Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - As some lawmakers call on others to get back to work in Washington to end the ongoing federal government shutdown, others are sharing their difficult challenges they face as a result of cuts to Medicaid and other essential healthcare services.
At the forefront of this initiative is Western New York Congressman Tim Kennedy (D, NY-26), who joined several primary care and emergency care providers, along with patents and colleagues in government on Monday to further demand Congressional Republicans and President Donald Trump to end the government shutdown, while also canceling Medicaid cuts, and permanently extending the Affordable Care Act tax credits that keep exchange-purchased health plans affordable for families.
As the federal government shutdown entered its sixth day on Monday, Kennedy feels the need for Republicans to return to the negotiation table is more dire than ever.
"Congressional Republicans are forcing our federal employees who keep our community safe to work without pay. Public servants dedicated to protecting our health and environment, who deliver services that all American people depend upon - including our veterans in our community - are furloughed, at home, unpaid and unable to do their jobs. And why are Congressional Republicans doing this? They would rather shut down the government than restore health care for millions of Americans. The American people are demanding affordable health care," said Kennedy on Monday at the Neighborhood Health Center’s Mattina facility in Buffalo's West Side neighborhood.
"This is a crisis that's entirely preventable. Republicans need to come back to Washington, work in a bipartisan fashion, cancel the cuts, make life more affordable for working families, and protect health care in America. And they need to do it now."
Without swift action from Congress to renew the ACA tax credits, families in Kennedy’s district face average premium increases of $1,670, while more than 1 million New Yorkers will lose health coverage entirely, and 11 rural hospitals risk closure.
"We stand together with community leaders, with health care providers, with government leaders, with people that demand that Congressional Republicans stand up and do what's right for the people of this great country," Kennedy said. Return to work in Washington, cancel your vacations, get to work and do the people's business. Meet with the Democrats and create a bipartisan plan that will cancel these cuts that are hurting American citizens. That is ripping health care away from millions of Americans and people right here in Western New York. Cancel the cuts that's driving up the cost of everyday life, and making life more expensive for Western New Yorkers and people across this nation. And work with us to protect health care in America. That's what the people of this great community and the people of this great country are demanding."
Kennedy calls this a failure by Republicans, saying it will blow a $1,670 hole in the annual budgets of the 10,000 people in his district who rely on ACA coverage, representing a 35% premium increase.
Congressional Democrats have introduced legislation that will cancel the cuts, extend the ACA tax credits, and reopen the federal government. Kennedy says with Republicans in control of the House of Representatives, Senate, and White House, the onus is on them to come back to the table and negotiate in good faith.
Meanwhile, health care professionals are sounding the alarm on how this shutdown of the federal government and cuts to Medicaid are affecting their operations, and the livelihood of several in Western New York.
"We [are] facing this loss of Medicaid, these cuts the skyrocketing costs for our working people who will not be able to cover the cost of their insurance. What happens to people when they end up uninsured? Do they not need health care? Absolutely not. They need it, but they make tough choices, and along the way, the tough choices usually are waiting until things are worse," said Joanne Haefner, president and CEO of Neighborhood Health Center of WNY. "We, as a community health center and our partners like Evergreen and Jericho Road and Roswell Park and Planned Parenthood, we're here. We're going to keep seeing the patients. We're not going to get paid for many more of those visits, and that makes us all worry how we will survive to care for the entire community. But we will be here for you, and we'll make sure that you get care."
"This is a big deal. These cuts will be devastating to our organization, which is Evergreen Health, to our patients that we serve - we have over 30,000 people that we take care of - and to our employees that provide those services. These cuts will impact Buffalo in an incredibly negative way and Western New York, and have a financial impact that will be devastating to all of us," said Ray Ganoe, president and CEO of Evergreen Health. "It's clear, and I'm so proud to stand as a part of this group, that we all have to stand united against these cuts. These cuts will not be good for anybody."
Masten District Councilwoman Zeneta Everhart understands how the expanded Affordable Care Act tax credits are a critical lifeline for thousands of Western New Yorkers and millions of Americans. She feels Republicans in Washington want to strip these protections in order to fund more handouts for the billionaire class.
"When I was young, I went to a healthcare facility, something like this, It was called Geneva B. Scruggs. It was on the ECMC campus, and that is where I received essential care. I was a very, very sick child. I had really, really bad asthma, and we had Medicaid, and I was able to get what I needed. My mother couldn't afford to buy the nebulizer that we had to take home, or the asthma pumps that I needed, or the steroids that I needed to take," Everhart said on Monday. "People like Iris are fighting for the lives of their children. People like my mother, Paula, was fighting for my life. There were many times when I spent months in a hospital. Could you imagine if she had not had Medicaid? What would we have done? Would I be standing here today? That is what these cuts mean to us."
As for one patient on Monday, Iris, she says since the plan has changed, the changes to co-pay at places like Urgent Care are forcing facilities to turn her and her family away because they can't afford it.
"To my daughter being diagnosed with some medical issues, and there's co-pays for every time she has an appointment or any testing that has to be done. That's also affected us in many ways where it's gotten to a point where she might be hospitalized because of it, and there's co-pays for that as well. We go to the emergency room, it's $100 co-pay for that. It's affected my family in a lot of ways. Everywhere you turn around, there's a co-pay," Iris said.
"I'm just trying to figure out what to do to make sure my kids are being taken care of the way they have to with their health."
In response to Kennedy's call on GOP lawmakers in Washington, Erie County Republican Chairman Michael Kracker issued the following statement:
"Congressman Tim Kennedy voted to shut down the government and betray Western New Yorkers. His vote put health care for American families, benefits for our veterans, and border security at risk, all to appease Chuck Schumer and the radical left.
"By backing the Schumer Shutdown, Kennedy supports taking benefits away from hardworking Americans to fund free health care coverage for illegal immigrants. He's put his loyalty to the Washington Democratic establishment above the people of Western New York.
"If Tim Kennedy truly cared about protecting American families, he'd call his mentor Chuck Schumer today and demand an end to his reckless shutdown. Republicans are fighting to keep the government open, secure our border, and protect healthcare for Americans first. It's time for Congressman Kennedy to do the same."