Flushing, NY – Assemblywoman Nily Rozic (D,WF-Fresh Meadows) announced today that she is requesting that funding be included in the Assembly’s budget proposal to ensure immigrant New Yorkers can enroll in the State’s newly created Essential Plan.

Enacted in 2014, the Essential Plan creates an option under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for a state to provide federally-subsidized health coverage for low- and moderate-income people who do not qualify for Medicaid. However, current regulations do not allow immigrants permanently residing in New York to enroll creating a gap in coverage for approximately 5,500 immigrants who would be eligible.

In a letter addressed to Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, Rozic and her colleagues are urging that $10.3 million in funding be included to cover what would be mainly young adult immigrants who have Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status. The proposal would address some of the eligibility challenges faced by PRUCOL, or “permanently residing under color of law” immigrants who no longer qualify for state-funded Medicaid when their incomes rise.

Rozic’s support on the issue builds on her outreach to Queens’ immigrant community to discuss health plan changes under the ACA. Earlier this year, she partnered with the Great Commission Bible Church and MetroPlus Health Plan to discuss no- or low-cost health insurance available through the New York State of Health Marketplace.