This is general health information, not medical advice. Contact your healthcare provider for personal medical guidance.
Finding a primary care doctor in New York City can feel overwhelming — especially if you’re new to the city, recently uninsured, or navigating a new insurance plan. The good news: NYC has one of the most comprehensive public and community-based healthcare systems in the country, with options for every New Yorker regardless of insurance status, immigration status, or income. This guide walks you through exactly how to find a doctor who will see you.
Who This Helps
This guide is for: New Yorkers who recently lost employer-sponsored insurance, immigrants and undocumented residents who cannot access traditional insurance, people on Medicaid or the Essential Plan looking for in-network providers, uninsured residents who need sliding-scale care, and anyone who has moved to a new borough and needs to establish care.
Step 1: Know What You’re Working With — Your Insurance Situation
Before you can find the right doctor, you need to know which insurance category you fall into. There are four main categories for NYC residents:
- Medicaid or Child Health Plus — State-funded insurance for lower-income New Yorkers. Most community health centers and NYC Health + Hospitals accept it.
- Essential Plan or Qualified Health Plan (Marketplace) — Available through the NY State of Health marketplace. Your plan has a specific network of providers.
- Medicare — Federal insurance for adults 65+ or those with certain disabilities.
- Uninsured or underinsured — You have options. See the sections below on NYC Care and FQHCs.
Step 2: Find an In-Network Doctor for Your Insurance Plan
Use the NYS Provider & Health Plan Look-Up Tool
The New York State Department of Health operates a free online tool at pndslookup.health.ny.gov that lets you:
- Enter your health plan name to see every in-network doctor and hospital
- Enter a specific doctor’s name to see which plans include them
- Filter by specialty, borough, and location
This tool covers all plans sold through the NY State of Health marketplace — Qualified Health Plans, the Essential Plan, Child Health Plus, and Medicaid Managed Care. It’s the most reliable first stop for any insured New Yorker trying to confirm network status before booking an appointment. Always verify directly with the doctor’s office before your visit — provider directories are sometimes outdated.
Use NYC Health + Hospitals’ Provider Directory
NYC Health + Hospitals maintains its own searchable doctor directory at nychealthandhospitals.org/doctors. You can search by specialty, language, borough, and facility. NYC H+H providers accept Medicaid, Medicare, Essential Plan, most commercial insurance, and NYC Care — and they see all patients regardless of ability to pay.
To make an appointment with any NYC Health + Hospitals provider, call 1-844-NYC-4NYC (1-844-692-4692), available in multiple languages.
Step 3: Access Care Through Gotham Health — 29 Neighborhood Clinics
If you want primary care close to home, NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health operates 29 neighborhood sites across all five boroughs. These are smaller, community-based clinics connected to the full NYC H+H system — so your records, referrals, and specialists are all coordinated.
Gotham Health centers offer: annual check-ups, immunizations, chronic disease management, family planning, and mental health services. Selected locations by borough:
- Bronx: Gotham Health, Tremont — 1920 Webster Ave, Bronx, NY 10457
- Brooklyn: Gotham Health, East New York — 2094 Pitkin Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11207; Gotham Health, Broadway — 815 Broadway, Brooklyn, NY 11206
- Queens: Gotham Health, Roosevelt — 37-50 72nd Street, Jackson Heights, NY 11372
- Manhattan: Gotham Health, Gouverneur — 227 Madison Street, New York, NY 10002
For the full list of all 29 locations and hours, visit nychealthandhospitals.org/gotham-health or call 1-844-NYC-4NYC.
We’ve covered Gotham Health in depth previously — see our guide: NYC Healthcare Navigator: Gotham Health — The 29-Location Neighborhood Clinic Network.
Step 4: If You’re Uninsured — Community Health Centers (FQHCs)
Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) are the backbone of primary care access for uninsured and low-income New Yorkers. They are required by federal law to see patients regardless of ability to pay, using a sliding-fee scale based on income and family size. You do not need to be a U.S. citizen or have insurance to be seen.
Community Healthcare Network (CHN)
CHN is one of the largest FQHCs in NYC, with locations in Brooklyn, Manhattan, the Bronx, and Queens. Services include primary care, mental health, dental, and social services. To make an appointment, call (866) 246-8259 or visit chnnyc.org. Current patients can also book online through the Healow patient portal.
Ryan Health
Ryan Health is a network of federally qualified health centers primarily serving Upper Manhattan, including the Upper West Side and East Harlem. If you do not have insurance, Ryan Health offers a sliding-fee scale based on family size and income. Lab work, general X-rays, and EKGs are included in the visit fee, and there is a low-cost pharmacy plan for uninsured patients. Visit ryanhealth.org for locations and appointments.
Find Any FQHC Near You
The federal government’s Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) maintains a national health center finder at findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov. Enter your NYC ZIP code to find every federally funded health center within a set radius. These centers collectively serve millions of New Yorkers annually regardless of ability to pay.
Step 5: If You Can’t Access Insurance — NYC Care
NYC Care is the city’s program guaranteeing health care access for New Yorkers who cannot access health insurance — including due to immigration status. Through NYC Care, you receive a membership card and can choose your own doctor at NYC Health + Hospitals, with appointments guaranteed within two weeks for primary care.
Eligibility: You must live in one of the five boroughs, not qualify for any available health insurance plan, and not be able to afford insurance based on government guidelines. NYC Care does not record or report your immigration status.
To enroll: Call 646-NYC-CARE (646-692-2273) or visit any NYC Health + Hospitals location and ask for financial counseling. You can also get help at nyccare.nyc. For our full enrollment walkthrough, see: How to Enroll in NYC Care.
Step 6: Get Help Choosing a Plan and a Doctor
If you’re uninsured or need to switch insurance plans, the city has free in-person and phone-based enrollment assistance available year-round.
- GetCoveredNYC: Call 311 and ask for GetCoveredNYC, or text GetCoveredNYC to 55676. Free enrollment specialists can help you apply for Medicaid, the Essential Plan, Child Health Plus, or a Qualified Health Plan and will identify in-network doctors for your situation.
- NY State of Health Navigator: Free in-person application help is available across all five boroughs. Find a Navigator at nystateofhealth.ny.gov.
- NYC.gov Office of Citywide Health Insurance Access (OCHIA): Information on low-cost care options at nyc.gov/site/ochia.
How to Take Action: Step-by-Step
- Insured with a marketplace or employer plan? → Go to pndslookup.health.ny.gov, enter your plan name, filter by specialty (Internal Medicine or Family Medicine for primary care) and your borough. Call the top results to confirm they’re accepting new patients.
- On Medicaid or looking for a doctor at an NYC H+H facility? → Call 1-844-NYC-4NYC (1-844-692-4692) to schedule a primary care appointment. Ask specifically about Gotham Health sites near your neighborhood.
- Uninsured and need a sliding-scale clinic? → Visit findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov and enter your ZIP code. Call CHN at (866) 246-8259 or Ryan Health at their nearest location.
- Cannot access insurance due to immigration status? → Call NYC Care at 646-NYC-CARE (646-692-2273) to enroll and get a primary care doctor through NYC Health + Hospitals.
- Need help choosing a plan first? → Call 311 and ask for GetCoveredNYC, or text GetCoveredNYC to 55676. It’s free.
Tips for Getting an Appointment Faster
- Ask about cancellation lists. Practices with long wait times often fill same-week cancellation slots. Ask to be added to the list when you first call.
- Call in the morning. Most practices open appointment slots at the start of the business day.
- Consider telehealth for your first visit. NYC Health + Hospitals and most Gotham Health sites offer phone and video primary care visits, which can get you established with a provider faster than in-person. ExpressCare (via the MyChart app) offers same-day video visits.
- Be flexible on provider. When calling a practice, ask if any provider (physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant) is accepting new patients — you don’t need to see an MD for primary care.
- Bring ID and insurance card to your first visit — even to a sliding-scale clinic. FQHCs will use income documentation to calculate your fee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a primary care doctor in NYC without insurance?
Yes. Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) like Community Healthcare Network and Ryan Health are legally required to see all patients regardless of insurance status or ability to pay, using a sliding-fee scale based on income. NYC Care also guarantees access to a primary care doctor through NYC Health + Hospitals for residents who cannot access insurance. Call 646-NYC-CARE (646-692-2273) to enroll.
How do I find out if my current doctor accepts my new insurance plan?
Use the NYS Provider & Health Plan Look-Up Tool at pndslookup.health.ny.gov. Search your plan name or your doctor’s name to see which networks they participate in. Always confirm directly with the doctor’s office before your visit, as directories can lag behind real-time changes.
What is the fastest way to get a primary care appointment in NYC?
Call 1-844-NYC-4NYC (1-844-692-4692) to schedule through NYC Health + Hospitals. NYC Care members are guaranteed an appointment within two weeks. Telehealth through ExpressCare can often connect you to a provider the same day via the MyChart app or by calling the main H+H line.
Does NYC have doctors who speak my language?
Yes. The NYC H+H provider directory at nychealthandhospitals.org/doctors allows you to filter by language spoken. Many Gotham Health and FQHC sites offer services in Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Bengali, Haitian Creole, Arabic, and other languages. When calling for an appointment, ask if interpretation services are available — all NYC H+H facilities offer telephone interpreters.
Can undocumented immigrants get a primary care doctor in NYC?
Yes. NYC Care specifically serves residents who cannot access insurance due to immigration status. The program does not record or report immigration status. Call 646-NYC-CARE (646-692-2273) or visit any NYC Health + Hospitals location to enroll. FQHCs also serve all residents regardless of immigration status.
This is general health information, not medical advice. For personal medical guidance, please contact a licensed healthcare provider.
