Essential Plan reinstatement and who stayed eligible
What they say
Lawler said a basic waiver was approved so people could continue on the Essential Plan, and that New York had fully funded it before 2015.
What the record shows
CMS approved New York’s BHP blueprint revision February 27, 2026, reinstating coverage July 1 for eligible enrollees. It separately approved termination of the expanded section 1332 waiver March 20, effective July 1. The reinstated blueprint covers eligible people up to 200% of the federal poverty level, rather than the expansion’s 200-250% population. CMS’s May 19 funding letter allows transition administration after termination, but rejects post-termination premium and cost-sharing subsidies. New York’s 2015 planning presentation describes about 250,000 lawfully present noncitizens previously in state-only Medicaid coverage and projected BHP funding of $1.57 billion federal plus $155 million state for 2015-2016.
Why there is no assessment here
The native basic-waiver wording does not identify a legal instrument. The approvals establish eligible BHP continuity, not every expansion enrollee’s continued coverage or Lawler’s individual role. The documented state-only predecessor group is narrower than all Essential Plan funding before 2015; the later BHP included federal funding.
Limit: The native basic-waiver wording does not identify a legal instrument. The approvals establish eligible BHP continuity, not every expansion enrollee’s continued coverage or Lawler’s individual role. The documented state-only predecessor group is narrower than all Essential Plan funding before 2015; the later BHP included federal funding. Debate wording is paraphrased from native captions.