Kathy Hochul on Medicaid Cuts

Kathy Hochul is a strong opponent of proposed or enacted federal Medicaid cuts, primarily framing her opposition against legislation referred to as the “Big Ugly Bill” by Washington Republicans. She has publicly warned that these federal actions are resolute in their determination to inflict irreparable harm on programs vital to millions of New Yorkers. The Governor has quantified the expected negative impact, estimating that the cuts could strip health care coverage from 1.5 million New Yorkers and cause nearly $13 billion in annual fiscal impact to the state’s healthcare system, including $8 billion in losses for hospitals.

Her response has involved mobilizing state resources and leadership to brace for the consequences, directing state agencies to prepare strategies to limit long-term damage from the federal funding reduction. While she stated no state can fully backfill cuts of this scale, she committed to fighting at the forefront to protect constituents. Her administration's focus is on mitigating the crisis and navigating new eligibility hurdles that threaten coverage for Medicaid and Essential Plan enrollees, emphasizing that healthcare is a right that must be defended against ideological measures that benefit wealthy donors over vulnerable families.