factors early in pregnancy. Prenatal Home Visit (when medically needed and ordered by a primary maternal care provider)
- Childbirth classes
- Doctor/midwife/nurse practitioner maternal care services
- Hospital delivery
- Newborn nursery care
Family planning services
- Birth control
- Sterilization
- Medically necessary abortions
- Screening for anemia, cervical cancer, sexually transmitted diseases, hypertension, breast disease, pelvic abnormality and pregnancy
You can get these services from EmblemHealth network OB/GYN doctors. Or, you can use your Medicaid card if you want to go to doctors or clinics out of our network. Either way, no approval is needed to get these services. Just make an appointment.
Having healthy teeth is part of staying healthy. Our goal at EmblemHealth is to provide you with access to high-quality dental care, which is why we have contracted with DentaQuest to manage the dental needs of our Medicaid Managed Care members. DentaQuest gives you access to their large network of quality dentists, which includes a dental clinic operated by an academic dental center.
Medicaid Managed Care members will receive the following services:
- Routine exams
- X-rays
- Cleanings, fillings and tooth pulling
- Emergency treatment
- Replacement of missing teeth (full and partial dentures). Covered when conditions meet Medicaid guidelines
- *Root canals
*Patients must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis to determine if conditions meet Medicaid coverage guidelines. Coverage will generally be provided when the number of teeth needing or likely to need root canals is "not excessive" and the patient:
- has good oral hygiene; and
- has a healthy mouth and gums; and
- has few, if any cavities; and
- has a full complement of natural teeth; and
- has had all other necessary restorations completed; and/or
- is undergoing orthodontic treatment
Root canals will not be covered when the prognosis of the tooth is questionable, or extraction and replacement is a reasonable alternative course of treatment. Molar root canals will not be covered for patients over the age of 21, except where the tooth is a critical abutment for an existing prosthesis.
Crowns will not routinely be approved if restorative materials can restore the teeth. Crowns will not be covered on molar teeth for patients over the age of 21.
Fixed bridges are considered beyond the scope of the program and are not covered. When you need covered dental specialty services, your DentaQuest network dentist will refer you. EmblemHealth covers braces for children up to age 21who have a severe problem with their teeth, such as can't chew food due to severely crooked teeth, cleft palette or cleft lip.
If you have questions about your dental coverage or would like to change your network dentist, visit dentaquest.com or call DentaQuest at 1-844-776-8748, Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm.
Medicaid Managed care pharmacy benefit includes:
- Prescription drugs
- Over-the-counter medicines (OTC)
- Insulin and diabetic supplies
- Smoking cessation agents, including OTC products
- Hearing aid batteries
- Enteral formula
- Emergency Contraception (six per calendar year)
- Medical and surgical supplies
We cover pharmacy benefit services for all our Medicaid managed care members. You must use our network pharmacies to fill all of your prescriptions and any covered over-the-counter medications, diabetic supplies, select durable medical equipment and medical supplies.
We offer a large network of well-known pharmacies, as well as many independent pharmacies. Ask your pharmacy if they are a network pharmacy. If they are, you can continue to use that pharmacy. If not, you will need to switch to a pharmacy that is in our network. This is easy to do; and it's important for getting your prescriptions filled in a timely manner and for avoiding out-of-pocket costs.
Please make sure to use your member ID Card when filling a prescription or obtaining other covered pharmacy benefits at a network pharmacy. It has information that your pharmacy needs to process your prescriptions.
Find a participating pharmacy.
Our drug formulary
Our formulary is a list of medications that network doctors and other medical experts have approved for treating disease and maintaining the health of our Medicaid members. The main purpose of the formulary is to support the use of safe, effective and affordable drugs and treatments while providing our Medicaid members with quality care. Your doctors will prescribe medications listed on the formulary for your benefit plan unless there is a medical need to prescribe a drug that is not on the list
See the list of drugs covered for Medicaid.
Home delivery of a new prescription
You may get home delivery of your maintenance drugs through our mail order pharmacy partner Express Scripts, Inc. (ESI). Maintenance drugs are used to treat chronic conditions and are usually prescribed in quantities greater than 30-day supplies. All you need to do is get a new written prescription from your doctor or other licensed health care provider and mail it to ESI along with the completed order form. You may request an ESI order form to be mailed to you by calling our Pharmacy Customer Service at 1-888-447-7364. Mail the form and the original prescription(s) along with the required copayment to ESI as directed on the form. You may include multiple new prescriptions in your order.
If you prefer, your doctor or other licensed health care professional can assist you. You can bring your order form to them and they can fax it to ESI directly with your prescription. Or they can submit your prescription via the Web. In both cases, they must have your member ID number. Only doctors or other licensed health care providers may submit new prescriptions via fax or Web.
To use the Home Delivery tool, go to myEmblemHealth and register if you haven't already. After you sign in, click on “Pharmacy Services” and then select “Home Delivery”. You will be able to do things like check order status and request refills to existing prescriptions. You will need to register the first time you use the tool, and you will need your member ID to create an account. You or your doctor will still need to send ESI the actual written prescription when using the online option. Please allow 7 to 10 days for delivery from the day ESI receives the prescription(s) to receive your home delivery.
Check on the status of a home delivery prescription order
You can easily check the status of your order via the EmblemHealth/Express Scripts pharmacy benefits tool on this page. You will need to sign in using your member ID and password. You can also call ESI at1-877-866-4165. If you have a hearing or speech impairment, and use a TDD, you can call 1-800-899-2114. You will need your member ID number and your prescription number(s) to access this information.
Specialty drugs
Specialty drugs are usually injectable, oral or inhaled drugs. They are used to treat chronic conditions such as multiple sclerosis, growth deficiencies, hepatitis C and cancer. They also require special storage and/or handling. You have the choice of filling your specialty drug prescription using one of the following options:
If you choose to use our Specialty Pharmacy Program, your doctor or other health care professional will contact our Specialty Pharmacy Program and your prescriptions will be filled and sent directly to your home or doctor's office. For more information regarding how to use our Specialty Pharmacy Program call EmblemHealth's Specialty Pharmacy Program at1-888-447-0295.
To view a list of retail pharmacies that participate in our specialty pharmacy network, click here.
Hospital care includes:
- Inpatient care
- Outpatient care
- Emergency care
- Lab work and other tests
- X-rays
- Nursing services
- Inpatient and outpatient surgery, including dental surgery
- Inpatient detoxification services
Emergency care services are procedures, treatments or services needed to evaluate or stabilize an emergency condition. Also includes care you need after you have received an emergency procedure to make sure you remain in stable condition. Depending on the need, you may be treated in the emergency room, in an inpatient hospital room, or in another setting. These are called Post Stabilization Services.
Specialty care includes but is not limited to medically needed services:
Physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy
Durable medical equipment (DME), including hearing aids, artificial limbs and orthotics
Renal and Hemodialysis
HIV/AIDS treatment services
Midwife services
Cardiac rehabilitation
Outpatient detoxification services.
Other covered services as medically needed
These services are generally provided so that you do not have to stay in a hospital. Your doctor or case manager must agree that your medical needs can be met at home with this help, and request prior approval from your plan. Services also include:
- One initial post-partum home health visit. All primary maternal care providers and/or birthing hospitals must offer and arrange for the initial post-partum home visit 36 to 72 hours after discharge.
- Prenatal/Postpartum home health visits as medically necessary, ordered by a primary maternal care provider.
- At least 2 visits to high-risk infants (newborns).
- Other home health care visits as needed and ordered by your PCP/specialist.
Personal care services must be medically needed and arranged by EmblemHealth. These provide some or total assistance with personal hygiene, dressing and feeding and assist in preparing meals and housekeeping.
Home Attendant
Provides some or total assistance with personal hygiene, dressing and feeding and assist in preparing meals and housekeeping when medically needed and arranged by EmblemHealth.
Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP)
Under this program you receive the personal care/home attendant services indicated above, as well as home health-aid and nursing tasks. The difference is that the services are provided by an aide chosen and directed by you. The aide may provide some or total assistance with personal hygiene, dressing and feeding, assistance in preparing meals and housekeeping as well as home health aide and nursing tasks. For more information about CDPAP, contact customer services at 1-800-447-8255.
Personal Emergency Response System (PERS) Services
PERS is an in-home health emergency alert system available only to members receiving home health and/or personal care services.
Includes:
- Services of an ophthalmic dispenser, ophthalmologist and optometrist.
- Low-vision eye exams and vision aids ordered by a network doctor (every two years, but more often if medically needed).
- Medically needed contact lenses.
- Eyeglasses (a new pair of Medicaid-approved frames every two years, or more often if medically needed). Progressive lenses are not covered.
- Scratch-resistant, break-resistant and polycarbonate eyeglass lenses.
- Artificial eyes (when ordered by an EmblemHealth network doctor).
- Replacement of lost or destroyed glasses, including repairs, when medically needed.
- Specialist referrals for eye diseases and defects.
- Members diagnosed with diabetes may self-refer for a dilated eye (retinal) examination once in any 12-month period.
Your routine vision benefits are administered by EyeMed. If you’d like help finding an eye care provider, visit eyemedvisioncare.com/emblem or call EyeMed at 1-877-324-2791, 7:30 am to 11 pm, Monday through Saturday or 11 am to 8 pm on Sunday.
When a temporary stay is ordered by your network doctor and approved by your health plan, services include:
- Medical supervision
- 24-hour nursing care
- Assistance with activities of daily living
- Physical and occupational therapy and speech language pathology
Long Term Placement
EmblemHealth also covers long term placement in a nursing home for members 21 years of age. Eligible Veterans, Spouses of Eligible Veterans, and Gold Star Parents of Eligible Veterans may choose to stay in a Veterans’ nursing home. Covered nursing home services include:
- Medical supervision;
- 24-hour nursing care;
- Assistance with daily living;
- Physical therapy;
- Occupational therapy;
- Speech-language pathology and other services.
To get these nursing home services they must be ordered by your physician, and authorized by EmblemHealth. You must also be found financially eligible for long term nursing home care by your County Department of Social Services to have Medicaid and/or EmblemHealth pay for these services. When you are eligible for long term placement, you must select one of the nursing homes that are in EmblemHealth’s network.
If you want to live in a nursing home that is not part of EmblemHealth’s network, you may transfer to another plan that works with the nursing home you have chosen to receive your care.
Behavioral health care includes mental health and substance use (alcohol and drugs) treatment and rehabilitation services. All of our members have access to services to help with emotional health, or to help with alcohol or other substance use issues. These services include:
Mental health
- Crisis residence services for children and adults
- Intensive psychiatric rehab treatment
- Day treatment
- Clinic continuing day treatment
- Inpatient and outpatient mental health treatment
- Partial hospital care
- Rehab services if you are in a community home or in family-based treatment
- Continuing day treatment
- Personalized Recovery Oriented Services
- Assertive Community Treatment Services
- Individual and group counseling
- Crisis intervention services
Substance use disorder services
- Inpatient and outpatient substance use disorder (alcohol and drug) treatment
- Inpatient detoxification services
- Opioid, including Methadone maintenance treatment
- Residential substance use disorder treatment
- Outpatient alcohol and drug treatment services detox services
This type of care is covered for all children under 21 years of age and members (regardless of age) with physical conditions that pose a hazard due to the presence of localized illness, injury or symptoms involving the foot, or when performed as a necessary and integral part of otherwise covered services such as the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes, ulcers and infections.
Benefits EmblemHealth Covers Only for Some Members
EmblemHealth covers the following services for some, but not all, members. Check to see if we cover these benefits for you or in the county where you get Medicaid.
EmblemHealth will cover braces for children up to age 21 who have a severe problem with their teeth, such as: can’t chew food due to severely crooked teeth, cleft palette or cleft lip.
A Health Home is a group of health care and service providers working together to make sure you get the care and services you need to stay healthy. Enrolling in the Health Home program comes at no additional cost.* The program offers assistance with transportation, housing, and so much more!
*Learn more about the benefits of the Home Health program and how to qualify.
Benefits You Can Get From EmblemHealth or Through Regular Medicaid with Your Medicaid Card
You can choose where to get the following services —from an EmblemHealth network doctor, or any doctor who will accept your Medicaid card.
You can get these services from EmblemHealth network doctors, or you can get them from any doctor or clinic that will take your Medicaid card. No approval is needed. All members must use EmblemHealth network doctors for hysterectomies, routine gynecological exams, prenatal care, delivery, and postpartum (after-delivery) care.
You can get these services from EmblemHealth network providers, or you can get them from any doctor or clinic that will take your Medicaid card if they are part of a family planning visit.
You can get these services from EmblemHealth network providers, or you can get them from a county public health clinic.
Benefits Using Your Medicaid Card Only
The following services are covered by Medicaid, but not EmblemHealth. You can get these services from any provider who will take your Medicaid card.
Regular Medicaid covers emergency transportation for our Medicaid members. In an emergency, all members just call 911 for emergency transportation.
Nonemergency rides are covered by regular Medicaid and not by EmblemHealth for all Medicaid members. To arrange for transportation, members must call:
- Nassau & Suffolk County members: Logisticare at 1-844-678-1103.
- Westchester County members: Medical Answering Services (MAS) at 1-866-883-7865.
- New York City Members: Medical Answering Services (MAS) at 1-844-666-6270.
If possible, you or your provider should call the above numbers at least three days prior to your medical appointment and give the representative:
- Your Medicaid ID number (for example, AB12345C).
- Appointment date and time.
- Address where your appointment will take place.
- Your doctor’s name.
*Nonemergency medical transportation includes personal vehicle, bus, taxi, ambulette and public transportation. If you have an emergency and need an ambulance, you must call 911.
- Long-term therapies
- Day treatment
- Housing services
- Medicaid service coordination (MSC) program
- Home and community-based waiver program services
- Medical model (Care-at-Home) waiver services
- Long-term therapies
- Day treatment
- Housing services
- Medicaid service coordination (MSC) program
- Home and community-based waiver program services
- Medical model (Care-at-Home) waiver services
Homelessness and Health Care in New York
Life throws everyone a curve ball now and then. Loss of income and other life events can lead to homelessness. If it happens to you, call the customer service number on the back of your member ID card. We know you may be moving often and changing PCPs, so we’ll work with you to meet your needs and help make sure you continue to receive health care.
Signing on to myEmblemHealth is the fastest and easiest way to:
- View or change your PCP
- Order a new ID card and/or print a temporary ID card
- Change your mailing address and other contact information
- Check your enrollment status
- Review your claims and contact customer service
Case Management
Dealing with a health condition can be stressful. Our Case Management Program can help relieve some of that stress by coordinating your care. Learn More.
Disease Management
If you have diabetes, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), congestive heart failure or coronary artery disease (CAD), the EmblemHealth Care Management Program can help you. Learn more.
Dental Services
If you have questions about your dental coverage or would like to change your dentist, please call DentaQuest at 1-844-776-8748, Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm.
EmblemHealth Behavioral Services
Call 1-888-447-2526 for information about mental health, alcohol and substance use disorder services.
Urgent Care Facilities
When you need to see a doctor after office hours or on weekends for non-emergency care such as a sore throat or other minor health problems, visit one of our Advantage Care Physicians locations for treatment or go to "Find a Doctor" and choose your plan under State-Sponsored Programs to find other in-network urgent care locations near you. No referrals are needed.
We’re here to help. Call us to discuss your health plan concerns and get additional information about your coverage at 1-800-447-8255.
Other Helpful Resources and Other Community Organizations:
Food
- Food Bank for New York City
- New York City Coalition Against Hunger
- NYC 311 (find food pantries or soup kitchens listed by ZIP code)
- City Harvest
Clothing and Footwear
- Bottomless Closet (for women’s clothing)
- Dress For Success® (for women’s clothing)
- Career Gear (for men’s clothing)
- Room to Grow (for infant clothing and services to age three)
Cell Phone Services
- Safelink Wireless (for free or low-cost cell phone service to those who qualify)
For your information, the following services are not covered by EmblemHealth or regular Medicaid. If you get any of these services, you may have to pay the bill:
- Cosmetic surgery, if not medically needed
- Personal and comfort items
- Infertility treatments for men
- Chiropractic services
You may also have to pay for services that:
- You get from a provider not in our network, unless it is a provider you are allowed to see as described in your handbook, or if your PCP refers you to that provider.
- Require prior health plan approval and you get these services without prior approval.
If you receive a non-covered, or unauthorized service, and you agree to be a “private-pay” or
“self-pay” patient, you will have to pay for the services received. If you have any questions about your Medicaid benefits, call Customer Services at 1-855-283-2146.
