Assessments and clinical appointments

What is a community health assessment?

A community health assessment is a meeting with a nurse assessor from the New York Independent Assessor Program. The nurse will ask about the individual’s current health and the medicines they are taking. The nurse will ask about their ability to do everyday tasks, like getting around in their home, dressing, and bathing. The nurse will also want to know if they need any equipment, like a wheelchair or special bed, and if they have any support at home from family or friends.    

The community health assessment appointment may take up to three hours. It will take place in-person or by video at the individual’s home or where they would receive services. This will allow the nurse to learn what challenges are specific to their living arrangements.  

What is a clinical appointment?  

Medicaid requires a New York Independent Assessor Program clinician to conduct a medical exam. We set up an appointment with a licensed clinician (doctor, licensed nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or specialist assistant). The clinician will ask about the individual’s medical history and the medical care they are getting now. The clinician will want to know what help or support they need for their care. If needed, our clinician will talk with their doctor to learn more about their care needs. The clinical appointment can take place in-person or by video and will last about an hour.

Preparing for the assessment appointments?

You can prepare by thinking about questions you want to ask. You should have these things ready for the appointments:   

• Some form of identification (ID) (such as a Medicaid card, driver’s license, NY State ID) 
• Your doctor’s name and phone number  
• Your medicine bottles, or a list of the medicines you take and how often  
• Paperwork from a recent doctor’s visit or facility discharge 

You can also prepare for your assessment by completing the New York Independent Assessor Program Information Sharing Consent Form before your appointments. This form gives your health care providers permission to share your health information with the clinician who will conduct your medical exam.

On this form, you identify any of your health care providers you want to allow to share information about your health status, including medical records, medications, and treatment plans that might be helpful to the clinician. These health care providers would include your primary care physician and any specialist you see. You must list the name and contact information for at least one health care provider on this form, but you can include as many others as you want.

This form also allows you to name an authorized representative who can act on your behalf in consenting to the release of your health information. Finally, the form allows you to withdraw your consent for any or all of the health care providers you listed when you first completed the form.

You must complete, sign, and submit the New York Independent Assessor Program Information Sharing Consent Form online.

After the community health assessment and clinical appointments 

An outcome notice will be sent in the mail with assessment results.