The heads of New York City’s public hospitals are sounding alarms that upcoming Medicaid cuts by Congress could result in curtailed services, with NYC Health and Hospitals’ chief Dr. Mitchell Katz warning of potentially reduced specialty care. According to Gothamist, despite a financial turnaround from a $2 billion deficit to an $800 million increase in patient revenue, these gains hinge on insured patients; without insurance coverage facilitated by Medicaid, the hospital system, which serves a significant low-income population, could face severe financial strain.
Last week’s approval of Medicare cuts by the House has placed a spotlight on the Senate, where hospital leaders are looking for a lifeline to prevent what could be a catastrophic reduction in healthcare coverage for millions, the One Big Beautiful Bill is a piece of complex legislation that includes Medicaid adjustments, yet hospitals worry that the repercussions, extending far beyond the more than 8 million Americans poised to lose coverage could mean fewer services or hospital closures and its passage has put an added urgency on Senate deliberations, as reported by Chief Healthcare Executive.
Key figures in healthcare are voicing their concerns, with Chip Kahn of the Federation of American Hospitals emphasizing the necessity of Medicaid and urging the Senate to stand its ground. Sister Mary Haddad of the Catholic Health Association of the United States, said in a statement obtained by the Chief Healthcare Executive, “We urge the Senate to protect and strengthen the programs that uphold the dignity, health, and well-being of all, especially those most in need.” Meanwhile, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that the proposed cuts could result in over 13 million Americans losing their health coverage by 2034…