New York City To Provide Health Care To All Residents, Including Undocumented Immigrants

Every resident in New York City will have access to health care, regardless of their ability to pay or their immigration status, through the NYC Care program.

Breanna Edwards Jan, 08, 2019

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Tuesday the city’s new program that will provide health care to all residents, regardless of their ability to pay or immigration status.

According to ABC7NY, the program, called NYC Care, will guarantee health care to all, including the estimated 600,000 people who do not currently have health insurance.

That means that anyone will be able to “access comprehensive care across NYC Health + Hospitals’ more than 70+ locations, once the program is fully ramped up,” a statement from the mayor’s office noted.

“Health care is a right, not a privilege reserved for those who can afford it,” the mayor said. “While the federal government works to gut health care for millions of Americans, New York City is leading the way by guaranteeing that every New Yorker has access to quality, comprehensive access to care, regardless of immigration status or their ability to pay.”

The services will be provided on a sliding scale in order to ensure that it is affordable.

“NYC Care will provide a primary care doctor and will provide access to specialty care, prescription drugs, mental health services, hospitalization, and more,” the statement noted.

The initiative also includes plans to strengthen MetroPlus, the city’s public health insurance option, and “connecting more independent workers, City vendors and City workers to that option. It also will improve the quality of the MetroPlus customer experience through improved access to clinical care, mental health services, and wellness rewards for healthy behavior,” the statement added.