By upholding the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, the U.S. Supreme Court has ensured that as many as 1.2 million currently uninsured New Yorkers will have access to insurance coverage over the next few years and that consumers will have vital protections and benefits under the law. The Court’s decision also reaffirms support for the Health Center Program and will allow community health centers to provide millions of newly insured people, and communities identified as medical shortage areas, with access to high-quality, cost-effective primary and preventive services.
The $10.5 billion dollars in funds recently awarded as part of the Affordable Care Act to 20 New York State health centers will be used to expand the number of primary care service delivery sites across the state. This is another critical way in which the Affordable Care Act is helping to bring essential new services to some of New York’s highest-need areas and enhance health centers’ ability to serve more patients and create new jobs.
Most of the 90,000 New Yorkers who will become eligible for enrollment under Medicaid expansion in 2014 and the additional 700,000 who will be able to purchase coverage through the new state Health Insurance Exchanges live and work in the same communities that health centers currently serve. As advocates, we will all have a major role in creating public awareness and understanding of the law’s benefits and protections and helping community residents who qualify to enroll with their Medicaid agencies and the Exchanges in order to gain the coverage they need and deserve.
Landmark Health Care Reform Legislation Becomes Law
The Community Health Care Association of New York State supports the health care reform legislation that President Obama has signed into law. Below are a series of links with additional information. Click here for more.
