New York State Senator Jabari Brisport, politically aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America, proposed legislation that would amend state social services law to expand health care benefits for low income migrants in the Empire State.
Right now many are ineligible to receive taxpayer funded healthcare due to federal regulations and restrictions. This state law would relax those rules and provide free healthcare for illegal immigrants. It directs the State Health Commissioner to modify rules to give migrants exemptions from federal regulations so they can receive healthcare.
Taxpayers would foot the bill for the increased health care coverage for migrants under the age of 65. The legislation would relax eligibility rules for illegal immigrants who currently are not eligible to receive taxpayer funded health care.
It would also provide publicly subsidized health care coverage for illegal immigrants who are senior citizens living at a certain percentage of the poverty line. They would receive taxpayer funded doctor appointments and prescription medications.
“This legislation insults the millions of New Yorkers playing by the rules and struggling to stay afloat,” said New York State Republican Minority Leader Rob G. Ortt.
Commonly called the “Coverage for All” plan here in New York, it had previously passed the State Senate in 2023 but failed to pass in the Assembly. Now lawmakers are giving it another shot to pass in this year’s session.
“Our goal with the Coverage for All bill is to enable New York State to use federal funds to expand Essential Plan coverage to income-eligible undocumented New Yorkers," said Senator Brisport in a statement.
New York is not alone in attempting to expand taxpayer funded health care coverage for illegal immigrants. In the state of California, all illegal immigrants are eligible for taxpayer funded health care under its “Medi-Cal” program as of January 1st of this year.