Can you get unemployment and medicaid at the same time in NY?

Yes absolutely! Getting unemployment benefits doesn't disqualify you from medicaid. They're completely separate programs - unemployment is through NYS Department of Labor and medicaid is through the state health department. I was on both for about 6 months last year. Just make sure you report your UI benefits as income when you apply for medicaid, but the amounts are usually low enough that you'll still qualify.

yep did this myself. unemployment was like $400/week and medicaid covered everything. just be honest about the UI income on your medicaid application

This is correct - there's no conflict between receiving unemployment insurance and medicaid coverage. The key thing is that unemployment benefits count as income for medicaid eligibility purposes, but in most cases the weekly benefit amount is low enough that you'll still qualify. When you apply for medicaid, you'll need to estimate your annual income including your projected unemployment benefits. Make sure to update your medicaid case if your UI benefits change or when they end.

Been there! Lost my job in March and got both right away. The medicaid application asks about unemployment but it didn't stop me from getting approved. Actually having medicaid was a huge stress relief while dealing with all the NYS Department of Labor stuff and job searching.

I tried calling the medicaid office to ask about this but couldn't get through to anyone. The phone system is almost as bad as trying to reach NYS Department of Labor! Has anyone found a better way to get answers about how unemployment affects medicaid eligibility? I've been waiting weeks just to talk to someone.

just apply for both dont overthink it. worst case they say no and you reapply

I'm going through the exact same situation right now! Just filed for unemployment last week and was worried about the health insurance gap. From what I've learned, you can definitely get both - they're separate programs with different eligibility criteria. The unemployment benefits do count as income for Medicaid, but unless you're getting the maximum weekly benefit, you should still qualify. I'd recommend applying for Medicaid ASAP since it can take a few weeks to process, and you don't want any gap in coverage. Also, if you do end up over the income limit for regular Medicaid, you might still qualify for Essential Plan or subsidized marketplace insurance. Good luck with everything!