#thebttf

One of the most significant, well-known accomplishments of the Affordable Care Act was its sweeping expansion of Medicaid coverage for the nation’s lowest-income citizens. A lesser known, but equally important result of Medicaid expansion was the establishment of another option for those who fell just above the Medicaid threshold, called the”Basic Health Plan (BHP)”  With recent news from the Center for Medicaid Services, the fate of BHP hangs in the balance, with very serious ramifications. 

In order to qualify for Medicaid, an individual (a family of one) has to earn less than less than 138% of the Federal Poverty Level, or approximately $16,643 annually.  However, an individual who earns between $16,643 and $23,760 annually qualifies for a BHP.   In New York alone, the number of individuals who fall in this group is staggering, at approximately 617,500 (1).

As of December 8th, according to Politico, “The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has told [New York’s] budget office that if Congress does not fund the cost-sharing reduction program in the next three weeks, the federal government will stop paying for a portion of the state's Essential Plan, creating a nearly $1 billion hole in the upcoming budget” (2). 

We hope that New York legislators will fight for the BHP, but with the uncertainty surrounding tax reform and embedded changes healthcare law, it's likely to be placed in the back seat.

Without the BHP plan, an entirely new, sizable population of women would need programs like BTTF to get basic access to breast care. Stay tuned. 

(1) - http://b.3cdn.net/nycss/07619b282ba4316b75_dzm6b8tpu.pdf