New York Attorney General Letitia James has released a report on the activities of the Office of the Attorney General’s Health Care Helpline, a service that recovered over $4.6 million in restitution and savings for New Yorkers during 2023 and 2024. The helpline, part of the Health Care Bureau (HCB), assists residents in resolving disputes with insurance companies, correcting billing errors, and ensuring access to necessary medical care or prescriptions that have been unfairly denied.
Attorney General James stated, “Every New Yorker deserves affordable, accessible health care and coverage.” She emphasized her office's commitment to fighting for patients' rights and urged those wrongfully billed or denied care to seek support from her office.
The HCB's 2023-2024 report titled “Real Solutions for Real New Yorkers” outlines efforts by helpline advocates to address consumer complaints, major cases handled by the bureau, and health care issues facing residents. In these two years, the helpline managed over 4,800 complaints and provided information or referrals to an additional 2,010 consumers.
Highlighted cases include restoring insurance coverage for a cancer patient wrongfully terminated from his job; assisting a homeless individual with hospital bill disputes due to language barriers; facilitating battery delivery for a power wheelchair user; resolving emergency surgery billing issues; correcting significant overbilling errors related to MRI procedures; and securing reimbursements following an investigation into UnitedHealthcare's denial of birth control claims.
The helpline serves as a resource for identifying systemic problems within New York’s health care system. It provides reliable information and helps resolve issues ranging from payment processing errors to deceptive business practices. Consumers can file complaints through an online form or call the toll-free number at 1-800-428-9071 if they believe they have been treated unfairly by health-related entities.
The Health Care Bureau is led by Bureau Chief Darsana Srinivasan with Nannette Kelleher overseeing the helpline as Assistant Attorney General/Helpline Manager. The bureau operates under the Division for Social Justice led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Meghan Faux and overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.