Changes to medicaid coverage, starting Jan. 2027
Due to federal legislation H.R. 1 (One Big Beautiful Bill Act), changes to Medicaid coverage will begin on January 1, 2027. Some adults aged 19-64 who have Medicaid coverage will need to show that they are working, going to school, helping out in the community, or participating in job training to keep their health coverage.
To meet the new requirements, adults with Medicaid can:
Earn income of at least $580 per month, OR
Complete at least 80 hours per month of any of the following activities: work in a job; attend school part time; join a job training or work program; or volunteer in the community, OR
Earn some income and complete some hours of approved activities (from #2 above)
Some people will not have to follow these rules. Visit the NY State of Health website below to understand if you will need to follow the new rules.
get covered, stay covered
connect to help
Connect with a health care navigator or an enrollment specialist to discuss your individual situation, insurance eligiblity and enrollment.
southern tier independence center
Contact: Theresa Kircher
607-724-2111, ext. 450
Available in person in Cortland: By appointment, Mon - Fri from 8 am - 4:30 pm
Crescent Commons, 165 Main St
Fidelis CARE
Contact: Sara Cruz, Health Benefit Representative
607-591-0893
Available in person in Cortland at:
Catholic Charities, 33 Central Ave
Every Mon & Wed from 9 am - 4 pm and
Every Thurs from 1 - 4 pm
Molina HEALTHCARE
Contact: Alana Strope, Senior Specialist/Facilitated Enroller
alana.strope@molinahealthcare.com
585-736-8497
Available in person in Cortland at:
Cayuga Addiction Recovery, 6 Euclid Ave
Every 2nd & 4th Wed. from 9:30-11:30 am
Catholic Charities, 33 Central Ave
Every Friday from 1-3 pm and
Every 3rd Wed of month from 1-3 pm
human services coalition of tompkins county
Also serving cortland county
Contact: Nicole Zulu, Director of Health Planning
Call 2-1-1 to schedule an appointment or 877-211-8667
Appointments available in person or by phone:
Mondays from 9 am - 5 pm or
Tues - Fri from 8 am - 6 pm
118 N. Tioga Street, Suite 304
Ithaca, NY 14850
Appointments available once a month in person at Seven Valleys Health Coalition, 10 Kennedy Parkway, Cortland
Action for older persons
Assistance for individuals who are over 65 or disabled
Contact: Angela Weiss
607-722-1251, Ext. 123
or connect with your health care provider for assistance
If you are a current patient at Guthrie, Family Health Network, or Cayuga Heatlh, you can receive assistance with your insurance needs from the staff at the healthcare organization where you receive your care.
Guthrie Cortland medical center
Contact: Penny Tobias
SBO Financial Counselor, Corporate Patient Access
Guthrie Cortland Medical Center
134 Homer Ave, Cortland
607-756-3838
Available Mon-Fri, 7 am - 3:30 pm
Family health network
Contact: Lisa Tinelli-Marshall
Certified Applications Counselor
85 South West St, Homer, NY
lmarshall@familyhealthnetwork.org
607-423-1198
Available Mon-Fri, 8:30 am - 5:30 pm
Cayuga health
Contact: Diane Gray, Manager, Patient Access
101 Dates Drive, Ithaca, NY 14850
607-252-3728
Available Mon-Fri, 8 am - 4:30 pm
connect to employment and education opportunities
Need help finding a job or connecting to education? Help is available in Cortland County.
Cortland works career center
Cortland Works Career Center provides employment and re-employment services to residents of Cortland and contiguous counties. The center provide one-on-one guidance to navigate career planning, assist with application materials including resumes, and offer access to computers and wifi for job search purposes. Programs assist eligible individuals with grants to train for in-demand occupations, and provide specialized programming for youth ages 16-24 with barriers to employment. The center partners with local businesses to provide job referrals, on-the-job training, and more.
ACCESS To Independence
Access to Independence offers employment assistance to people with disabilities, addressing barriers to employment and helping individuals identify their interests, search for jobs, improve their resume and cover letter, and practice interview skills.
Contact: info@aticortland.org
607-753-7363
CAPCO Adult education
Cortland County Community Action Program (CAPCO) offers flexible programming to meet a variety of Adult Education needs, including GED classes to earn a high school equivalency diploma or Adult Literacy to improve individual’s skills.
Contact: Theresa Radley
607-753-6781