New York State of Health

The New York State of Health (NYSoH) is the online health insurance marketplace for residents of New York State. You can use it to find and enroll in a family or individual health insurance plan.

You'll find plans named after metal tiers (opens in new tab), including Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. When you apply, you’ll also find out whether you’re eligible for the state’s Medicaid, Essential Plan, and CHIP programs. Here are the essentials you need to know to get started.

First of all, am I eligible?

Any legal resident of New York can apply for a plan through the New York State of Health marketplace. You may not be eligible for an individual or family plan if you qualify for Medicaid or can get affordable coverage from your job.

When can I apply?

You can only apply for individual New York State of Health plans during Open Enrollment (opens in new tab). The only time you can enroll outside of this period is if you have a special qualifying life event (opens in new tab), like a loss of coverage from leaving your job, marriage, birth of a baby, etc.

Think you might be eligible for Medicaid, an Essential Health Plan, or CHIP? You can apply for these programs any time of the year, even outside of Open Enrollment (opens in new tab).

How do I apply?

If you need a health plan in New York, you can shop for one on New York State of Health’s website (opens in new tab) or call them at 855-355-5777.

Before you do, make sure to have all of the following information handy for every member of your household:

• Full name(s), as it appears on your Social Security card
• Birth date(s)
• Social Security number(s)
• Residential address
• Telephone number
• Email for primary applicant
• If you’re a naturalized citizen, you'll need the number from your certificate of citizenship/naturalization (located at the upper right-hand corner) and your alien number (located just below, beginning with an “A”)
• If you’re not a citizen but have a visa/green card/foreign passport, you'll need your alien/USCIS number and I-94/visa/green card/passport number
• Tax and income information, including how you file (i.e., single, married, married filing separately, etc.)
• All employer names and addresses
• The projected income for anyone in your tax household who has a job (if you’re self-employed, you’ll need to provide your average monthly income)
• Social Security and unemployment income
• Any other additional income, like interest, IRA, alimony, etc.
• Any deductions on your tax returns
• Policy numbers for any current insurance plans for anyone in your household

Can I apply for New York State of Health if I don’t have a Social Security number?

Yes. You can apply for New York State of Health coverage if you’re a lawfully-present immigrant, even without a Social Security number (SSN) as long as one of the following holds true:

• You don’t qualify for a SSN due to your immigration status
• You do not want to provide your SSN for religious reasons

If you don’t use a SSN when you apply, you’ll need to provide appropriate documentation within 90 days.

Can I get financial assistance with New York State of Health?

When you sign up on the New York State of Health insurance Marketplace, you’ll find out if you qualify for subsidies to make your insurance premiums lower. You can apply your subsidies toward any plan you purchase in the marketplace. Just remember, these subsidies aren’t fixed and can fluctuate throughout the year as your income changes. Also note, if you file your taxes as married filing separately, you won't be eligible for subsidies (opens in new tab).