2017 Affordable Care Act Expectations: New York

Despite an aggressive attempt to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, the law remains intact. To understand how this will impact New York’s healthcare coverage now and in the future, let’s examine the current state of the ACA.
What Happened?
Since the ACA was signed into law, congressional Republicans have vowed to repeal the act. Having gained control of the house, senate and executive branch, the party appeared to have the ability to follow through with that promise. To the surprise of many, however, the Republican plan to repeal and replace the ACA failed to garner enough support. In turn, it was pulled from consideration, leaving the ACA unaffected.
What Is the Outlook?
Right now, the ACA remains in place. While no one knows for sure, most expect it to stay this way at least for the rest of 2017. It’s not clear whether congressional Republicans will make another attempt to repeal and replace the law; however, most experts agree it will be difficult to gain enough votes, at least in the foreseeable future.
What Does it Mean for New York?
Unlike many other states, New York runs its own very successful exchange called the New York State of Health. While many state exchanges have lost the vast majority of their providers, New York continues to offer one of the most robust programs in the U.S., with 17 carriers providing plans for 2017. This is one of the big reasons the state is only ranked 33rd on WalletHub’s rankings of which states would be most affected by a potential ACA repeal. Still, according to New York Governor Cuomo, over 2.7 million of the state’s residents could lose coverage if the ACA is repealed without being replaced with something comparable.
Is there Reason to Worry?
New York is one of the few states to fully embrace the ACA with expanded Medicaid, a state-run exchange and the Essential Plan. If the ACA is repealed, it is likely that many residents will lose coverage, while others will have to pay more for less robust plans. That said, most experts believe it will be very difficult for congressional Republicans to repeal and replace the ACA. While there’s no guarantee, it appears as though New York residents will enjoy coverage through 2017 and, most likely, beyond.
Can I Still Get Health Care?
New York’s open enrollment has ended for 2017; however, coverage is still available for people with qualifying events. To see if you might be eligible for health care coverage outside the yearly open enrollment period, visit www.healthcare.gov. You can also get more information and live assistance by visiting www.nystateofhealth.ny.gov.