TIMES, THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 2015 • 52 As Feb. 15 Deadline Nears, City Reminds Residents To Get Health Insurance Transit News And Changes Boulevard-Archer Avenues. Riders can transfer between the buses and the E train at either Union Turnpike or Van Wyck Boulevard. Weekend Switch For F Trains To Man. Manhattan-bound F trains will run on the M line between Roosevelt Avenue and 47th-50th Streets this weekend, from 11:15 p.m. Friday, Jan. 16, until 5 a.m. Monday, Jan. 19. This service change will also take place the following weekend, Jan. 23-26. During this period, F trains will run express service between Roosevelt Avenue and Queens Plaza; Manhattan-bound trains will also skip the 21st Street- Queensbridge, Roosevelt Island, Lexington Avenue-63rd Street and 57th Street stations. Transfer to the R train at Roosevelt Avenue for service to and from the 65th Street, Northern Boulevard, 46th Street, Steinway Street and 36th Street stations. For service to the 21st Street- Queensbridge and Roosevelt Avenue stations, take the F train to 47th-50th Streets, then transfer to a Jamaica-bound F train. For service from these stations, take the F train to Roosevelt Avenue, then transfer to a Manhattanbound F train. Late Night F Trains Skip Three Stations Jamaica-bound F trains will skip the 75th Avenue, Van Wyck Boulevard and Sutphin Boulevard stations late nights, Monday through Friday, from 10:45 p.m. to 5 a.m. beginning this Tuesday, Jan. 20, and continuing through Friday, Feb. 6. For service to the 75th Avenue and Van Wyck Boulevard stations, transfer to the E train at 71st- Continental Avenues or Union Turnpike. For service to Sutphin Boulevard, take the F train to Parsons Boulevard, then transfer to a Manhattan-bound F train. For service from Sutphin Boulevard, take the F train to Union Turnpike, then transfer to a Jamaica-bound F train. Overnight Express For E & R In Qns. Jamaica Center-bound E trains will operate express service between Queens Plaza and 71st- Continental Avenues late night Friday, Jan. 16, from 12:01 to 5 a.m.A dditionally, Forest Hillsbound R trains will operate express service in the same section on Tuesday through Thursday from 9:45 p.m. to midnight. For service to the 36th Street, Steinway Street, 46th Street, Northern Boulevard, 65th Street, Elmhurst Avenue, Grand Avenue, Woodhaven Boulevard, 63rd Drive and 67th Avenue stations, take the E or R train to Roosevelt Avenue or 71st-Continental Avenues, then transfer to a Manhattan-bound E or R train. For service from these stations, take the E or R train to Roosevelt Avenue or Queens Plaza, then transfer to a Jamaica Centerbound E train or a Forest Hillsbound R train. Split Service For G Train Late Nights G trains will operate in two sections—between Court Square- 23rd Street and Bedford-Nostrand Avenues and between Bedford- Nostrand Avenues and Hoyt-Schermerhorn Streets—late night on Friday, Jan. 16, from 11:45 p.m. to 5 a.m. Riders can transfer between G trains at Bedford-Nostrand Avenues to continue their trip. During this period, it was noted, G train service will be suspended between Hoyt- Schermerhorn Streets and Church Avenue. Riders can transfer to the A or F train for alternate service. Station Renewal Affects A Train The Manhattan-bound platforms at the 88th Street and 104th Street A train stations in Ozone Park remain closed through February for repairs related to the MTA’s station renewal program. For service to these stations, take the A train to 80th Street, then transfer to an Ozone Park-bound or a Far Rockaway-bound A train. For service from these stations, take the A train to Rockaway Boulevard or 111th Street, then transfer to a Manhattan-bound A train. For a complete list of service changes and last-minute updates, visit the MTA’s website at www.mta.info or call 511. -CONTINUED FROM PG. 18- 877877 to find help today.” “The de Blasio Administration is conducting a broad outreach campaign because we want to be sure that everyone who lacks health insurance takes advantage of this opportunity to sign up for no or low-cost coverage,” added HRA Commissioner Steven Banks. The Affordable Care Act makes health insurance attainable for those who previously could not afford coverage or do not have coverage available through their employer. Nearly 900,000 New York City residents have already enrolled in free and lowcost health insurance plans through the New York State of Health Marketplace. In addition to the bus and subway ads, posters will be displayed and flyers distributed in small businesses in communities in the five boroughs to encourage New Yorkers to get covered before the deadline. Prior to the Affordable Care Act’s implementation, the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens had a higher number of uninsured adult residents than Manhattan or Staten Island. According to the Health Department’s 2013 Community Health Survey, New Yorkers living in West Queens, East New York, Sunset Park and East Harlem have the highest rates of uninsured adults, with more than 30 percent of residents reporting that they do not have health insurance. The survey also found that non-Hispanic blacks made up 24 percent of the uninsured population in New York City and Hispanics made up 44 percent of the uninsured population before Affordable Care Act health insurance plans were available. Although New York State data shows that progress was made during the last open enrollment period, with 102,534 non- Hispanic black residents enrolled (21 percent of all enrollees) and 138,979 of Hispanic residents enrolled (28 percent of all enrollees), the Health Department stated more must be done to help uninsured New Yorkers sign up for health insurance. “Access to comprehensive, quality health care services is critical for the achievement of health equity and for increasing the quality of life for all New Yorkers,” said NYC311 Executive Director Joseph Morrisroe. “NYC311 is pleased to provide New York City residents with information about new affordable health insurance options and assist them with enrollment.” “It's crucial to encourage immigrants to learn more about getting affordable health insurance coverage, especially since many people do not even know they may be eligible,” said Commissioner of Immigrant Affairs Nisha Agarwal. “Health insurance coverage isn’t just a tool to get check-ups. It’s also protection for the most vulnerable members of our communities from unforeseen illnesses and accidents and— very importantly—protection from financial trouble.” “Access to affordable health coverage can make a huge impact in the lives of working New Yorkers,” said Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito. “When individuals have the ability to properly maintain their personal health, the entire community benefits as a result.” Both the Health Department and HRA offer in-person assistance through Certified Application Counselors who help families and children sign up for low-or no-cost health insurance. By calling 311, New Yorkers can locate assistors who speak multiple languages. For more information, call 311 or search “health insurance” at nyc.gov. -CONTINUED FROM PG. 17- Sen.: Need More Food Storage Exams Second, Schumer called on the FDA to increase the fees for violations, and potential repeat violations, to deter disgusting conditions. Lastly, he said that the FDA should create an easilysearchable database so that restaurants and consumers may search specific food facilities, caterers and suppliers to find violation information. Schumer explained that clear public publication of violations, in real time as they occur. “Reports of the filthy conditions at some of these warehouses sound like a page straight out of Upton Sinclair’s ‘The Jungle,’” said Schumer. “It’s clear that more must be done to ensure cannolis, Chinese food, pizza dough and other delicious food are the only items on the menu.” The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, which passed Congress in 2010 and was enacted in 2011, expanded food safety oversight at the FDA and made several key changes to the FDA inspection process. For the first time, the FDA has been given an inspection mandate under this legislation, however Schumer stated that efforts are clearly still inadequate. Specifically, the legislation calls for all “high-risk” domestic food facilities to be inspected within five years of the bill’s signing and then, at least once every three years after that. In addition, all other domestic food facilities must be inspected within seven years of the bill’s signing and then at least once every five years after that. Schumer does not believe that this is frequent enough. Currently the FDA’s inspection process at food warehouses involve: an initial inspection, observations from inspection shared with the facility owner, and if violation are found and not immediately addressed, the issuance of a warning letter to the facility owner. During this months-long process the FDA works with the facility to bring the site back into compliance and additional inspections are done on some occasions. Schumer said this system is too private, and that these FDA letter are only made available annually, at the end of each year. For example, one company that supplies Chinese restaurants was inspected on Oct. 15 and Oct. 20, at which time it was found that boxes of food had rodent nests inside them, rodent carcasses were scattered throughout the building, birds were flying around the warehouse and defecating on food items and more. The FDA did not issue a letter to the company privately until Dec. 9, and that was only made public at the end of the year. It is unclear what repercussions the company has faced, if any. -CONTINUED FROM PG. 15- KKeeeepp YYoouurr EEyyeess OOnn TThhee RRooaadd——NNoott YYoouurr PPhhoonnee!! Teexxtinngg WWhhilee DDrivvinngg Is DDaannggeeroouus && Illeeggaal. UUssee AA HHaannddss--FFrreeee PPhhoonnee OOrr DDoonn’’tt CCaallll WWhhiillee DDrriivviinngg!!
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