New York Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Tuesday the city would spend $100 million to guarantee health care to all its residents regardless of their immigration status or their ability to pay, bringing coverage to 600,000 uninsured people. The plan will strengthen the city’s existing public health insurance option, MetroPlus, and create a new program called NYC Care that guarantees those who are ineligible for insurance have access to services, including primary care and specialist doctors, pharmacies, mental health and substance abuse programs. NYC Care is set to launch later this year in the Bronx borough, becoming available across the entire city by 2021, according to a statement.
