Housing Cuts Hospital Use for Homeless New Yorkers
A study by NYC Health and Hospitals and MetroPlusHealth tracked 259 housed New Yorkers who had experienced homelessness.
Updated on Nov. 15, 2026 in Healthcare
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NYC Health and Hospitals and its insurance subsidiary MetroPlusHealth released a study finding that 259 housed New Yorkers who had experienced homelessness used hospitals less. Inpatient stays fell 36% and emergency department visits fell about 40% during the first two years after housing placement.
Why it matters
The findings suggest that stable housing may reduce costly acute care for people who frequently cycle through hospitals, a question of direct interest to New York City's public health system. The results point to housing as a potential tool for managing healthcare spending and outcomes for unhoused patients.
Healthcare spending averaged nearly $17,000 less per participant over the first two years after placement, while spending on physician appointments and non-emergency services, including substance use treatment, increased. The study did not report the total cost of the housing program itself, so net savings remain unclear.
The players
NYC Health and Hospitals
NYC Health and Hospitals is the public hospital system of New York City, operating a large network of hospitals and clinics that serve many low-income and unhoused patients.
MetroPlusHealth
MetroPlusHealth is a public health insurance plan run by NYC Health and Hospitals that provides coverage to New Yorkers, including many enrolled in Medicaid.
The details
Wakely Consulting Group helped conduct the study, which tracked participants' Medicaid claims after they were placed in apartments or supportive housing. Participants averaged five hospital days a year after housing, down from 10 before placement, and public hospitals serve more than 60,000 unhoused or unstably housed patients annually.
Timeline
The reductions were measured over the first two years after housing placement.
Average monthly inpatient spending fell to $492 per participant in the first year after placement.
Roadmap
The findings add New York City data to a body of Housing First research that links supportive housing with reduced costly acute care among chronically homeless populations. The study extends that model by examining public hospital claims rather than only housing program outcomes.
Stable housing was associated with fewer hospital admissions and emergency visits, which may reduce time spent in hospitals for people with unstable living conditions. Patients who gain housing may also shift toward more outpatient physician and substance use treatment visits.
The takeaway
Stable housing may help reduce avoidable hospital use among people who have experienced homelessness. Policymakers weighing housing investments can look at healthcare savings alongside the cost of the housing itself.
Further reading
For more on the city's safety-net care, explore Healthcare coverage in New York City.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Cool Down.
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