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Constituent Services

  • Constituent Services

    Step 1 -- Introduction to Casework
    How Can I Help You?

    Providing assistance to my constituents is one of my most important duties as your representative in Congress, and I am always happy to provide you with casework service. Typical requests for casework involve lost documents or a federal agency dragging its feet in getting you the help you need.

    Before contacting me for aid, it is important that you first try to work with the federal agency you are having trouble with. These agencies are helpful and responsive, and most issues can be solved by contacting them in writing. However, if you find that contacting them does not yield results, I would be happy to advocate on your behalf.

    To determine whether I can help you with your situation or if you need to find assistance elsewhere, please proceed to the next step "Casework Determination."

    As always, if you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact my office.

    Step 2 -- Determining How I Can Help
    Is this casework or not?

    I am able to assist you with a casework request as long as it deals with a federal agency, or one that reports to the executive branch. Some examples of federal agencies:

    • Social Security Administration
    • Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
    • Department of Homeland Security
    • Department of Veteran's Affairs (VA)
    • U.S. Postal Service

    I am only authorized to help you with issues involving these federal agencies after you have tried handling the issue through the agency first. Most federal agencies are helpful and responsive and would be happy to provide the aid you need. However, if after you have contacted them in writing you still do not get results, I would be glad to provide the help you need.

    And although I will try my best to help you in any way I can, the federal agency with whom you are dealing always has the final say in the matter. Please also keep in mind that I am unable to provide you with legal assistance or act as your legal counselor or representative. Because of the constitutional separation of powers, I do not have the authority to intervene in judicial matters such as criminal court proceedings, civil disputes, or deportation hearings.

    Local and State Issues

    There are many issues affecting constituents that cannot be solved at the national level, but can be solved at the local level. If you are having trouble with a state agency, you should contact your representative in the New York State Senate or Assembly or your local representative. Some examples of local or state issues:

    • Child support
    • Criminal and police investigations
    • Worker's compensation
    • Housing or rent issues
    • Lost or stolen driver's licenses or other important state documentation

    To find your State Senator by ZIP code, click here. To find your State Assembly member by ZIP code, click here.

    Step 3 -- How to Open a Case
    Once you contact me, I can begin to assist you

    After you have determined that your request is something we can help you with, fill out a request form and fax or mail it to one of my district offices, or deliver it in person. The Privacy Act of 1974 does not allow our office to assist you until you have filled out this form which releases information to our office from the agency with which you are having trouble. Be sure to attach a brief description of the problem and any documents you have pertaining to your case. This may include medical documentation, financial records, letters of support, and recent correspondence with the agency. Click here for a PDF version of the casework request and authorization form.

    Casework is typically handled at my district offices in the Bronx, Westchester, or Rockland. To put in a casework request, contact the district office that is closest to you and be sure to provide as much information as possible so we can help you as quickly and as effectively as we can. You can do this by either calling the office or filling out the Casework Authorization Form and faxing it or bringing it into one of my offices.

    Bronx District Office
    3655 Johnson Ave.
    Bronx, NY 10463
    Phone: (718) 769-9700
    Fax: (718) 796-5134

    Rockland District Office
    261 West Nyack Road
    West Nyack, NY 10994
    Phone: (845) 735-1000
    Fax: (845) 735-1963

    Westchester District Office
    6 Gramatan Ave., Suite 205
    Mount Vernon, NY 10550
    Phone: (914) 699-4100
    Fax: (914) 699-3646

    It is a privilege to serve you and help you get the federal aid you need. Once we receive the document, please allow a few days for my office to contact you about your request, and we can begin addressing your concern as quickly as possible.

    Sincerely,

    Congressman Eliot L. Engel

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Health Reform/Affordable Care Act

I was pleased to work with my colleagues in writing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), which was signed into law in March 2010.  This law aims to reform and improve the health care system and the way health insurance companies deliver their coverage.  In the coming years, other parts will be phased in and eventually approximately 95% of Americans with have some type of quality, affordable health care coverage as a result of the health reform law. 

Many vital aspects of this reform have already gone into effect.  In the two years since PPACA was signed into law:

  • Children can no longer have pre-existing condition exclusions on their health insurance policies and starting in 2014, insurance companies will be prohibited from applying pre-existing condition exclusions to any adult health insurance plan;
     
  • Young adults up to age 26 are allowed to remain on their parents’ health insurance plans, resulting in 2.5 million young adults gaining health insurance through their parents’ plan, including 1.3 million minority youth;
     
  • In 2010, 4 million people with Medicare who fell into the “donut hole” received $250 rebate checks. In 2011, nearly 3.5 million people with Medicare who fell into the donut hole received a 50 percent discount on their covered brand name prescription drugs, saving over $2 billion;
     
  • 32 million Medicare beneficiaries have received free preventive services, such as mammograms and colonoscopies;
     
  • Over 105 million Americans no longer have a lifetime limit on their health insurance plan, which ensures their coverage will be there when they need it most.
     
  • People are protected by new medical loss ratio 80/20 rules, which require insurance companies to spend at least 80 percent of each premium dollar on health care benefits instead of overhead, executive salaries or marketing.
     
  • Approximately 54 million people with private insurance received free preventive care in 2011 due to new rules eliminating co-pays and deductibles for preventive services.

Once the legislation is fully implemented in 2014, if you are self-employed or your employer doesn’t provide health insurance coverage, you will be able to purchase coverage in a new, transparent, and competitive insurance marketplace, known as health insurance exchanges.  These exchanges will offer you a choice of health plans that meet certain benefit and cost standards.  This increase in competition will ensure that your premiums will not skyrocket as they have in the past.  However, if you are content with your coverage, you may keep it.  All Members of Congress will be required to purchase their insurance coverage in the exchanges when they become operational. 

While the final legislation may not be perfect, I do believe it is a significant step forward in improving our health care system for the benefit of all Americans.   Just as the Civil Rights Act, and the creation of Medicare and Social Security improved the lives of all Americans, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will also need to be amended over time to meet the changing needs of people.  I look forward to working with constituents, health care providers and my Congressional colleagues to implement and improve the law as needed.

Helpful Links:


http://www.healthcare.gov/
http://www.healthcarereform.ny.gov/

 

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