Healthfirst, a leading not-for-profit health insurer in New York, marked the opening of its new and expanded community office in Flushing, on Wednesday, Oct. 30.
Located at 39-06 Main St., the new 3,500-square-foot facility is the latest addition to Healthfirst’s expanding network of community offices in Queens, joining established locations in Jamaica, Jackson Heights, Ridgewood and Long Island City. Each office provides personalized healthcare support tailored to the needs of its neighborhood, with multilingual representatives offering assistance in languages like Spanish, Korean, Bengali, and more.
“We serve more than 450,000 members in Queens, and in Flushing, nearly half of our in-office enrollments are conducted in Chinese,” said Healthfirst President and CEO Pat Wang. “Our mission to provide high-quality healthcare begins with meeting members where they are. This new office was built to reflect the community’s cultural heritage, and we’re proud to feature artwork from local Flushing artists who participate in TimeBank by Healthfirst Foundation.”
The opening celebration included appearances from local and federal elected officials, healthcare providers, and community leaders, including U.S. Rep. Grace Meng, NY State Sen. John Liu, and NYC Council Member Sandra Ung. Attendees were also joined by partners from the MediSys Health Network, the Charles B. Wang Community Health Center, and the Coalition of Asian-American IPA (CAIPA).
The Healthfirst Flushing Community Office offers a range of services for members, from enrollment in Healthfirst plans to assistance with renewals and guidance on maximizing their benefits. This support is available in Mandarin, Cantonese, Fujianese, Korean, Spanish, Bengali, and English, reflecting Flushing’s multilingual community. The opening aligns with the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period, which runs through Dec. 7, and the Open Enrollment Period for New York State’s Essential Plans, starting Nov. 1.
“At Healthfirst, our goal is to ensure every New Yorker has access to quality healthcare, and that starts with providing personalized support,” said Wang. “Today, one in three of our members can walk into a Healthfirst community office in their neighborhood and receive one-on-one help tailored to their needs.”
The new Flushing office is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with extended Sunday hours from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Dec. 29. In the coming months, Healthfirst will host a series of wellness events at the Flushing location, beginning with a discussion on natural healing with acupuncture on Nov. 24, followed by mental health education on Dec. 8, and a Tai Chi session on Jan. 17, 2025. The office will also celebrate the Lunar New Year with a Community Open House on Feb. 2, 2025, and hold a Chinese Culture & Art Exploration event on Mar. 2, 2025.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to serve this community and support the diverse needs of our members,” said Wang. “Healthfirst is committed to advancing health equity so that all individuals, regardless of race, neighborhood, or income, can thrive.”
