New York City Managed Care Consumer Assistance Program (NYC MCCAP): A forum for bringing consumer voices to the policy arena

Health policy is often driven by politics that prioritize financial savings over a user-friendly health care system. In New York City, where most Medicaid recipients have been enrolled in a mandatory managed care program, this has resulted in policies and practices that make NYC's public health insurance system complex and difficult to navigate. As a result, consumers are left frustrated and challenged by barriers to accessing care. These barriers are amplified for vulnerable populations such as recent immigrants, consumers with language barriers, people with complex health needs, and those unfamiliar with the system.

The Community Service Society's (CSS) New York City Managed Care Consumer Assistance Program (NYC MCCAP) addresses the gap between politics, policies and public health through partnerships with Community Based Organizations (CBOs). This partnership provides CBOs the opportunity to assist consumers in navigating their health care and positions them to become powerful advocates for their communities in the policy arena.

Over the last 6 years the program has addressed the changing health care system and subsequent implications for consumers. NYC MCCAP has effectively disseminated information pertaining to an array of issues including challenges around the Medicaid recertification processes, Medicare Part D and around mandatory enrollment of the SSI population. The program provides a forum for CBOs to share experiences, ideas, and tools to influence change. The success of NYC MCCAP lies in its ability to convene and influence a variety of actors- politicians, funders, advocates- by bringing the voice of the consumer, to the policy conversation.