Gov. Kathy Hochul said federal officials approved New York’s plan to return to the Basic Health Plan, a move she said will protect health coverage for 1.3 million residents.
The announcement followed a meeting with Dr. Mehmet Oz and comes amid broader concerns about federal health care policy changes.
“After my meeting with Dr. Mehmet Oz today, the federal government approved our plan to move New York back to the Basic Health Plan, protecting care for 1.3 million people,” Hochul said.
Hochul said recent federal actions have put coverage at risk for many residents and strained the state’s health care system.
“Because Republicans used their majority to pass the largest health care cuts in history, hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers are still facing painful decisions about whether they can afford coverage, and no state can fully backfill these draconian cuts,” she said.
In a separate statement, Hochul said the state has committed $3.5 billion to support hospitals but cannot offset federal cuts alone.
“When Congress voted to cut millions of New Yorkers off their healthcare, I took action to protect coverage for as many New Yorkers as possible, but we are still waiting on the federal government to do its part,” she said.
She added that the state will continue working with federal officials to address fraud and maintain coverage.
“Even when Washington falls short, I’m going to keep doing everything I can to protect families, strengthen our health care system and make sure every New Yorker gets the care they need,” Hochul said.
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