New Yorkers Rally Outside Montefiore Nyack Hospital, Spotlighting the Devastating Impact of Republican Health Care Cuts on Hardworking New Yorkers
New Yorkers Rally Outside Montefiore Nyack Hospital, Spotlighting the Devastating Impact of Republican Health Care Cuts on Hardworking New Yorkers
NYACK, NEW YORK — Today, Empire State Voices, Protect Our Care, and 1199SEIU gathered together for a rally and press conference outside Montefiore Nyack Hospital, spotlighting the devastating impact of Republican health care cuts on New York families. Speakers demanded that Congressman Mike Lawler stop playing political games, get to work lowering health care costs for his constituents, and reopen the government.
In July, Rep. Lawler helped to pass the Republican Tax Law, which cut funding for Medicaid, state health programs, and other health care spending across New York. These cuts are expected to force around 860,000 New Yorkers off their health insurance, which could lead to rural hospitals and clinics across the state reducing services or even closing their doors entirely. Last month, Rep. Lawler allowed the government to shut down rather than support a permanent extension of key healthcare tax credits that allow 7,000 of his constituents and their families to afford their health insurance premiums.
Instead of showing any remorse for this, Rep. Lawler has instead staked the outrageous position that “the Affordable Care Act 15 years on has not actually borne fruit in terms of reducing healthcare costs, or healthcare premiums, or increasing access.” Despite the Congressman’s insistence, that is simply not true.
New Yorkers gathered for a press conference outside Montefiore Nyack Hospital, spotlighting the devastating impact of Republican health care cuts on New York families. | CREDIT: Empire State Voices
“Living with Cerebral Palsy isn’t easy. Medicare and Medicaid are my lifeline. I need them to survive,” said Tiffany Mason, a disability rights advocate from Rockland. “Without them, I would lose access to durable medical equipment like my power wheelchair, which for me is my legs. I’d lose access to adequate medical care, specialists, related services pertaining to my disability, and lose the ability to live independently.”
“New Yorkers are paying the price for Washington’s dysfunction. Republicans like Congressman Mike Lawler shut down the government instead of protecting the health care that millions rely on,” said Chris Duyos, New York State Director for Protect Our Care. “It’s time to end this reckless shutdown and make the Affordable Care Act premium tax credits permanent, so hardworking families can afford the coverage they need. New Yorkers deserve leaders who fight for their health care, not against it.”
Speakers demanded that Congressman Mike Lawler stop playing political games, get to work lowering health care costs for his constituents, and reopen the government. | CREDIT: Empire State Voices
“The past few weeks have shown us that Congressman Lawler cares far more about making a spectacle and trying to score political points than he does the well-being and safety of his constituents,” said Dylan Wheeler, NY-17 Organizing Director for Empire State Voices. “While Rep. Lawler has been picking fights with his colleagues in Washington and making the rounds on cable news, families here in the Hudson Valley have been thrust into a world of uncertainty as they worry about whether they’ll be able to afford their insurance premiums or if their local hospitals might start reducing services. Rep. Lawler, it’s time to end this vanity project and get to work lowering costs for hardworking New Yorkers. Reverse the Medicaid cuts, make healthcare tax credits permanent, and reopen the government—it’s really that simple.”
To learn more about Empire State Voices, please reach out to press@empirestatevoices.org
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About Empire State Voices
Empire State Voices (ESV) is a multi-year campaign dedicated to amplifying the voices of everyday working New Yorkers. ESV is fighting for economic policies that make life more affordable for constituents and holding members of Congress across the state accountable when they fail to do the same.
