Saturday, April 26, 2025
Congressional Republicans have recently directed the committee on Energy and Commerce, which oversees Medicaid, to cut their budget by at least $880 billion. These cuts would result in millions of Americans losing their health coverage, while providing tax cuts to corporations and the wealthy.
According to Nate Jackson, NY Director of Protect our Care, these cuts will hurt Long Island families, jeopardize funding for hospitals and strain the state healthcare budget.
Children, new moms, seniors and people with disabilities across Nassau and Suffolk counties rely on Medicaid to cover essential health care costs.
Rep. Laura Gillen, a Democrat who represents a majority of the South Shore of Nassau County, and Assemblywoman Michelle Solages joined healthcare advocates on Feb. 19 to oppose these cuts and commit to working to protect Long Islanders access to health care.
“The Republican plan to slash Medicaid would devastate Long Island,” Gillen said. “It would mean higher healthcare costs, hospital funding in limbo, longer wait times to access care for tens of thousands of Long Islanders, and a dramatic decrease in access to vital mental healthcare.”
“We need to be working to protect and strengthen access to healthcare, not ripping it away from seniors, children and veterans on Long Island who count on Medicaid to access the life-saving care that they need,” she added, calling for nonpartisan support.
“When we're talking about an essential service, its health care,” said Solages, a member of the state’s health committee. “When we talk about cutting dollars for hospitals, for nursing homes, we're cutting people to the bone. And so we have to be realistic about what we need to fund. Tax breaks for billionaires is not what Long Island needs.”
Solages discussed the need for healthcare funding, referring to two Long Island nursing homes that are slated to close and Nassau’s public hospital, which is in desperate need of financial support.
“We're talking about people's lives. This is not like a pothole. This is about people's prescription drugs, their healthcare, and we've got to get realistic in this country about what's important,” Solages added. “People's premiums have increased. They're deciding whether to buy food or prescription drugs, and other essential services, rent, and the American people are crying out for relief.”
Cynthia Ngombe, a healthcare advocate with the Healthcare Education Project, explained cuts to Medicaid “would shift costs for health coverage to states, putting more pressure not only on the state Medicaid budget, but on other key areas of spending such as education and public safety.”
“Medicaid is under attack from Washington, D.C.,” said Ngombe. “Federal cuts would slash critical services that keep New Yorkers healthy and our communities safe – in areas like maternal health, mental health, and the emergency room. All New Yorkers would be impacted, but our Black, Latino, and low income, including rural communities, would be hit hardest by our Medicaid cuts. Access to quality healthcare is a right. It's New Yorkers' top priority.”
