Alliance Alert: We join our partners at Medicaid Matters and the Community Service Society of ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ in sounding the alarm on the potential loss of health coverage for nearly 500,000 ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ers as the state transitions the Essential Plan back to the Basic Health Program.
The scale of this potential coverage loss cannot be overstated. Health coverage is the gateway to mental health support, substance use services, primary care, and the full range of supports people need to stay healthy and stable in their communities. Losing coverage means delayed services, worsening conditions, and increased reliance on crisis systems that are more costly and less effective.
We strongly support efforts outlined in S.9589/A.10926 to maintain Essential Plan coverage for over 444,000 ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ers and preserve access to the NY State of Health Marketplace for thousands more. These actions are critical to mitigating the harmful impacts of recent federal changes and ensuring continuity of services for those who rely on these programs.
This is a pivotal moment in the state budget process. We must do everything possible to ensure that as many eligible individuals as possible remain covered. That means:
- Urging state leaders to include these protections in the final budget
- Expanding legislative support and advocacy for this proposal
- Mobilizing advocates, providers, and community members to take action now
We encourage all Alliance members and partners to use the call-in tool, connect with your legislators, and amplify this message within your networks. Sharing local data on coverage losses by county can be especially powerful in demonstrating the real impact these changes will have on communities across ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿.
Protecting coverage is not just about insurance. It is about protecting access to services, supporting recovery, and preventing crises.
Now is the time to act. See below for more information, including who to call!
ACT Today:
Almost half a million ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ers are set to lose coverage when the state transitions the Essential Plan back to the Basic Health Program. We need to keep up the push for a solution in this year’s budget!
Below is a message from Elisabeth Benjamin of the Community Service Society with the call-in tool to make your calls to the Governor and Legislative leaders, as well as a link to a two-page memo to use as talking points. You’ll find anticipated coverage losses by county, which you should share with your own individual legislators.
Thank you for continuing to take action!
Good morning,
Can you help us mitigate the worst impacts of HR1?
Budget conversations are progressing. Please reach out to the Governor and Legislature to protect coverage for nearly half a million ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ers. A half million ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ers losing coverage would be so grateful if you could help get calls into the legislature to support the HR1 mitigation efforts in the State budget, outlined in |. This bill would maintain Essential Plan coverage for 444,000 citizens and lawful immigrants set to lose coverage on 7/1/26 and preserve access to the NYSOH Marketplace for 15,000 lawfully present immigrants set to lose coverage on 1/1/27.
·&²Ô²ú²õ±è;&²Ô²ú²õ±è;&²Ô²ú²õ±è;&²Ô²ú²õ±è;&²Ô²ú²õ±è;&²Ô²ú²õ±è;&²Ô²ú²õ±è; TODAY: Call upon Speaker Carl Heastie, Senate Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and Governor Hochul and demand they protect access to the health coverage in the final budget.
·&²Ô²ú²õ±è;&²Ô²ú²õ±è;&²Ô²ú²õ±è;&²Ô²ú²õ±è;&²Ô²ú²õ±è;&²Ô²ú²õ±è;&²Ô²ú²õ±è; Leverage your contacts in the legislature: Please see the . We are asking to:
(1) Urge more legislators to speak up in conference about this bill; many who have already signed on are not doing this critically important step.
(2) Encourage more legislators to support this proposal by becoming co-sponsors. Use this that has talking points and data on coverage loss data by county.
Thank you!!
Elisabeth
Elisabeth R. Benjamin, MSPH, JD
Vice President & Managing Director
The Community Service Society of ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿
633 Third Avenue, 10thÌý¹ó±ô´Ç´Ç°ù
ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿, NY 10011
(212) 614-5461