of adults in NYC experienced hardship with food, finances, housing, bills, and/or medical care in the past 12 months.
years in life expectancy separate NYC neighborhoods, reflecting disparities in income, housing, and other social determinants of health.
Economic security is foundational to public health:
Low-income New Yorkers are four times more likely to report poor health than higher-income New Yorkers. When New Yorkers can afford healthy food, preventive care, and other essentials, the entire city benefits. However, recent and upcoming changes to federal programs threaten to worsen economic instability by restricting Medicaid coverage and other public benefits that help millions of New Yorkers live, work, and raise families in the city.
With a shared mission to protect and promote the health of New Yorkers, FPHNYC and the NYC Health Department are moving quickly to address the drivers of economic hardship and health disparities.
Our Health and Affordability strategy activates people, partnerships, and technology across four key areas of intervention:
MedicaidEnrollment & Retention
Nearly 3.6 million people in NYC—including 60% of all children—are covered by Medicaid. Recent federal changes to the program are threatening this coverage. Keeping people enrolled in Medicaid correlates strongly with decreased mortality and better management of chronic diseases. We must help as many beneficiaries as possible maintain public health insurance coverage, and help those who lose coverage access affordable care.
Access to Public Benefits
Programs such as SNAP, WIC, and the Earned Income Tax Credit help stabilize people’s lives, keeping more than half a million adults and more than 300,000 children in NYC living above the poverty line. Unfortunately, the federal government is seeking to curtail access to these safety net programs—which is why we are taking action to help people keep and receive the benefits they and their families rely on.
Medical Debt Elimination
Medical debt is the #1 cause of personal bankruptcy in the U.S. It leads people to delay or avoid medical care, which can make them sicker and require more expensive care later. Forgiving medical debt improves health and helps working people and families stabilize their finances. Hospitals in New York Statemust provide charity care to qualifying patients, but more needs to be done to ensure eligible New Yorkers can access it.
Housing Stability &Eviction Prevention
Stable housing is critical to health and safety. People threatened with eviction are more likely to experience poor physical and mental health. Just having an eviction case filed against you, even without a judgment, is associated with a19% higher risk of mortality. The Health Department screens thousands of New Yorkers for housing insecurity and connects them with services to keep them stably housed.
FPHNYC brings together the expertise and reach of the NYC Health Department with the resources, relationships, and innovation of philanthropy, community organizations, and the private sector. To explore corporate or philanthropic partnerships, or other ways to support this work, please email development@fphnyc.org.
