NYC commissioners commend changes to Essential Plan eligibility

New York City Commisioners on health coverage have commended the changes made to the Essential Plan eligibility.

The commendation was given in a statement jointly signed by the commissioners on Tuesday March 29, 2022.

The Commissioners are Manuel Castro of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, Ashwin Vasan, M.D., PhD from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and Mitchell Katz, M.D., President and CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals.

According to the statement, the changes are in response to immigration-related Essential Plan eligibility in the NYS Budget.

“We applaud the inclusion of changes to Essential Plan eligibility related to immigration status in the New York State Assembly and Senate budget bills,” the statement reads.

“Over the past two years, immigrant New Yorkers have put their health on the line as they worked as essential workers during the height of the pandemic.

“The changes to the Essential Plan eligibility will allow low-income New Yorkers, regardless of immigration status, to access the health insurance they need to improve their personal, physical, and mental wellbeing,” it adds.

The commissioners stated further that “As City agencies tasked with promoting the health and wellbeing of all New Yorkers, including immigrants, we urge the governor and the legislature to include these changes in the final New York State budget and continue to lead the nation in recognizing healthcare as a human right.”