Health advocates, Nassau Dems warn Trump's 'big beautiful bill' will lead to ugly outcomes for Medicaid recipients
Michael Dowling, CEO of Northwell Health, stands with Reps. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) and Laura Gillen (D-Rockville Centre) as they address the potentially harmful consequences of cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and other safety net programs on Wednesday in Levittown. Credit: Newsday / Howard Schnapp
Nassau County Democrats and community health leaders criticized extensive budget cuts to Medicaid that they say will leave millions of New Yorkers without health insurance.
The cuts are part of President Donald Trump's so-called "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" that passed the House of Representatives last week. The 1,000-plus-page bill details the list of tax breaks, budget cuts and increased border security measures that have been top of mind for Trump. The House narrowly passed the bill by one vote last week after seven hours of debate, cutting $700 billion in Medicaid funding over the next 10 years. The Senate will next vote on the bill.
"This is not just numbers. This is not just politics. This has a real-life impact on people," Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) said at a news conference on Wednesday.
Republicans have said the bill delivers on Trump’s key campaign promises to cut taxes and not tax tips or overtime. The White House also said in a news release last week that the bill sets aside money to hire more than 18,000 new immigration officials and cut Medicaid for non-U.S. citizens. On Wednesday, White House officials called the bill "the single largest welfare reform in American history."
They also said the bill includes tax deductions for those who buy American-made cars while expanding the federal child tax credit. Overall, the White House said Americans will see reductions to their tax bill by as much as 15%.
Suozzi said Wednesday the bill will "blow the biggest deficit" the country has seen.
Suozzi and Rep. Laura Gillen (D-Rockville Centre) voted against the bill — which passed 215-214 — alongside every other House Democrat and two Republicans.
"The cuts in Medicaid are going to make all our health care costs skyrocket," increasing premiums for those with private insurance, Gillen warned. "Parents are going to say, ‘I don’t need to eat tonight because I have to pay for my child’s prescription.’ "
Suffolk County Reps. Andrew Garbarino (R-Bayport) and Nicholas LaLota (R-Amityville) supported the bill, though Garbarino said he was not in the chamber for the vote on the measure, which would increase the SALT tax cap from $10,000 to $40,000.
Garbarino in a statement to Newsday defended the budget bill, saying the "rhetoric around this bill is fearmongering, plain and simple."
"No one will lose access to services except those who are able but unwilling to work. This legislation protects services for seniors, children, the disabled and the rest of our most vulnerable— the people these programs were actually designed to help," he said.
LaLota wrote in a statement to Newsday that "work requirements were considered common sense when President [Bill] Clinton and Democrats supported them in the 1990s.
"Today, however, Washington Democrats oppose them — not on principle, but simply because President Trump supports them."
The bill also cuts $267 billion in funding for food aid, known as the Supplemental Nutrition and Assistance Program, over the next 10 years.
"This is bad for America," said Michael Dowling, Northwell Health's CEO, who recently announced plans to step down. The proposed cuts would tank the health care system’s revenue by $370 million, he said, adding that about 1.5 million New Yorkers will lose access to Medicaid. The bill requires people to complete 80 hours per month of work, education or service to qualify for Medicaid.
Medicaid is the "single largest payer" of behavioral health care in the United States and addiction treatment in New York, said Jeffrey Reynolds, president and CEO of Family & Children’s Association, adding that Long Islanders vulnerable to overdose would be put at risk.
Larry Lamendola, co-chair of the Levittown Community Action Coalition, said he and his wife were in the process of applying to Medicaid on behalf of their 25-year-old daughter before she died of fentanyl poisoning.
"Are we a callous, cruel, cold-blooded country?" he said. "This administration has ice water running through their veins."
Correction: The House version of the "One Big, Beautiful Bill Act" earmarks money to hire more than 18,000 immigration officials. The article has been updated to correctly reflect the number of officials hired under the proposed budget bill.
Nassau County Democrats and community health leaders criticized extensive budget cuts to Medicaid that they say will leave millions of New Yorkers without health insurance.
The cuts are part of President Donald Trump's so-called "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" that passed the House of Representatives last week. The 1,000-plus-page bill details the list of tax breaks, budget cuts and increased border security measures that have been top of mind for Trump. The House narrowly passed the bill by one vote last week after seven hours of debate, cutting $700 billion in Medicaid funding over the next 10 years. The Senate will next vote on the bill.
"This is not just numbers. This is not just politics. This has a real-life impact on people," Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) said at a news conference on Wednesday.
Republicans have said the bill delivers on Trump’s key campaign promises to cut taxes and not tax tips or overtime. The White House also said in a news release last week that the bill sets aside money to hire more than 18,000 new immigration officials and cut Medicaid for non-U.S. citizens. On Wednesday, White House officials called the bill "the single largest welfare reform in American history."
They also said the bill includes tax deductions for those who buy American-made cars while expanding the federal child tax credit. Overall, the White House said Americans will see reductions to their tax bill by as much as 15%.
Suozzi said Wednesday the bill will "blow the biggest deficit" the country has seen.
Suozzi and Rep. Laura Gillen (D-Rockville Centre) voted against the bill — which passed 215-214 — alongside every other House Democrat and two Republicans.
"The cuts in Medicaid are going to make all our health care costs skyrocket," increasing premiums for those with private insurance, Gillen warned. "Parents are going to say, ‘I don’t need to eat tonight because I have to pay for my child’s prescription.’ "
Suffolk County Reps. Andrew Garbarino (R-Bayport) and Nicholas LaLota (R-Amityville) supported the bill, though Garbarino said he was not in the chamber for the vote on the measure, which would increase the SALT tax cap from $10,000 to $40,000.
Garbarino in a statement to Newsday defended the budget bill, saying the "rhetoric around this bill is fearmongering, plain and simple."
"No one will lose access to services except those who are able but unwilling to work. This legislation protects services for seniors, children, the disabled and the rest of our most vulnerable— the people these programs were actually designed to help," he said.
LaLota wrote in a statement to Newsday that "work requirements were considered common sense when President [Bill] Clinton and Democrats supported them in the 1990s.
"Today, however, Washington Democrats oppose them — not on principle, but simply because President Trump supports them."
The bill also cuts $267 billion in funding for food aid, known as the Supplemental Nutrition and Assistance Program, over the next 10 years.
"This is bad for America," said Michael Dowling, Northwell Health's CEO, who recently announced plans to step down. The proposed cuts would tank the health care system’s revenue by $370 million, he said, adding that about 1.5 million New Yorkers will lose access to Medicaid. The bill requires people to complete 80 hours per month of work, education or service to qualify for Medicaid.
Medicaid is the "single largest payer" of behavioral health care in the United States and addiction treatment in New York, said Jeffrey Reynolds, president and CEO of Family & Children’s Association, adding that Long Islanders vulnerable to overdose would be put at risk.
Larry Lamendola, co-chair of the Levittown Community Action Coalition, said he and his wife were in the process of applying to Medicaid on behalf of their 25-year-old daughter before she died of fentanyl poisoning.
"Are we a callous, cruel, cold-blooded country?" he said. "This administration has ice water running through their veins."
Correction: The House version of the "One Big, Beautiful Bill Act" earmarks money to hire more than 18,000 immigration officials. The article has been updated to correctly reflect the number of officials hired under the proposed budget bill.
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