By Hank Russell
The two Republican Long Island congressmen are denying accusations from Democrats that the White House and the House GOP are trying to slash Medicaid funding.
The White House also addressed claims from Democrats that those who are removed from the Medicaid rolls will “literally die.” In response, the White House said that it is not true. Rather, under the president’s Big Beautiful Bill, the president would remove 1.4 million illegal immigrants from the program, end taxpayer-funded gender mutilation surgeries for minors and take 4.8 million able-bodied individuals off the rolls.
When the proposed budget was introduced, Democrats expressed concern that Medicaid funding would be greatly reduced, which means seniors woud have to choose between getting their medicine and eating dinner. U.S. Representative Laura Gillen (D-Garden City) echosed that sentiment during a recent press conference.
“This is going to impact everyone. When we see healthcare costs go up, people are going to stop spending money on food,” said Gillen, adding that the proposed cuts would increase healthcare premiums on those who have private insurance. “Parents are going to say, ‘I don’t need to eat tonight because I have to pay for my child’s prescription.’
According to Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, about 400,000 children may lose their health care, and over 1 million seniors would lose their Medicaid benefits and be forced to pay higher Medicare premiums, while enforcing the Medicaid workforce requirement would cost New Yorkers an estimated $500 million. Under the proposed budget, 1.5 million New Yorkers would lose Medicaid.
“Republicans should be focused on bringing down the cost of essentials; instead, they are making health care harder to access and more expensive. They have proposed work requirements for Medicaid that ignore the fact that most Medicaid recipients already work,” Gillibrand said in a statement.
In an op-ed piece published by The Empire Report, Governor Kathy Hochul said GOP members in Washington are “gutting Medicaid. Not trimming or tweaking it. Certainly not improving it. …
In short, they are aiming a wrecking ball directly at working families, children, seniors, and people with disabilities.”
Hochul went on to say the state would lose $13.5 billion for Medicaid annually. “That’s not some hypothetical number on a spreadsheet,” she wrote. “That’s hospitals across this state – from Long Island to North Country – who will see their budgets slashed, staff cut, and care delayed.”
She claimed all seven Republican members of Congress from New York State “happily voted for all this devastation,” with the cuts going to “fund tax cuts for billionaires.”
U.S. Representative Nick LaLota (R-Rocky Point) emphasized these are “reforms” and not “cuts.” Rather, “they’re commonsense safeguards designed to protect the program for those who truly need it.”
LaLota said the work requirement for able-bodied individuals had received “broad bipartisan support” when then-President Bill Clinton signed it into law. “While that consensus has eroded in today’s partisan climate, this bill is about smarter spending, not less care — ensuring Medicaid remains strong for seniors, children, and the most vulnerable.”
Andrew Garbarino (R-Patchogue) called the Democrats’ allegations “rhetoric” and “fearmongering, plain and simple.” He emphasized that those who “are able but unwilling to work” will lose their Medicaid benefits.
“If you’re an able-bodied adult without dependents, you are expected to contribute, whether through part-time work, volunteering, or education,” Garbarino said. “These reforms are critical to ensure these programs remain sustainable for generations and stay focused on those who truly need them.”