Known Unknowns: The New Federal Administration and New York's Public Insurance Programs

On January 29th, NYHealth hosted a webinar on the administrative, legal, and legislative actions that have been floated by the new federal administration and their potential impact on New York, as well as efforts underway to help New Yorkers enroll in coverage and to engage the consumer advocacy community.
Public insurance through Medicaid, the Essential Plan, Child Health Plus, and Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans provide coverage to millions of New Yorkers. More than 9.5 million New Yorkers are enrolled in public health insurance, including nearly 8 million in Medicaid; 1.5 million in the Essential Plan; and 250,000 in ACA plans. Medicaid, in particular, is a core vehicle for coverage, jointly funded by states and the federal government. Enrollment in the program rose to historically high levels during the COVID-19 pandemic; now that pandemic-era policies have expired, New York State has undertaken a massive effort to preserve those gains.
New York has also focused on continuous Medicaid and Child Health Plus coverage for children ages 0-6; coverage for New Yorkers ages 65 and older, regardless of immigration status; more generous income eligibility for the Essential Plan; and additional financial assistance for ACA plans in the New York State of Health Marketplace. Even as the new federal administration’s policy priorities may threaten New York’s robust public insurance infrastructure and coverage rates, State agencies and community-based partners are continuing to support and expand health insurance coverage.
Speakers were:
Elisabeth Benjamin, Vice President, Health Initiatives, Community Service Society of New York;
Lara Kassel, Coalition Coordinator, Medicaid Matters New York;
Robin Rudowitz, Vice President and Director, Program on Medicaid and the Uninsured, KFF; and
Avital Havusha, Vice President of Programs, NYHealth (moderator)