Striving to maintain healthcare coverage for New York residents amidst significant federal healthcare obstacles

In a time when healthcare access is under threat, Elisabeth Benjamin, Vice President and Managing Director of Health Initiatives at the Community Service Society of New York (CSSNY), is working tirelessly to ensure New Yorkers receive the care they need.

For over 180 years, CSSNY has been dedicated to improving the lives of working and low-income New Yorkers, with a particular focus on healthcare access. This mission is reflected in Elisabeth's daily work, which involves designing and implementing healthcare access networks and improving healthcare for New Yorkers.

The healthcare system in New York has long been criticised for being cost-prohibitive, difficult, and cumbersome for residents, regardless of their location, union status, family history, or immigration status. In response to these challenges, CSSNY has been at the forefront of efforts to make healthcare more accessible.

One of CSSNY's most significant achievements in this regard is the creation of the Essential Plan, launched in 2012. This plan provides coverage for individuals above the income cutoff for Medicaid or those who are not eligible due to immigration status. Elisabeth played a key role in creating this plan, as well as a service that helps people navigate their health coverage.

However, recent legislation, dubbed the "One Big Beautiful Bill," threatens these advances. This bill, passed by a Republican-led Congress in July, aims to make the most significant cuts to the U.S. safety net in modern history. The bill significantly reduces healthcare help for immigrants, even those lawfully present in the U.S., and includes restrictions on Medicaid, mainly work requirements, which experts predict could result in 15 million people being removed from the program by 2034.

The bill also terminates subsidies for Affordable Care Act marketplace plans, causing plan costs to potentially rise by 75%. This could disproportionately affect low-income individuals and families who rely on these subsidies to afford healthcare.

Elisabeth, along with healthcare advocates nationwide, has expressed disapproval of the bill. CSSNY continues to do policy work, focusing on improving healthcare access and affordability for New Yorkers. They maintain a secure, password- and HIPAA-protected database for client information and conduct regular case reviews. They also operate a toll-free help line for patients to seek assistance with complicated health coverage issues.

In a collaborative effort, CSSNY has worked with stakeholders such as hospitals, lawmakers, and insurance companies to get the Essential Plan supported and implemented. They have been involved in designing and implementing healthcare navigation networks for the past 18 years.

The idea for the Essential Plan in New York, offering completely free insurance to low-income individuals, originated from New York state policymakers, specifically promoted under Governor Kathy Hochul's administration. CSSNY continues to collaborate with these policymakers and stakeholders to ensure the continued availability and accessibility of essential healthcare services for New Yorkers.

In the face of challenging legislation, Elisabeth Benjamin and CSSNY remain committed to their mission of improving healthcare access for all New Yorkers.