Defend Forgotten America joined Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and New York state lawmakers in calling for an investigation of the accusations that New York Governor Kathy Hochul is withholding vital funds for rural hospitals in the North Country of Upstate New York for political purposes, putting at risk access to care in communities that need it most.
New York state lawmakers have claimed that Governor Hochul’s Health Department abruptly ended weekly meetings with hospital representatives regarding a state partnership this summer and have suspended payments to them under the state’s Vital Access Provider program, which was created to help financially distressed healthcare entities. Around the same time as these policy changes, numerous media reports confirmed that Congresswoman Stefanik was considering a run against Governor Hochul. One of the hospitals now at risk of closure as a result of these suspended payments is located in Congresswoman Stefanik’s district.
Sadly, the political weaponization of Medicaid is nothing new. Under the Biden administration, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) launched selective audits of red states, including Texas, Florida, and Missouri. Governor Hochul’s disturbing actions fit into this longstanding pattern that harms patients across the country.
“President Trump approved the supplemental Medicaid payments New York needed to keep rural hospitals afloat, and now Governor Hochul is now refusing to release them,” DFA founder Jenn Pellegrino said. “As a result, vital healthcare in the rural communities where I grew up are on the brink. This is unacceptable and must stop now. It’s the same playbook from Biden’s weaponized Medicaid audits: punish communities for political gain. DFA is calling for the funding to be immediately released and for a complete investigation.”
Read more background about how the Biden administration weaponized Medicaid against red states here.
