President Donald Trump was on Capitol Hill today, pushing Republican lawmakers to support the G.O.P. megabill—a sweeping budget reconciliation package. He’s working to secure the votes of conservative legislators who remain skeptical, citing concerns that the bill would significantly increase the federal deficit and demanding deeper cuts to Medicaid.
Trump dismissed the bill’s projected impacts on health coverage, including its changes to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, saying they weren’t “anything meaningful”—even though independent analyses estimate at least 8.6 million Americans could lose their coverage under the proposed changes.
In New York alone, the implications are stark.
The proposals advanced by the House Ways & Means and Energy & Commerce Committees would result in $3.1 billion in Medicaid reductions, putting care for over 1 million New Yorkers at risk.
Just yesterday, Governor Kathy Hochul addressed the potential damage the bill could cause to the state. She warned that the proposed federal cuts could amount to nearly $13.5 billion annually, jeopardizing access to healthcare for millions and threatening the viability of hospitals and essential healthcare providers across New York.
We spoke to two leaders with deep insight into these critical healthcare programs:
- Doug Wirth, President and CEO of Amida Care—New York’s largest Medicaid Special Needs Health Plan, which serves individuals with chronic illnesses, behavioral health needs, and those dually eligible for Medicaid and Medicare.
- Christine Aguiar Lynch, Vice President for Medicare and Managed Long-Term Services and Supports at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans—a national organization representing nonprofit, safety-net health plans that serve Medicaid and Medicare beneficiaries.
Image: Marchers in lower Manhattan stage a “die-in” on March 15 to protest proposed cuts to Medicaid. (Credit: Clara Hemphill/New York Focus)