Harckham, Levenberg, Healthcare Providers Assail Looming Medicaid Cuts

Peekskill, NY – New York State Senator Pete Harckham and Assemblymember Dana Levenberg, along with healthcare providers from the legislative districts they represent, roundly assailed today the looming possibility of significant cuts to Medicaid by Republicans in Congress. Cutting Medicaid would affect the more than 70 million people nationwide, including 6.9 million New Yorkers enrolled in the popular lifesaving medical care program. and devastate local hospitals and neighborhood health centers, with negative effects that would ripple across our communities.

Today, Medicaid provides a broad range of medical care for low- and moderate-income people, most often children, the working poor, seniors, people living with disabilities. In New York, over 6.9 million people rely on Medicaid—including 14.1% of the population in Westchester County, 10.1% in Putnam County and 28.4% in Rockland County.

“The health and well-being of our residents will be imperiled if Medicaid cuts are approved by Congress,” said Senator Harckham. “Rising costs and inflation are already a financial burden for too many New Yorkers. Tearing apart this important safety net program would be a catastrophic blow for them. Taking away medical care from those who need it most, just to further enrich the already rich, is barbarism that must not be condoned.”

Added Harckham, “These cuts will not only be harmful to those on Medicaid, but they will also decimate our healthcare system. Medicaid payments are a key source of funding for healthcare providers in our region. Cuts to Medicaid will result in fewer doctors, nurses and technicians, plus longer waits for care and higher payments for private insurance that will be used to cover shortfalls.”

“The amount of money that Congress is being asked to cut from Medicaid will result in reduced services for New Yorkers, plain and simple,” said Assemblymember Levenberg. This proposal will lead to lost care for our elderly and disabled family members and for so many of the workers we deemed essential during the pandemic, not to mention the neediest among us. To do this at a time when market losses and other indicators suggest more people will be pushed into poverty is especially short-sighted and cruel, particularly since we know that these cuts are intended to help finance tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy."

Even though a clear majority of Americans oppose cuts to Medicaid, there is great concern that billions of dollars will be cut from the program to offset tax breaks targeting the wealthiest people in the country. The effect of these cuts will be dramatic: the number of enrollees would be reduced immediately, and other cuts would entirely disrupt the financing and payment systems to the extent that a large burden of these costs would be passed on to the states—at tremendously large amounts and unbudgeted for as well.

States unable to absorb the federal government’s Medicaid cuts would end up having to cut funding for other state programs, as well as cut the number of Medicaid enrollees, eliminate various health-centered programs and slash payments to providers, some of whom would have trouble staying open. The ripple effect of these cuts on the economies in our communities statewide would be devastating.

Cutting Medicaid by taking away or limiting coverage and then shifting medical and program expenses to states will have long-lasting and expensive repercussions, including worse health outcomes, greater costs to hospital systems, and straining state and local economies. Medicaid cuts could mean patients being pushed out of cancer treatment, seniors and people with disabilities losing the home-based care that has kept them with loved ones and in their community, or individuals denied insulin to control their diabetes.

Today, Medicaid provides a broad range of medical care for low- and moderate-income people, most often children, the working poor, seniors, people living with disabilities. Medicaid serves 14.1% of the population in Westchester County, 10.1% in Putnam County and 28.4% in Rockland County.

Work requirements, reducing Medicaid matching rates, capping Medicaid funding, restricting provider tax credits, rescinding key provisions for care, limiting direct payments to states—all will take place when Medicaid coverage is taken away rom people with low-incomes.

Recently, groups across the Hudson Valley have begun organizing large events to draw attention to the looming cuts and mobilize opposition. Thirty agencies serving people with disabilities hosted a “Rally in the Valley” earlier this month that drew a crowd of approximately 3,000 people. Elected officials including Levenberg attended a pro-Medicaid rally recently in Tarrytown, where speakers representing healthcare workers, program beneficiaries, union leaders and other perspectives addressed a large crowd. Representatives from 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East distributed “Hands off our healthcare!” lawn signs to continue spreading the message and encourage New Yorkers to contact their federal representatives.

Lindsay Farrell, President and CEO of Open Door Family Medical Center, said, “Medicaid is such an important lifeline for many low-income and disabled people in our area.  Medicaid provides access to healthcare as well as peace of mind to thousands of local families.  Providing coverage for routine medical and mental health visits, specialty care, hospitalizations and nursing home care, Medicaid is an important lever for protecting the health and wellbeing of everyone in our communities.  As we learned during the Covid-19 pandemic, we are all entwined when it comes to public health.  Indeed, it is in all our interest to protect this vital, life-saving resource.” 

Anne Kauffman Nolon, MPH, Chief Executive Officer of Sun River Health, said, “Medicaid is the backbone of community health centers, who ensure one of every eight New Yorkers receives comprehensive essential care. Without Medicaid, community health centers will close sites, reduce services and lose staff, leaving vulnerable communities without critical healthcare. Protecting Medicaid isn’t just good policy—it’s a commitment to the health of our communities, and any cuts would directly impact our ability to serve our patients.”

Joe Mayhew, CWA Local 1103 Secretary Treasurer, said, “CWA represents thousands of Front-Line Healthcare workers in NY hospitals.  Medicaid reimbursement is crucial for these hospitals to continue to provide outstanding service to the community.  If congress proceeds with its resolution vote and cuts 880 billion dollars out of Medicaid, the reimbursement gap will widen and we can expect hospitals to cut healthcare worker staff, force higher charges onto private insurance, and cut services and even shut down completely rural hospitals all to balance the Medicaid cuts from congress. All these things will have major negative effects on everyone; even, folks not on Medicaid.”