Nearly 12 Percent Of Flatbush And Midwood Residents Lack Health Insurance, Comptroller Finds

Nearly 12 percent of residents living in Community District 14, which includes Flatbush and Midwood, do not have health insurance, according to figures released Monday by Comptroller Scott Stringer.

The comptroller’s analysis used data from the 2014 American Community Survey to determine the number of uninsured people living in neighborhoods throughout the five boroughs. In Sheepshead Bay, there are 13,803 residents without health insurance, according to the report. The Brooklyn neighborhoods with the greatest number of uninsured are Bushwick (22 percent) and Sunset Park (16.3 percent). Citywide, the comptroller’s report found that 962,805 people, 11.4 percent of residents, are without health insurance.

“Close to one million New York City residents lack even the most basic health coverage,” Stringer said in a press release. “To ensure the long-term economic future of our City we need to make sure our residents are healthy and well. We want to get the word out: with the Affordable Care Act in place, getting health insurance is easier and more affordable than ever.”

The comptroller’s report was timed to coincide with the beginning of the Affordable Care Act open enrollment period, which runs from November 1, through December 15 for coverage to begin on January 1, 2016. Enrollment will remain open through January 31, 2015 for coverage to begin March 1, 2016.

While the amount of uninsured New Yorker’s still hovers above 10 percent, the number has fallen steadily since the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) was signed into law in 2010.

“We’ve seen real progress in reducing the number of City residents who are covered, but we must continue to reinforce that being uninsured can have real economic and health consequences for you and your family,” Stringer said.

New Yorker’s can find out how to apply for health insurance through the state’s online marketplace. The Brooklyn Public Library also provides free healthcare navigator services at several branches. The Kings Highway Library, located at 2115 Ocean Avenue, hosts a health insurance navigator on Mondays, from 10am – 6pm, Tuesdays, 12pm – 7pm, Wednesdays, 10am – 6pm, and the first Saturdays of ever month, from 10am – 3pm.