Can Drivers Without Insurance Use NYC Care?

Yes, if you live in NYC and can't get or afford health insurance. NYC Care is a city program run through NYC Health + Hospitals. It is not insurance, but it gives you your own primary care doctor, low-cost prescriptions and other care, with fees on a sliding scale that start at $0 and no premiums. It doesn't ask about immigration status. For a self-employed driver with no plan from an app or base, it can fill the gap. Call 646-NYC-CARE (646-692-2273).

General information, not medical or legal advice. As of 2026-10-12.

Who qualifies

ACCESS NYC says you qualify if you:

• live in NYC (any of the five boroughs),
• don't have health insurance from an employer,
• don't qualify for any health insurance plan available in New York State, and
• can't afford health insurance based on government guidelines.

If you drive as an independent contractor for an app, a base or a taxi owner, "insurance from an employer" isn't an option. Uber's NYC driver benefits, for example, don't include health insurance. The question is whether you qualify for Medicaid, the Essential Plan or a marketplace plan you can afford. If you lost the Essential Plan in July 2026 (see the Essential Plan change), the Attorney General named NYC Care as one option for people who can't afford a marketplace plan.

What you get, and what it costs

Care is only at NYC Health + Hospitals locations: the NYC Care FAQ says that includes 11 hospitals plus community health centers, with interpretation in over 250 languages and dialects.

Not insurance: what that means for you

Because NYC Care isn't insurance, it doesn't pay bills at private doctors, other hospitals or out-of-state providers. If you later qualify for Medicaid, the Essential Plan or an affordable marketplace plan, NYC Care's yearly screening is meant to catch that. In a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room; don't wait for an NYC Care appointment. If you drive for Uber, Lyft or a black car base, the free Black Car Fund benefits (dental, vision, telemedicine) can sit alongside NYC Care.

Immigration status

ACCESS NYC: "NYC Care doesn't ask about immigration status." The NYC Care FAQ: "We do not record information regarding your immigration status."

How to sign up

For driving income, bring your last tax return, 1099s or recent app pay statements to show household income.

Related: health insurance for NYC drivers in 2026, NYC Care definition, does Uber give health insurance, am I covered by the Black Car Fund, public benefits for TLC drivers and the money topic.