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Congressman Pat Ryan (D, NY-18) held a speak-out in the Town of Wallkill on Wednesday (September 24) to address the impact of President Trump's Big Beautiful Bill, which includes significant cuts to Medicaid. Ryan, alongside healthcare administrators, physicians, and Medicaid recipients, highlighted the potential consequences of the federal government’s trillion-dollar reductions in Medicaid funding.
According to Ryan, these cuts could leave 225,000 people in his district without health insurance next year. In Ulster, Dutchess, and Orange counties alone, over 17,000 individuals will receive notifications that they no longer have coverage, with more than half being children and many others having disabilities. Ryan warned that the cuts would increase healthcare premiums by nearly $1,000 annually for those covered by the Affordable Care Act.
Garnet Health President and CEO Jonathan Schiller noted that New York hospitals would face $1.7 billion in uncompensated care due to these changes. He expressed concern about the financial strain on hospitals, which could lead to closures and layoffs. Doug Hovey, president of Independent Living, Inc., criticized the cuts as reckless, stating that they would force people to reapply for Medicaid every six months starting in 2027, potentially causing many to lose coverage due to bureaucratic challenges.
Dr. Eric Gayle, President and CEO of the Institute for Family Health, voiced his concerns about the legislation's impact on vulnerable populations, estimating a loss of over $7 million to his practice in the first year alone. Ryan urged the public to speak out and vote against these healthcare changes, emphasizing the importance of civic engagement to prevent further harm.