NYC-WTC_000230631

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

New York Expands Immigrants’Eligibility for Health Program w By SOMINI SENGUPTA legal Immigranls who arrived after had violated the state and federal The Pataki administration, steer- August 1996, when the law was ing clear of a potential lavsoh. has Passed, decided to extend a new state-snhsi- But advocates for immigrants, and dized health insurance program for their allies In the Democrat-led State 2S A state-subsidize^ insurance plan to !£d s the working poor. | o' s the working poor to all legal immi- Assembly, had argued in favor of grants. extending, the program to all legal The program, known as FamOy - immigrants Without access to pre­ rules should apply to both programs. ______________________ 1*__ Health Plus and paid for with fed- ventive care, they argued, uninsured The question of Immigrant cover- "s eral, state and local money, is sctml- immigrants would simply turn to uled to begin today. Until late last hospital emergency rooms, a far week, the state had been noDoonuntt- costlier option for the state. age remained unanswered until Fri- day, when the state's deputy health commissloner, Robert Hinckley, said City residents are eligible for emer- gency Medicaid. Proof of immigra- tion status is not required. In the rest I tai about whether some immigrants Their argument was buttressed by would be eligible. A federal welfare a related ruling last July by the that his office had decided to extend coverage to all legal immigrants. of the state, enrollment for Fanfiily Health Plus benefits will begin today. 55 law, state officials noted, denied a Court of Appeals, the state’s highest Mr. Hinckley said it was unclear how quickly the coverage could begin be- Immigrants’ advocates said .they were thrilled to hear of the admihis- s range of federally funded benefits to court, which found that New York cause the state comptroller, H. Carl McCall, had yet to approve the de- tration’s decision. “We were relieved to hear because we were waiting to So panment’S contracts with private in- hear for so long,” said Margie .Mc- surers. Hugh, executive director of the New > The comptroller’s office, in turn, York Immigration Coalition. ^“So said it could not approve contracts ^uch was riding on getting that clar- Q I until crucial questions — namely re- O' H i «»««'« coverage of immigrants - intended for 9 1^ H Including ' grants staterecent more thethe will cost immi immi* an addition- al $10 million during the current fis- the Working poor, who earn too milch “““y *?™’'y i a 2 Medicmd; Ak ™ B ffl KJ ' cal year, which began April 1. The than $23,475 a year, just above; the price tag for the overall program, P«^’"ty line, to be eligible for*;the S I which will cover 600,000 uninsured tiew program. o New Yorkers over the next three There are currently three million o years as the program is gradually uninsured people in New York State, O o phased in, is estimated at $1.1 billion, including those who earn too mu^ to © I The state is also providing addi- qualify for government-subsidized o tional health care services in the Insurance, and others who barely immediate aftermath of the World scrape by but lack the immigration Trade Center attack. For the next documentation to receive public co three months, uninsured New York health benefits. co o, Ji- Ji^

L ..

NYC-WTC_000230631