As members of New York’s State Assembly reconvene for legislative duty on June 20, state Sen. Gustavo Rivera hopes his Coverage For All proposal — which passed the Senate and needs 79 votes for passage in the Assembly — crosses the finish line.
Coverage For All seeks to expand health coverage for all low-income New Yorkers, including undocumented noncitizens, through use of federal funds. Rivera, a leading progressive in the state and the Senate’s health committee chair, calls the bill a “common sense” public health measure that could improve health outcomes for the Bronx, and its myriad of immigrant and low-income communities.
Advocates say the bill will provide coverage for more than 240,000 undocumented immigrants in the state, allowing them to enroll in New York State’s Essential Plan that gives low-income New Yorkers access to health insurance.
Immigrants make up roughly 37% of the Bronx’s total population, according to most recent census data.
“There are many barriers facing Bronxites seeking affordable healthcare that contribute to poor health outcomes, including fear of cost and limited preventive care options. When it comes to our borough’s large immigrant population, there aren’t any affordable healthcare coverage options, which forces folks to choose between paying out of pocket or delaying care until there’s an emergency,” said Rivera, who represents the sections of Kingsbridge and Fordham, among others in the state’s 33rd Senatorial District. “It is essential that the Legislature pass Coverage For All to expand healthcare coverage to those who need it while providing fiscal support to our healthcare system.”
New York is one of a few states in the nation that have made progress to expand Medicaid coverage and health insurance to undocumented immigrants. The impetus behind these legislative steps in states such as California and Illinois, advocates say, is to increase health access to noncitizens and eliminate social…
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