On Monday, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand visited St. Joseph’s Campus, a busy emergency room, hospital and substance use disorder treatment center near Buffalo. Gillibrand spoke out on significant Medicaid cuts that could harm hospitals and medical care for marginalized communities if passed through the Senate.
Gillibrand says healthcare workers, including one from a local pediatric hospital, have been writing to her about their fears.
“She says that the impact of this bill will be catastrophic to her young hospital patients, 70% of whom are on Medicaid," Gillibrand said. "She's worried that these funding cuts will lead to service and program reductions, to staff layoffs, and she's concerned about how it will affect her patients. She also is worried about losing her job, and so I understand and share her concern.”
Around 71% of Americans are worried these Medicaid cuts would “negatively impact hospitals, nursing homes, and other health care providers” in their communities, according to KFF’s Health Tracking Poll.
The cuts are part of H.R.1, or the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in Congress. The bill passed the House by just one vote in late May. House Speaker Mike Johnson and President Donald Trump are pushing for the bill to pass the Senate before the fourth of July, according to Politico.
