Community Health Advocates

Community Health Advocates (CHA), a program of the Community Service Society, provides free and confidential individual counseling and educational community presentations to individuals, families, advocates and providers about health insurance in New York State.

Our network of community-based organizations and small business serving groups help New Yorkers access the health care they need, understand their health insurance options, and how the health care system works.

We help all New Yorkers: the privately insured, publicly insured, and uninsured.

We can help you:

• Understand how to use your health insurance
• Resolve medical billing and debt issues
• Dispute coverage denials and eligibility determinations
• Get the most from your coverage (get prior authorizations, access specialists, and out-of-network services when needed)
• Access affordable health care services and hospital and prescription financial assistance programs
• Understand how small business owners can offer health insurance and get health insurance tax credits
• Understand the health insurance tax credit reconciliation process

How to Get Help

Please call (888) 614-5400 for help during our regular business hours, Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. You should have ready any notices, medical bills, and insurance ID cards.