Editor’s Note: Last names are withheld from this release to protect individuals from doxing.
Ahead of House Budget Markups, Healthcare Workers and Community Advocates Deliver Petitions Signed by 11,160 New Yorkers to Congressional Representatives, Urging Them to Protect their Constituents’ Life-Saving Care
Wednesday, May 7, New York — Today and tomorrow, healthcare workers and community advocates are delivering petitions signed by thousands of New Yorkers across the political spectrum to their Congressional representatives, urging them to reject a budget bill that is expected to dramatically reduce funding for Medicaid.
“We are a coalition of Republicans, Democrats and Independents in your district demanding that you say NO to Medicaid cuts. It is impossible to cut hundreds of billions from Medicaid without causing real harm to real people in our district,” read the petitions, which are being delivered to district offices of Rep. Nick LaLota (NY-1), Rep. Andrew Garbarino (NY-2), Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11), Rep. Mike Lawler (NY-17), Rep. Elise Stefanik (NY-21), Rep. Nick Langworthy (NY-23), and Rep. Claudia Tenney (NY-24), ahead of the release of the House Energy and Commerce committee’s budget markup, which is expected next week. “Congress should not balance the budget on the backs of New Yorkers or the hospitals of service providers we rely on. Listen to us, your constituents, and vote NO to Medicaid cuts.”
Approximately 1,560 New Yorkers self-reporting as Rep. LaLota’s constituents signed the public petition to him, 1,380 constituents signed the petition to Rep. Garbarino, and 1,100 signed the petition to Rep. Malliotakis. The Congresspeople have expressed support of Medicaid and urged House of Representatives leadership not to cut the program for “vulnerable populations.” Over 1,435 signed the petition to Rep. Lawler, who has stated that he opposes reductions to the federal share of Medicaid funding known as the FMAP. Around 1,840 signed the petition to Rep. Stefanik, 1,930 signed the petition to Rep. Tenney, and 1,920 signed the petition to Rep. Langworthy, the lone New York Republican on the Energy and Commerce Committee, which holds jurisdiction over the Medicaid program.
The signatures of Republican, Democratic and independent constituents were collected by the Healthcare Education Project, an initiative of the Greater New York Hospital Association and 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East. A total of 50,414 New Yorkers contacted all 26 New York Congressional Representatives to urge them to protect Medicaid.
Medicaid is a public health insurance program jointly funded by state and federal governments and covers around one in five Americans with low incomes and physical disabilities, including more than 7 million New Yorkers. Polling consistently shows that Americans of all persuasions are strongly opposed to Medicaid cuts and support more funding, according to a December 2024 survey of New York State voters by the Healthcare Education Project. Recent polling by McLaughlin & Associates, a top Trump campaign polling firm, found that Medicaid was popular among all voters, including 78% of those who voted for Trump.
Medicaid cuts are also opposed by healthcare institutions that rely on funding to provide quality care for all customers, not just those on public insurance. The New York Health Plan Association, the Medicaid Society of the State of New York, the United Way of New York State, the Community Health Care Association of New York State, and the New York State Association of Healthcare Providers are among the 40+ insurers, providers, consumer advocates, business, labor and faith organizations that opposed Medicaid cuts in an April 28 letter to the New York State Congressional Delegation.
This week’s petition deliveries come in advance of next week’s anticipated release of the Energy and Commerce committee’s budget markup, which is expected to propose significant cuts to Medicaid. The markup will be followed by a budget score from the Congressional Budget Office that could include data such as the projected number of newly uninsured Americans and state budget deficits caused by cuts.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING:
“As a Republican voter, I’m proud that Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis has been vocal in opposing Medicaid cuts, and I ask that she stay committed to this promise. All members of Congress should recognize that Medicaid is not a partisan issue—it’s a lifeline for their constituents in every community,” said Robert P., a healthcare worker who lives in Staten Island. “When times were hard for my family after my father passed away, Medicaid was there for us. He was our primary breadwinner, and my mom couldn’t do it on her own. But thanks to Medicaid, we were able to get the healthcare we needed until we got back on our feet.”
“Healthcare should not be on the chopping block,” said Charlotte S., a respiratory therapist and registered Republican who lives in Congressman Mike Lawler’s district. “My hospital already cares for a lot of uninsured patients and that means we pick up the tab. It’s the right thing to do, but it shows how we all end up paying for it on the back end if more people are uninsured. Massive cuts to federal healthcare programs like Medicaid and Medicare would kill us, and I fear it would destroy good patient care.”
“I’m a registered Republican, and I voted for Donald Trump, but I didn’t vote for cuts to Medicaid,” said Rhonda W., an echocardiographer who lives in Albion, New York. “I have a daughter who suffers from mental illness and drug addiction. Last fall, she was on life support, and I would have lost her if it wasn’t for Medicaid. Her treatment would have cost thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars, and because of her condition, she’s not able to work. No doubt about it, Medicaid is the reason she is alive today.”
“When I voted for Trump during his campaign, he promised there would be no effects on Medicaid or social security programs. Now I am being told that Medicaid is funding waste,” said Shayna R., a patient care technician who works in Medina, New York, which is represented by Congresswoman Claudia Tenney. “As a working married woman and mother who is autistic herself with three autistic sons, I find this extremely grotesque and scary for the future of my children. Cutting Medicaid is not cutting waste, it’s creating more people who will require government assistance and more potentially homeless families. Cutting these programs will destroy American families.”
“As a Republican I support principles of fiscal responsibility but Congress should tread lightly when it comes to potential Medicaid cuts. Cuts could equal reduced services provided to our patients,” said Justin E., a surgical technician at Corning Hospital, located in New York’s 23rd Congressional District which is represented by Rep. Nick Langworthy.
“I voted for President Trump, because I wanted change, but now I’m worried about the cuts to Medicaid. It’s not fair to take away from our seniors to pay for billionaire tax cuts,” said Mary Ann D., a constituent of Congressman Andrew R. Garbarino who lives in North Massapequa.
“I’m a maintenance mechanic at a nursing home on Long Island where many of our residents depend on Medicaid–and now some of our politicians are trying to take away that healthcare from these seniors when they need it most. This is not what Long Island wanted when we voted in Republicans last November,” said Hodari S., who lives in Greenlawn in Congressman Nick LaLota’s district.