Thousands of Ulster County residents could lose their health insurance as New York State prepares to roll back the Essential Plan, which helps low-income adults who don’t qualify for Medicaid to get low-cost coverage. The plan is being scaled back after a major cut in federal funding.

Starting in 2026, New York plans to reduce eligibility from 250% to 200% of the federal poverty level, which could remove an estimated 450,000 people statewide from the Essential Plan. Thousands of Ulster County residents could be among them.

The Essential Plan has been a safety net for people earning just enough to miss out on Medicaid but not enough to afford private insurance. In Ulster County, nearly one in five residents uses Medicaid, and thousands more rely on non-employer coverage like the Essential

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