Syracuse, N.Y. -- About 1.2 million uninsured New Yorkers could get health care coverage under federal health reform, according to a study released today. The report by the New York State Health Foundation said the number of people who gain coverage through the federal law will largely depend on how well New York implements the reforms. There are 2.6 million...
Syracuse, N.Y. -- About 1.2 million uninsured New Yorkers could get health care coverage under federal health reform, according to a study released today.
The report by the New York State Health Foundation said the number of people who gain coverage through the federal law will largely depend on how well New York implements the reforms.
There are 2.6 million uninsured children and non-elderly adults in New York state. The report estimates that up to 440,000 people currently eligible for Medicaid buy not enrolled may sign up because of more aggressive outreach efforts. Up to another 70,000 individuals could become newly eligible for Medicaid and enroll in the state-federal health insurance program. The report also said about 570,000 people are expected to use tax subsidies to buy insurance through an exchange — a marketplace to connect consumers and employers to insurers. It also estimates 80,000 are likely to buy coverage through an exchange without federal subsidies.
“Health care reform is an unprecedented opportunity to provide affordable health care to the majority of New Yorkers and we cannot let this moment slip by,” James R. Knickman, the foundation’s president and CEO, said in a prepared statement.
The report noted that some individuals will remain uninsured. Those left behind will include about 400,000 undocumented immigrants who are not eligible for coverage under federal health reform. Because New York already has more generous Medicaid eligibility levels than most states, a smaller proportion of New Yorkers will be made newly eligible for Medicaid under federal health reform compared with other states, according to the report.
If outreach and enrollment efforts fall short, people who are currently eligible for, but not enrolled in, Medicaid may still not enroll, the report said.
The report said federal health care reform will require an overhaul of the state’s regulatory and health delivery system. The state must decide whether to create one insurance exchange or many exchanges and determine who will run them, the report said. It also recommended that the state increase the amount of primary care available to accommodate an influx of newly-insured people who will seek care.