Federal cuts to New York’s Essential Plan took effect July 1, stripping healthcare coverage from more than 200,000 New York City residents, according to a press release from the NYC Mayor’s Press Office. The same day, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the NYC Health Department, and NYC Health + Hospitals announced an expanded outreach effort to connect affected residents with alternative low- and no-cost coverage options.
The New Yorkers losing coverage are those enrolled in the Essential Plan with incomes between 200% and 250% of the federal poverty level (roughly $31,920 to $39,900 a year for an individual). That population is now eligible for a special enrollment period through the New York State of Health Marketplace. The window runs 60 days and closes September 1. Signing up at any point during that stretch provides retroactive coverage dating back to July 1, meaning care received after the cutoff is covered even if enrollment happens weeks later.
Residents can call 311 and ask for “help with health coverage,” call directly at 347-665-0214, text “CoveredNYC” to 55676, or visit nyc.gov/healthcoverage to submit a health insurance inquiry form. NYC Health + Hospitals financial counselors are available by phone at 1-844-692-4692 or in person at any of the system’s facilities.
“Health care is a human right, not a privilege reserved for those who can afford it. No New Yorker should be skipping doctor’s appointments, ignoring concerning symptoms, or risking bankruptcy because they cannot afford to see a doctor,” Mayor Mamdani said in the press release. “We are making sure every New Yorker knows where they can turn for affordable care, enrollment assistance and the services they need.”
Affected residents can access low- and no-cost care at NYC Health Department clinics covering sexual health, immunization, and tuberculosis, and at more than 50 DOH and H+H clinics, facilities, and community health centers across all five boroughs. All of those sites accept patients regardless of immigration status or insurance coverage. The city also offers free enrollment counselors through the Health Department. For people who do not qualify for or cannot afford insurance, NYC Care, a NYC Health + Hospitals program, guarantees low- and no-cost services regardless of coverage status.
“As an ER doctor, I’ve seen firsthand what happens when people lose their health coverage. They don’t stop getting sick, they stop getting care until it’s an emergency,” NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Alister F. Martin said in the press release. “Access to affordable coverage is a lifeline. The NYC Health Department is ready to meet New Yorkers where they are and make sure no one loses coverage because they didn’t know help was available.”
Mitchell Katz, MD, President and CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals, said in the press release that the system is urging existing patients “to remain in care, keep taking their medications, and attend their scheduled appointments,” and that financial counselors are ready to help both existing and new patients identify new insurance options or transition to one of four dedicated financial assistance programs including NYC Care.
Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Dr. Helen Arteaga said in the press release that “hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers at risk of losing coverage” require the city to get the word out that “these lifelines are available to any person who needs help.”
The city had been preparing for the July 1 cutoff. In May, the Mamdani administration launched two public awareness campaigns: a $500,000 NYC Health Department campaign promoting free and low-cost health insurance enrollment through the department’s free enrollment services, and a separate NYC Health + Hospitals campaign focused on enrollment and re-enrollment in NYC Care. Nearby enrollment centers can be found using the NYC Health Map.
