NARROWING NEW YORK’S COVERAGE GAP
New York Health Plan Association Statement on New CSS/CBC Report
“Every New Yorker deserves access to high-quality, affordable, health care. We support the proposal in today’s report to establish a state-funded program to provide coverage to low-income, uninsured immigrants. This is vital to advancing health equity and furthering the goal of achieving universal coverage. The report includes a number of other innovative proposals to narrow the coverage gap, including establishing an individual mandate, creating a state premium assistance program, and enhanced outreach and enrollment.
“However, we do not support the creation of a government-mandated public health insurance option. Such an approach is unnecessary as the NY State of Health Marketplace is among the most robust and successful exchanges in the nation and the Essential Plan currently provides comprehensive coverage at no cost to more than 920,000 lower income residents. Further, the report failed to take into account the potential impact a public option would have on the health care system.
“With less than 5% of state residents uninsured, closing the gap should build upon and expand eligibility for programs that are working, as opposed to creating a new public option that will undermine the success New York has achieved.”
