Hello and Welcome,
I wish I could be of more help but I actually live in Canada. However, I wanted to point out that we do have a specialists list and there are some from NY:
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Chiari-Malformation/LIST-OF-CHIARI-SPECIALISTS/show/1293483
BTW- I know exactly what you mean about your hands not working right!!! I tried telling my Drs that for so long but couldn't figure out how to describe it...sort of like a weakness/numbness but then also just like they weren't receiving the signal from my brain in time. My symptoms started out like that too, severe neck, shoulder pain that would travel down my arm.
I was a student at the time as well and I found that it was killer when I had to bend my head down to read a textbook. At the time I had no idea what I had so I couldn't understand why it was aggravating me so.
You are lucky for the fact that you know what you have and can deal with it. I was misdx'd for about 2 years in total but I struggled through six months of severe symptoms that rapidly got worse with no explanation of what was going one. So take the positivity that you do have a dx and now you will need to start seeking the best help for yourself.
As for the car accident, I wasn't in one but my symptoms came on heavily when I upped my running to 3-4 times a week to train for a marathon (the pounding on pavement). I have also heard that in some situations that Chiari can be acquired too but most likely it is a case that you were born with it but this car accident triggered the symptoms.
Insurance is different here in Canada but I know a lot of members here have found some good Drs who have accepted their insurance so hopefully they can help you out.
I was a clumsy child all through my life....I have always had trouble with keeping my balance. I was a very flexible gymnast but always had trouble staying on the beam.
I think yes, 100% that most of us have blamed our Chiari symptoms on something else especially at the start. When mine really reared up I was dealing with going to night school while taking care of 3 kids, dealing with some very upsetting family deaths and meanwhile we were starting up a new business. My Dr blamed it all on stress and anxiety and I believed her....for awhile...but you get to the point where you realize, I am feeling better (stress wise) but my body is just getting worse and no matter what I do, I can't get relief. I have found that stress is also a trigger for the onslaught of symptoms too. Remember, we all know our bodies better than anyone else !!
I hope I have been some help...this forum is a really great place for support so remember we will be here for you whenever you need it!
Carolyn