ICYMI: Governor Hochul’s Op-ed in Empire Report

Today, Empire Report published an op-ed by Governor Kathy Hochul denouncing the disastrous impacts of the GOP’s Big Ugly Bill. Text of the op-ed can be viewed online and is available below:

In just a few weeks, we will be observing the 60th anniversary of the signing of Medicaid by President Lyndon B. Johnson. When President Johnson signed this transformational policy into law, he told us all that there is a tradition we share. A tradition that calls upon us to never be indifferent to despair, to never turn away from helplessness, and to never ignore or spurn those who suffer in a land bursting with abundance.

Well this past week, Washington Republicans turned their back on that longstanding, righteous tradition when they passed a budget that takes a sledgehammer to our health care system.

Let’s be crystal clear about what Washington Republicans are doing in their budget: they are gutting Medicaid. Not trimming or tweaking it. Certainly not improving it. No, their budget would slash nearly $700 billion from Medicaid over the next decade.

In short, they are aiming a wrecking ball directly at working families, children, seniors, and people with disabilities.

Here in New York, we stand to lose $13.5 billion for Medicaid each year. That’s not some hypothetical number on a spreadsheet. That’s 1.5 MILLION of our neighbors who will lose their health insurance entirely. That’s hospitals across this state – from Long Island to North Country – who will see their budgets slashed, staff cut, and care delayed.

And New York’s seven GOP representatives happily voted for all this devastation, just so they could fund tax cuts for billionaires. That’s their idea of putting America First. Well I think it’s just Robin Hood in reverse.

It couldn’t be more at odds with what I am fighting for here in New York. Because while Washington Republicans are trying to take health care away, I’ve worked hard to expand it.

From raising the eligibility threshold for the Essential Plan and giving more than 1.5 million New Yorkers access to high-quality, affordable coverage; to investing millions in health insurance subsidies; strengthening hospital financial assistance; and protecting hard working families from medical debt, I’m fighting every day to increase access to high-quality, affordable health care. And I’m proud to say that as a result, New York has the lowest uninsured rate of any large state.

But all that progress – and more – is now under threat.

I’d like to ask every single New York Republican who just sold out their constituents, how do you justify your vote to the people who elected you to represent them?

And to the Republicans who are hiding behind the thin excuse of work requirements, I say: red tape masquerading as ‘work requirements’ isn’t about helping people find jobs. It’s about kicking them off their health insurance. The facts are clear: most people on Medicaid are already working, in school, or too sick to hold a job. And the people who get caught in that red tape – the ones who lose coverage – are often those least able to navigate it. It’s not that they stop needing care. They just show up later and sicker, at a higher cost to our system, putting a greater strain on our hospitals. This isn’t smart policy. It isn’t saving us any money. It’s just plain cruel.

Medicaid is a lifeline for one out of every three New Yorkers, including 50% of every child in this state. But the reality is, even if you don’t rely on Medicaid, these cuts affect you. Because when millions lose coverage, hospitals and other vital healthcare providers lose funding. And that strains the entire system.

These cuts could mean that your local hospital or health center shuts down. They could look like you being forced to drive farther just to find a doctor. Or that you have to wait twice as long at the ER.

The bottom line is these cuts won’t just hurt the most vulnerable – they’ll make health care harder to get and more expensive for everyone.

Well I’ve never abandoned New Yorkers, and I certainly won’t now.

So to New York’s seven congressional representatives – and every Republican down in Washington – let me say this as clearly as I can: health care is not negotiable in the Empire State.

And to every New Yorker reading this: Pick up the phone. Call your representative. Tell them this is your red line. Tell them that we will not let them dismantle the safety net that millions of our neighbors rely on. Because here in New York, we fight for our kids. We care for our elderly. We show up for our neighbors. If Washington’s forgotten that, then it’s time we remind them.

This is the fight. I’m ready for it. And I know New York is ready for it too.