Betances Health Center is your go-to healthcare spot in Lower Manhattan that welcomes everyone, whatever their ability to pay.
You’ll find us at 280 Henry Street, where we provide detailed medical services from basic care to specialized treatments. We also offer free HIV testing and STD screenings.
The center is open six days a week with flexible hours to fit your schedule. We take care of everything from regular checkups to specialized medical needs. Your healthcare costs won’t be a worry – we accept Medicare, Medicaid, and insurance plans of all types.
The center’s sliding scale fees make quality healthcare available to everyone in our community. We put your health first and deliver the medical care you deserve right here in Lower Manhattan.
History and Mission of Betances Health Center
The story of Betances Health Center started in the summer of 1969. Judson Memorial Church reached out to local activist Paul Ramos to develop the “East Village Youth Project”. A construction trailer served as the project’s first home, and it quickly grew into something much bigger.
Betances Health Center: From mobile van to community hub
Paul Ramos and his colleagues launched the 53-year-old Betances Health Unit in 1970. They started in a small office above a pickle factory.
Their fundraising efforts paid off with the purchase of a 27-foot van. The van came equipped with an examination room, waiting area, and lab space.
This mobile unit brought healthcare right to people’s doorsteps with immunizations, screenings, and health education.
The center kept growing. By 1977, Betances moved into its first permanent home on East Broadway with three exam rooms. A National Health Service Corps grant in 1978 helped bring two full-time physicians, a nurse practitioner, and a physician’s assistant on board.
Serving Lower Manhattan since 1970
Betances Health Center has stayed true to its original mission for over five decades. The center believes quality healthcare is a simple right for all, whatever their ability to pay. They broke new ground by becoming one of New York’s first health centers to bring acupuncture to low-income patients.
A defining moment arrived in 1986 when the center moved to its current home at 280 Henry Street. Betances now helps over 6,000 patients in need each year.
The center offers complete care that blends traditional Western medicine with an all-encompassing approach. Their core values shine through in:
- Compassion and kindness in patient care
- Commitment to ethical practices
- Excellence in service delivery
- Patient-focused holistic care
Betances continues to grow with new services in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Their steadfast dedication to the Lower East Side’s immigrant communities remains stronger than ever.
Complete Medical Services Guide
Betances Health Center works as a patient-centered medical home that offers coordinated and integrated healthcare services. We provide complete medical care in multiple specialties. Each patient gets personal attention.
Betances Health Center: Primary care services
Our multilingual providers deliver complete primary care and focus on disease prevention and health maintenance. The primary care team excels in family practice, pediatrics, and internal medicine.
We also provide specialized HIV/AIDS care with custom treatment options.
Specialty medical treatments
Our specialty services meet a wide range of healthcare needs. The center provides:
- Dental care and hygiene services
- Podiatry with acupuncture
- Optometry examinations
- Nutritional counseling
- Discount prescription drug program
Women’s health services
Our center meets women’s unique healthcare needs through complete OB/GYN services.
The women’s health program has prenatal care, family planning, and preventive screenings. Our certified nurse midwives provide personal care during pregnancy and beyond.
Mental health support
Mental and physical health are connected, so we make behavioral health services a priority. Our mental health team works under our Behavioral Health Supervisor and specializes in:
- Crisis intervention
- Substance abuse counseling
- Individual and family therapy
- Bereavement support
Our approach to mental health care stands out. We work to remove mental health stigma and equip our patients with the right tools.
Each counselor creates custom treatment plans. You’ll feel heard and supported throughout your healthcare trip.
Patient Information and Access
Quality healthcare starts with understanding your payment options. We accept all major health plans to ensure broad coverage for our community. Our center partners with Medicare, Medicaid, Child Health Plus, and many private Qualified Health Plans (QHPs).
Insurance and payment options
We’ve created multiple pathways to care for patients without insurance coverage.
Our team screens patients to determine their eligibility for New York State’s affordable health insurance programs. We also provide a Sliding Fee Discount program that bases costs on your financial situation.
Federal law requires us to provide uninsured patients with a “Good Faith Estimate” that explains expected medical costs.
You’ll receive this written estimate at least one business day before any non-emergency service. You have the right to dispute charges that exceed your estimate by USD 400.00 or more.
Appointment scheduling process
We’ve made booking appointments simple and convenient. Our regular hours are 8 AM to 5 PM on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Thursday hours run from 10 AM to 5 PM, and we stay open until 8 PM on Wednesdays.
Here’s what you need for your visit:
- Current insurance information
- Co-payments, if applicable
- Required medical documentation
We make reminder calls to help you stay on track with your healthcare appointments.
Our answering service connects you with covering physicians for urgent medical concerns after hours. You can schedule your visit by calling our multilingual staff at 212-227-8401. Our team speaks English, Chinese, and Spanish to ensure we understand your healthcare needs clearly.
Location and Facilities: Betances Health Center
Our main facility welcomes patients from a beautifully renovated building at 280 Henry Street. This modern medical center serves the Lower East Side community with state-of-the-art amenities.
Henry Street facility details
The center welcomes patients at these convenient hours:
- Monday and Tuesday: 8 AM to 5 PM
- Wednesday: 8 AM to 5 PM
- Thursday: 10 AM to 5 PM
- Friday: 8 AM to 5 PM
- Saturday: 10 AM to 2 PM
- Sunday: Closed
Patients with urgent medical needs can reach our dedicated after-hours service through the main line at 212-227-8401 outside regular hours.
Healthcare providers can send documents through our medical fax line at 212-349-9385 for uninterrupted communication.
Public transportation access
The Henry Street location sits in the heart of Lower Manhattan with excellent public transit connections.
Patients can take lines 2, 5, and 6 from nearby subway stations that connect to all parts of the city. Several bus routes have stops within walking distance, giving patients more transportation choices.
Betances Health Center: Parking information
Patients who drive will find several parking options near our center. These include:
Park-it Management runs a valet parking garage at 24 Columbia Street, just 0.2 miles from our facility. Icon Parking at 250 South Street offers covered parking starting at $114, located 0.4 miles away.
Patients can choose from multiple garages within a half-mile radius that provide both covered and uncovered parking, with monthly rates between $99 and $650.
Our Brooklyn facility at 1427 Broadway works alongside our Manhattan location to serve nearly 6,500 people from two vibrant, low-income neighborhoods. Both locations uphold the exceptional care standards and accessibility that Betances Health Center has always championed throughout its history.
Conclusion
Betances Health Center has grown beyond a medical facility in Lower Manhattan. Our steadfast dedication to quality healthcare spans five decades, and we serve everyone who walks through our doors whatever their ability to pay.
We offer complete services from primary care to specialty treatments, women’s health, and mental health support. This makes us your one-stop destination for healthcare needs.
Healthcare should be accessible to everyone. We make this possible through flexible payment plans, staff who speak multiple languages, and convenient locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Our extended hours and quick appointment scheduling system ensure you get medical care right when you need it.
You can count on Betances Health Center for routine check-ups, specialized treatments, or urgent medical attention with care that puts your health first.
Our comprehensive approach combines traditional Western medicine with alternative treatments to support your physical and mental well-being.
We stay committed to serving our diverse community as we expand our services to meet changing healthcare needs. Make Betances Health Center your trusted healthcare partner where quality meets compassion and every patient truly matters.
