Don’t Lose Medicaid or SNAP in NY: Up to 900,000 at Risk

With the new federal Medicaid work requirements, which take effect on January 1, 2027, up to 900,000 New Yorkers may be at risk of losing Medicaid, meaning their health coverage.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the city’s Department of Health launched the Health and Affordability Resource Team (HART) on October 19, a community outreach team to help residents with the federal changes to Medicaid and SNAP.

Why it matters: Medicaid and SNAP are health coverage and food assistance benefits. According to the city, the work requirements, along with additional documentation requirements, put hundreds of thousands of people at risk. Knowing where to seek help in time can be key to maintaining those benefits.

What’s Changing with Medicaid and SNAP

Medicaid: the new federal work requirements take effect on January 1, 2027, and are in addition to other documentation requirements.

SNAP: on March 1, the federal government expanded work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents (known as ABAWD). Thousands of New Yorkers who were previously exempt now must comply to maintain their benefits. HART will also focus on people who have already lost SNAP due to these expanded requirements.

What HART Offers

The team consists of trained community health workers, supported by community organizations and volunteers. Together, they speak 13 languages. HART will help with:

• Enrolling in and maintaining health coverage.
• Accessing food assistance and cash benefits.
• Getting housing support and eviction prevention.
• Obtaining hospital bill relief.
• Receiving financial assistance for daily expenses.

The program is funded with $3 million from the city’s fiscal year 2027 budget and will focus on neighborhoods with residents at risk of losing Medicaid when the requirements take effect.

The city says it has already reached over 35,000 healthcare providers and 60,000 community and religious organizations with guides, conducted over 50 trainings, and started hiring more enrollment counselors. Social Services Commissioner Erin Dalton noted that the data-driven outreach approach has helped hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers retain SNAP, and is now being expanded to help nearly a million people at risk of losing their medical insurance.

What You Can Do

• If you lost your health insurance or are at risk of losing it, call 347-655-0124 to speak with a city Department of Health enrollment counselor.
• You can also visit nyc.gov/medicaidhelp.
• Keep in mind the Medicaid requirements’ effective date: January 1, 2027.
• Share this information with family, neighbors, and community members who may be at risk.

Source: New York City Mayor’s Office.