Children up to six years old are now eligible for continuous health care coverage under Medicaid in New York, a change aimed at reducing gaps in medical services.
The policy, approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), extends Medicaid’s continuous coverage from the federally mandated 12 months to age six, providing the longest coverage duration of its kind among participating states.
The expansion is part of New York’s broader 1115 Medicaid waiver, which allows the state to use up to $6 billion in federal funding for Medicaid-related initiatives. The policy, which also applies to Colorado, Hawaii, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania, will remain in effect through March 31, 2027.
Assemblywoman Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas, a Democrat from Queens, sponsored the legislation with state Senator Samra Brouk of Rochester.
In a report from Times Union, Gonzalez-Rojas highlighted the practical benefits for families, noting that continuous coverage simplifies health care access during a critical period of childhood development.
"This allows parents some relief until their children are in kindergarten or first grade to not have to continue to re-enroll them," Gonzalez-Rojas said. She noted that frequent re-enrollment requirements can disrupt access to essential services like vaccines, checkups, and doctors’ appointments.
The policy shift comes as states address the challenges of Medicaid disenrollment following the end of pandemic-era policies. During the COVID-19 emergency, states were required to pause Medicaid eligibility checks, leading to record enrollment levels and reduced uninsured rates.
However, when these measures ended, approximately 400,000 individuals in New York, including thousands of children, lost Medicaid coverage after failing to renew.
Nearly half of New York’s children are insured through Medicaid or Child Health Plus, a state health insurance program. Continuous coverage for children under age six aims to prevent similar disruptions in the future.
CMS projects that the expanded continuous coverage will protect 17 million children across the participating states from disruptions in care.
The agency emphasized the broader benefits of uninterrupted Medicaid coverage, citing research that links continuous access to better health and educational outcomes. These improvements can reduce long-term public assistance costs and positively affect families and the economy.
"Continuous coverage is good for children, families, and the economy," CMS said in a statement.
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