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Mamdani launches new team to help NYers keep SNAP, Medicaid benefits
By
Caroline Lewis
Published Oct 19, 2026 at 12:43 p.m. ET
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By
Caroline Lewis
Published Oct 19, 2026 at 12:43 p.m. ET
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The Mamdani administration is deploying a new team of outreach workers throughout the city to help New Yorkers keep their health and food benefits as eligibility requirements for Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program undergo major federal changes.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on Monday the activation of the city’s new Health and Affordability Resource Team, after previously securing $3 million in funding for the initiative in the city budget.
The HART outreach initiative is getting underway just months before new Medicaid work requirements take effect in January, which city officials estimate puts coverage at risk for up to 900,000 city residents. SNAP work requirements were expanded in March and 26,500 city residents have been kicked off the nutrition program since then, according to city officials.
“Health care and nutritious food should not be a privilege. They are basic necessities,” Mamdani said in a statement Monday. “HART will help New Yorkers navigate these changes, keep the benefits they rely on and get the support they need.”
Some 3.6 million city residents are enrolled in Medicaid. Under the new Medicaid requirements, adults under 65 will be required to prove they are working 80 hours a month, doing equivalent community service or attending school. Many New Yorkers will be exempt from the requirements, including parents of children under 14.
State health officials are also seeking an exemption for Bronx residents based on the borough’s high rate of unemployment.
But the new rules also require more frequent recertification for Medicaid, and healthcare providers say they worry the extra paperwork will result in some patients losing coverage through the public insurance program, even if they still qualify.
The new HART workers speak 13 languages, and many have firsthand experience navigating these benefits in addition to extensive training on recent federal changes, according to the city’s announcement.
In addition to helping people hold onto or re-enroll in food and health benefits, the teams will also be able to provide assistance with other affordability issues, including housing, medical debt and managing everyday expenses, the city said.
The outreach workers will target neighborhoods where New Yorkers are at risk of losing benefits, according to the announcement. The city is also working with community-based organizations throughout the city to help get the word out about how to hold onto these benefits.
New Yorkers who have lost or are at risk of losing their health insurance can call 347-655-0124 to speak with a city health department enrollment counselor or visit nyc.gov/medicaidhelp.
New Yorkers who need help keeping or reapplying for SNAP benefits can call 718-762-7669 or visit nyc.gov/AccessHRA.
Tagged
Health and Science
health insurance
new york city
Caroline Lewis
Caroline Lewis is on the health care beat for WNYC and Gothamist. She has covered COVID, a nurses' strike, the overdose crisis and New York’s marijuana legalization effort, and spent a year investigating patients' medical bills. She always wants to hear about how everyday New Yorkers experience the health system. Got a tip? Email [email protected].
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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