🔴 LIVE: Examining NYC Health and Hospitals' Programs and Care for Uninsured New Yorkers

Summary

The New York City Council Committee on Hospitals held an oversight hearing on NYC Care, the Health + Hospitals program serving uninsured New Yorkers, and the broader effects of federal coverage changes.

NYC Care and access to services

NYC Health + Hospitals (H+H) officials said NYC Care has about 125,766 members. Launched in 2019, the program offers low- or no-cost care to people who do not qualify for or cannot afford insurance, regardless of immigration status. It is not insurance and has no premiums, deductibles, or copays; members pay according to an individual sliding fee scale.

People can seek enrollment by phone, in person, or through one of 20 community-based organizations. H+H said applicants are first screened for insurance eligibility and directed to Medicaid or other insurance when possible. The enrollment process can take 30–45 minutes when documents are available, but care is not withheld while eligibility is being sorted out. H+H reported that more than 90% of new enrollees have been offered a primary-care appointment within two weeks.

Members can access primary and specialty care, behavioral health, dental and eye care, reproductive health, prescriptions, and durable medical equipment. H+H said three-quarters of members complete a primary-care visit within a year and 80% have a specialty visit. The program’s 24/7 member line offers interpretation in more than 300 languages and dialects. NYC Care has also conducted more than one million community outreach interactions and supported over one million primary-care appointments.

Officials described e-consults as a way for specialists to triage referrals, answer some questions without an appointment, and prioritize urgent cases. They also cited team-based primary care, same-day mammogram scheduling, and annual FIT tests for colorectal-cancer screening as ways to improve access and reduce bottlenecks. Colonoscopy remains important for people with abnormal tests or a strong family history. H+H said 77% of NYC Care members completed colorectal screening, compared with 78% of its overall patient population.

Coverage changes and capacity concerns

The chair and council members raised concerns about the end of the Essential Plan’s EP5 coverage and impending Medicaid changes under HR1. A council member cited estimates that roughly 450,000 people lost EP5 coverage and about 242,000 found other plans. H+H said that, based on figures available at the time, approximately 60% of those who lost EP5 coverage had obtained another insurance plan; thousands had enrolled in NYC Care. Officials cautioned that the figure did not mean everyone else would necessarily become uninsured.

H+H said the Medicaid changes expected to begin January 1, 2027, will require six-month recertification and work or community-engagement requirements. It cited an estimate that as many as 900,000 New Yorkers could be at risk of losing coverage, while stressing that losses would likely occur over time rather than all at once. H+H is preparing through financial-counselor outreach, electronic-record alerts, patient communications, and efforts to help people understand and meet the new requirements. It expects “coverage disruptions,” with some people moving between Medicaid, NYC Care, and other coverage.

Officials said H+H could accommodate roughly 15,000–20,000 additional primary-care patients with current capacity if provider panels were filled. The system is working to expand staffing and strengthen its care teams. NYC Care’s annual budget was described as $100 million.

H+H did not provide all requested data during the hearing, including detailed telehealth, geographic coverage, transportation-related no-show, and some enrollment figures; officials agreed to follow up. Questions about how the proposed Maimonides transition would affect uninsured patients and finances were also left for a written response.

Reported outcomes and outreach

H+H reported that among newly enrolled members diagnosed with high blood pressure or diabetes, 73% and 53%, respectively, showed significant improvement within six months. Officials said a published comparison found similar chronic-disease outcomes for new NYC Care and new Medicaid enrollees, and cited an estimate that NYC Care had contributed to saving 1,569 lives. They also said 71% of members identify as Hispanic or Latinx and 13% as Black or African American.

H+H and council members emphasized the role of trusted community organizations, faith communities, consulates, public events, and word-of-mouth in reaching people who may not know they can access care. Officials repeatedly promoted 646-NYC-CARE as the central number for information, enrollment, and appointments. H+H also highlighted its street-medicine program, safety-net clinics, and Housing for Health work, which it said has housed 1,800 patients.

Public testimony

A representative of the Community Healthcare Association of New York State said New York City health centers provided more than 631,000 uninsured visits in 2025, representing about $92 million in uncompensated care. The association projected that uninsured patients served by city health centers could triple as coverage losses take effect and said HR1 could reduce health-center revenue by $224 million annually. It urged the Council to implement a measure expanding NYC Care to federally qualified health centers and provide resources for affordable, coordinated care.

A Make the Road New York representative described the organization’s work helping uninsured New Yorkers enroll in NYC Care and shared an example of a patient who received a diabetes diagnosis and medication after being connected to care. The organization requested an annual $100 million investment to expand the program and fund community-based outreach, education, and enrollment. It also called for strong policies to ensure immigrants feel safe seeking care at H+H facilities.

Presenters and contributors

• Council Member Mercedes Narcisse, chair of the Committee on Hospitals
• Dr. Ted Long, H+H system chief medical officer
• Dr. Jonathan Jimenez, executive director of NYC Care
• Jamie (surname unclear in the subtitles), Community Healthcare Association of New York State
• Carmen Garcia, Make the Road New York
• Council Members Powers, Sanchez, and Albal (names partially unclear in the subtitles)