LINCOLN’S UNWAVERING COMMITMENT
Against the backdrop of one of the city’s most vital public hospitals, Governor Kathy Hochul stood alongside local leaders to condemn sweeping federal budget cuts to healthcare and nutrition programs, vowing to protect New Yorkers from what she termed a devastating blow to the state’s most vulnerable residents. The urgent meeting, held at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln, brought together a united front of officials including Lincoln Hospital CEO Cristina Contreras, Congressman Ritchie Torres, all of whom pledged to fight the impending crisis. Addressing recent federal legislation that is projected to strip healthcare coverage from over two million New Yorkers
and jeopardize food security for nearly three million. According to state analysis, these changes will destabilize the state’s entire healthcare system, carrying an annual fiscal impact of nearly $13 billion. “While some in Washington slash funding for vital programs across the country, my administration is standing up for New Yorkers to soften the blow of these cuts amidst an affordability crisis,” Governor Hochul declared, addressing hospital staff and community advocates. The healthcare cuts are particularly severe. An estimated 1.3 million New Yorkers are expected to lose Medicaid due to new eligibility and verification hurdles, while another 730,000 lawfully-present non-citizens
could lose their Essential Plan coverage. This could leave 1.5 million residents uninsured, leading to a projected surge in uncompensated care costs for hospitals of more than $3 billion annually. For safety- net institutions like Lincoln Hospital, which serves as a lifeline for the South Bronx, such a financial strain could be crippling. Referencing Analysis’ from the Greater New York Hospital Association (GNYHA) estimates that there will be an $8 billion annual cut to New York’s hospitals. The cuts also extend to the dinner table. For the first time in the history of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the new law requires states to contribute to the cost of benefits. This shifts a massive
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LINCOLN NEWS
AUGUST 2025
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