One Month Later: Mike Lawler Continues to Ignore Hudson Valley Families Asking Him to Bring Down Healthcare Costs
HUDSON VALLEY, NEW YORK — Over a month ago, Hudson Valley residents, community leaders, cancer survivors who rely on Medicaid, and advocates for lower healthcare costs delivered a petition with over 200 signatures to Rep. Mike Lawler’s in-district office, demanding that he support policies to lower healthcare costs for New York families. That petition, among other questions and concerns about healthcare for New Yorkers, has gone unanswered.
Rep. Lawler voted for the Republican Tax Law, which has made significant funding cuts to New York’s healthcare system, including stripping Medicaid funding and kicking families off the New York Essential Plan. Since June 2025, over 400,000 New Yorkers have lost their healthcare coverage, and GOP cuts to Medicaid are forcing states to impose new requirements that could strip coverage from those who are unable to work because of serious health conditions.
“Mike Lawler promised to protect Medicaid, and then he broke that promise. What he has done in Washington will hurt families, and that’s unacceptable,” Karen, a cancer survivor from Yorktown, said to the Hudson Valley Digger.
Justine, a cancer survivor from Bedford, spoke with Spectrum News about the impact of Medicaid cuts on New York’s healthcare system, noting that the strained system is “Not the fault of the doctors. They’re under so much stress, and they have so many patients that sometimes things do slip through the cracks.”
“Like many cancer patients, my focus wasn’t on the bills while I was fighting for my life—it was on getting better, spending time with my family, and hoping for the chance to see another birthday. I am alive today because of medical research, access to quality health care, and reliable insurance through my family,” Alan, a two-time cancer survivor from Brewster, wrote in the Rockland County Times. “Despite presenting himself as a bipartisan problem solver, when it mattered most, [Rep. Lawler] sided with party leaders and supported cuts that put the health and financial security of Hudson Valley families at risk.”
In July, Empire State Voices also called for the protection of local hospitals outside of Nyack Montefiore and Northern Westchester Hospitals to call out Rep. Lawler for gutting funding for hospitals and healthcare programs. Read more about the devastating impact the legislation is already having on Hudson Valley families here.
To learn more about Empire State Voices, contact press@empirestatevoices.org.###
About Empire State Voices
Empire State Voices is a multi-year campaign dedicated to amplifying the voices of everyday working New Yorkers. We are 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. To learn more about Empire State Voices, contact press@empirestatevoices.org
