Nearly 285K at risk of losing Medicaid in Buffalo-Niagara region, Kennedy says
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BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- Hundreds of thousands of people in the region are at risk of losing their healthcare after the House-passed Republican budget threatened to cut up to $880 billion in Medicaid funding, Congressman Tim Kennedy said.
Kennedy, along with Senator Sean Ryan and acting Buffalo Mayor Chris Scanlon, met to discuss the possible cuts Friday at Oishei Children's Hospital. They were joined by legislators, assemblymembers, union leaders and healthcare workers.
Nearly 285,000 people on Medicaid in New York's 26th Congressional District, including over 110,000 children and 29,000 seniors, are at risk of losing their healthcare, Kennedy said.
"We know and I know firsthand that Medicaid saves lives," Kennedy said. "Cutting Medicaid will put lives at risk and in some cases cost lives of New Yorkers and Americans."
Kennedy said the cuts will amount to nearly $3 billion in the Buffalo-Niagara region, affecting more than two-thirds of patients at Oishei if they go into effect, including nearly half of babies born each year.
"The Republicans are valuing the rich getting richer at the cost of our most vulnerable and suffering," Kennedy said. "They're gutting healthcare programs that we rely on like Medicaid so billionaires can get an even larger tax cut."
President of Oishei Children's Hospital Dr. Stephen Turkovich said the hospital has the largest percent of patients receiving Medicaid in New York State. Cuts would deny children of glasses and vaccines and increase maternal mortality rates, according to Turkovich.
Despite being defined by monetary value, Turkovich said, Medicaid should be defined by people.
"Medicaid is a young pregnant woman seeking prenatal care so she can carry her baby to full term and have a safe and healthy baby," he said. "Medicaid is a 10-year-old who is riding their bike in their neighborhood who got struck by a car."
Acting Buffalo Mayor Chris Scanlon said that the possible cuts are dangerous. Medicaid cuts would be an indication of where priorities lie, he said. Fighting will continue to keep funding in the community.
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Kayleigh Hunter-Gasperini joined the News 4 team in 2024 as a Digital Video Producer. She is a graduate of Chatham University.