Timothy Kennedy
10/28/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/28/2026 14:29
Cancel the Cuts: Kennedy, 1199SEIU, and Western New York Healthcare Leaders Warn of Looming Medicaid Requirements
With New Rules Set to Take Effect January 1st, State Health Officials Estimate at Least 475,000 New Yorkers Could Lose Medicaid Access
Kennedy Vows House Democrats Will Fight to Protect Care and Affordability
BUFFALO, N.Y. - Congressman Tim Kennedy (NY-26) joined 1199SEIU, a coalition of organized labor, and leaders from local hospitals, nursing homes, and community health centers at 1199SEIU's offices in Buffalo to warn that new federal Medicaid work requirements taking effect January 1st will put coverage and care at risk for hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers.[1] The leaders called on Congressional Republicans to cancel the cuts and pledged to fight to protect the healthcare safety net.
"Starting January 1st, Western New Yorkers who rely on Medicaid will face new barriers to care, where one missed form could mean losing their health coverage," said Congressman Kennedy. "Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans added red tape that puts coverage at risk for people who need it most. With clinics closing, nursing homes struggling to stay open, and hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers already losing Essential Plan coverage, our healthcare system cannot afford more cuts. House Democrats are fighting to reverse these cuts and protect the healthcare safety net that Western New York's families, hospitals, and nursing homes depend on."
"Make no mistake- this isn't actually about work. We know that 92% of Medicaid enrollees either work, go to school, provide care for someone, or are unable to work due to illness or disability. These "work requirements" aren't about promoting work; they're about taking healthcare away from the people who need it most. We cannot ignore the lessons we have learned from states like Georgia and Arkansas, whose attempts to incorporate these requirements into their Medicaid eligibility only resulted in loss of coverage and loss of access to preventative care that saves lives," said Grace Orr, 1199SEIU Vice-President for WNY Nursing Homes.
Under the Big, Ugly Bill, many adults aged 19-64 on Medicaid must either show 80 hours a month of work, school, job training, or community service, or earn at least $580 a month, and must also renew their coverage every six months instead of annually.[2] The rules apply to new applicants starting January 1st and to current enrollees at renewal beginning on March 1st.[3] The NYS Department of Health estimates that at least 475,000 New Yorkers could lose Medicaid because of new work requirements and more frequent eligibility checks. The state's uninsured population is also estimated to grow by 45 percent, from roughly 1 million to as many as 1.45 million uninsured individuals.[4] The Congressional Budget Office estimates the work requirements alone will increase the number of uninsured Americans by 5.3 million by 2034, and that 70 percent of those who lose coverage at the bi-annual renewals will lose it for procedural reasons such as missing paperwork.[5]
The impact will be felt across Western New York, where tens of thousands of the 300,000 Medicaid enrollees in Erie and Niagara Counties will be impacted by the new requirements.[6] Joint Economic Committee Democrats project that more than 42,000 people in Kennedy's district, including more than 39,000 Medicaid enrollees, will lose coverage by 2034 because of Republican healthcare cuts.[7]
The damage has already begun. About 450,000 New Yorkers lost Essential Plan coverage on July 1st, and nearly 178,000 of them have not enrolled in another plan through the state marketplace, according to the NYSDOH.[8] Clinics in Amherst, Tonawanda, and Buffalo have closed, Erie County Medical Center has cut roughly 150 jobs, and the Richmond Nursing Home in Springville has received state approval to close.
New York State Senator April N.M. Baskin said, "Thousands of New Yorkers have already been kicked off their health insurance this year following federal cuts that impacted the Essential Plan. Now, beginning in January, new Medicaid requirements threaten to put even more New Yorkers at risk of losing their coverage. These policies create unnecessary barriers to health care and threaten access to coverage for families across Western New York and throughout our state. We should be making health care more accessible, not making it harder for people to stay insured."
"People who depend on Medicaid should not have to fight through more red tape to keep their health coverage," said Senator Jeremy J. Zellner. "Someone working multiple jobs or unpredictable hours should not lose access to their doctor or prescriptions because they cannot keep up with government paperwork. I stand with Congressman Kennedy in opposing requirements that put working families at risk and place more strain on the hospitals and providers serving Western New York."
Assemblymember Jon D. Rivera said, "The new Medicaid work requirements are a cruel, unnecessary barrier that will take health care away from people who need it most. Millions of Americans who qualify for coverage will be forced to navigate a maze of government paperwork, putting their health and financial security at risk. At a time when families are already struggling with the rising cost of living, Republicans are making it harder for people to see a doctor, afford their prescriptions and get the care they need. These cuts will mean more uninsured families, more medical debt and more preventable suffering. Health care should be a basic necessity. Instead, Republicans are attempting to make it a privilege that depends on someone's ability to navigate bureaucratic red tape."
"Medicaid is a lifeline for hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers, providing access to essential health care, prescription medications, and long-term care," said Assemblymember Karen McMahon. "These new federal requirements threaten to take that coverage away from the most vulnerable in society, creating additional barriers to care and placing greater strain on our hospitals, nursing homes, and community health centers. We must protect access to affordable health care, not make it harder for people to get the care they need. I join Congressman Kennedy, 1199SEIU, and health care leaders across Western New York in calling on Congress to cancel these cuts and protect the Medicaid safety net that so many of our families rely on."
"Medicaid work requirements will create significant barriers to healthcare for individuals and families who already face challenges accessing their essential services," said Erie County Legislator Lawrence Dupre. "We must prioritize policies that protect access to care and ensure that no one loses their healthcare because of unnecessary hurdles."
"Our health is the foundation of how we perform in everyday life," said Niagara Falls City Councilmember Bridgette Myles. "When you feel good, you are able to do good. As a Niagara Falls City Council Member, I believe it is important to educate our community about the upcoming Medicaid changes, how residents may be personally affected, and what resources are available to help them maintain their healthcare coverage."
"I totally support Congressman Kennedy's stance on these Medicaid work requirements," said North Tonawanda Councilmember Will Schulmeister. "These work requirements will hurt many people in need."
"Community health centers like Jericho Road serve people who have nowhere else to turn. Medicaid work requirements add administrative burdens on patients already navigating the complex challenges that poverty imposes upon them. Many who qualify will lose coverage because they can't keep up with the documentation," said Dr. Allana Krolikowski, CEO of Jericho Road Community Health Center. "Community health centers must also dedicate scarce staff and resources to help patients prove their eligibility in addition to caring for them. In American healthcare, health insurance is essential to accessing care. When people lose coverage, they delay preventive care, skip medications, and end up sicker, and our entire community pays the price. We urge our leaders to protect coverage, not erect new barriers to it."
"Jewish Family Services of WNY has a significant share of clients who could lose Medicaid coverage and ultimately access to critical healthcare services under these new work requirements," said Molly Carr, CEO of Jewish Family Services of WNY. "They are meaningful contributors to our community who deserve to receive care with dignity, respect, and compassion, and Medicaid provides access to these services that clients are unable to get elsewhere."
"Too many eligible patients risk losing coverage because of burdensome paperwork requirements, not because they don't qualify," said Joanne Haefner, President and CEO of Neighborhood Health Center of WNY. "We want people to know that our health center is here for them -- to assist with insurance applications and to continually provide care no matter a person's insurance status."
Kennedy cosponsors the Restoring Essential Plan Coverage Act (H.R. 10692), which would repeal the Big, Ugly Bill's premium tax credit eligibility restrictions and fully restore funding for New York's Essential Plan. House Democrats are fighting to reverse Republican healthcare cuts and deliver affordable healthcare for every American.[9]
Full video of press conference is available here.
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[2] https://www.kff.org/medicaid/health-provisions-in-the-2025-federal-budget-reconciliation-law/
[5] https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2025-10/PL-119-21-Medicaid%20_0.pdf
[6] https://www.health.ny.gov/health_care/medicaid/enrollment/docs/by_resident_co/current_month.htm
[8] https://info.nystateofhealth.ny.gov/sites/default/files/HR1-EP-Fact-Sheet-Aug-30-Update.pdf
[9] https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/10692
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