Nassau County officials and local leaders spoke out against the Republican-backed 2025 Congressional Budget Bill that may result in millions of dollars in cuts to health care.
U.S. Reps. Tom Suozzi and Laura Gillen, both Democrats, led the press event at the YES Community Counseling Center in Levittown on Wednesday, May 28, along with other notable figures in the healthcare industry.
The budget titled the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” was passed by one vote in the House of Representatives. Many Democrats have raised concerns about the estimated $4 trillion in tax cuts over the next decade and significant reductions targeted at Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
“We’re taking a giant step backwards,” Northwell Health CEO Michael Dowling said.
Dowling said that Northwell is currently creating its budget for next year and will have to account for the loss of an estimated $370 million in revenue.
The bill would eliminate health coverage for at least 13.7 million Americans, including 1.5 million people in the state. Healthcare leaders said that cuts would be felt by every single person.
President Donald Trump has frequently referred to the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” as a cornerstone of his second-term agenda, emphasizing its alignment with his “America First” policies.
He has praised the bill for its comprehensive approach to tax reform, border security, and economic growth. In public statements, Trump highlighted provisions such as eliminating taxes on tips and overtime pay, increasing the child tax credit, and bolstering domestic manufacturing.
He asserted that the bill would “reduce taxes, secure our border, drive American energy independence, and boost take-home pay,” framing it as a fulfillment of promises made to the American people.
Both Democratic congress members sharply disagreed with Trump.
“They are going to hurt everybody in our community,” Gillen said. The cuts in Medicaid are gonna make all of our health care costs skyrocket.”
Nearly 7 million people in the state benefit from Medicaid, and the state estimates these changes will cost it $13.4 billion per year. The state currently spends $35.5 billion per year on Medicaid. Experts said that people who pay for private insurance can expect their premium costs to increase as well.
And the effects may ripple to hospitals as well, according to Wendy Darwell, the president and CEO of Suburban Hospital Alliance of New York State said one-third of hospitals in the state are considered financially distressed.
“There will be a $150 million cut a year to hospitals in Nassau and Suffolk counties before the state responds,” she said. “It’s not going to be possible for New York state to absorb a $13.5 billion hit without making cuts to benefits, to eligibility, or to providers, probably some combination of the three.”
Many with concerns have also pointed to the unequal tax cuts associated with the bill. The top 5% earners would receive almost half of the total tax cuts, while the bottom 20% earners would receive just 1% of the total tax cuts.
“What kind of country do we want to be? Do we want to be a country that cares about the most vulnerable in our society, or do we want to be a country that only cares about those who pay to play,” Suozzi said.
Randi Shubin, the president and CEO of Island Harvest, warned that an increase in medical costs may lead to people deciding not to spend their money on food. She said the organization provides food for 200,000 people annually on Long Island.
The bill is currently being discussed in the Senate and there is no timetable for when it may be voted on. Suzozi and Gillen both said they would want to come to a bipartisan compromise if the bill is brought back to discussion.
