Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is sounding the alarm over a Republican-backed plan that he says would eliminate health coverage for 1.5 million New Yorkers and slash $13.5 billion from the state’s healthcare economy.
As House Republicans prepare to vote on what would be the largest Medicaid cut in U.S. history, Senator Chuck Schumer released new district-level data on May 20 showing just how deeply the plan could impact New York residents, hospitals, and healthcare workers.
“This is the fight of our lives,” Schumer said. “Trump and House Republicans want to gut Medicaid to fund tax breaks for billionaires, and it’s New Yorkers — especially seniors, kids, and rural patients — who will pay the price.”
Statewide impact: $13.5 billion and 1.5 million at risk
A new report from New York State outlines the projected fallout from the GOP proposal:
- 1,464,739 New Yorkers could lose health insurance
- $1.37 billion in hospital funding could vanish across all 26 congressional districts
- Rural and urban providers alike could face closures, layoffs, and reduced services
District-by-district estimates include:
- NY-6 (Queens): $161.9M in hospital losses; nearly 90,000 residents at risk
- NY-12 (Manhattan): $311.2M in hospital losses; over 28,000 could lose coverage
- NY-15 (Bronx): $108.4M in losses; more than 106,000 people affected
Who would be affected?
Schumer emphasized the proposal targets critical programs:
- Medicaid, which covers 7 million New Yorkers, including two-thirds of nursing home residents and nearly half of children statewide
- The Essential Plan, which offers low-cost insurance to working-class families
- Marketplace subsidies, which help small business owners and caregivers afford insurance
Cuts would also impose strict new work-reporting requirements and eliminate provider taxes and state-directed payments — tools that support rural hospitals and community health centers.
Health system strain and economic ripple effects
The senator warned that eliminating federal support at this scale would shift massive costs to state and local governments.
“If these cuts go through, counties across New York will be forced to raise taxes or cut services like public safety and education,” Schumer said. “This isn’t targeting waste or fraud — it’s ripping away essential care.”
Key projected outcomes include:
- Higher premiums for all insurance buyers due to cost shifting
- Closure risks for hospitals, especially in rural areas
- Job losses in the healthcare sector due to reduced funding
Political pressure on NY House Republicans
With narrow margins in the House, Schumer urged New York’s Republican representatives to reject the proposal.
“NY GOP lawmakers can stop this,” he said. “If they vote for this bill, they’re voting to strip their own constituents of coverage and devastate our healthcare system.”
The senator added that despite Republican claims to the contrary, the math is clear: $900+ billion in proposed cuts would slash Medicaid and ACA funding nationwide, with New York absorbing a major share of the fallout.
What happens next?
The House vote is expected later this week. Schumer is calling on constituents and healthcare advocates to contact their representatives and demand a “no” vote.
“This is not fiscal responsibility — it’s fiscal cruelty,” Schumer said. “New Yorkers deserve better.”
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