1.5 Million New Yorkers Set To Lose Health Care

One and a half million New Yorkers are set to lose their health care as Republicans advance Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill." The bill is beautiful to the billionaires who will receive tax breaks, but it is certainly pretty ugly to the New York families it will devastate, especially in Trump country. Republicans in Congress have been holding late-night sessions to advance the bill. Once it is passed and signed, New Yorkers will suffer the consequences. Per Forbes, the Top 5 Worst States for Healthcare are all Republican run states,

1. Georgia
Georgia’s score: 100 out of 100

2. Alabama
Alabama’s score: 87.03 out of 100

3. North Carolina
North Carolina’s score: 85.95 out of 100

4. Mississippi
Mississippi’s score: 84.70 out of 100

5. South Carolina
South Carolina’s score: 83.50 out of 100

If you take a look at the top 10 worst states for healthcare, there are only two blue states - Nevada and New Mexico.

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Republicans are focused on cutting taxes for the ultra wealthy, and that money has to come from somewhere, right? New Yorkers are going to bear the brunt of easing tax burdens for billionaires. According to estimates, 1.5 million New Yorkers will lose their coverage and become uninsured. All of the Republican cuts amount to an annual loss of nearly $13.5 billion for New Yorkers. These cuts not only affect coverage for New York families but also threaten the state’s hospitals and other healthcare providers. Unfortunately, there are real life-or-death consequences to these Republican cuts, especially in rural areas where hospitals were already at risk of closing.

What Is Medicaid Vs. Medicare?

Sometimes people get Medicaid and Medicare confused. While they both provide healthcare coverage to New Yorkers, there are some big differences. Medicare is for New Yorkers aged 65 and older, as well as some people who are younger and have certain disabilities. Medicaid offers coverage to a wider range of New Yorkers,

Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that, together with the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), provides health coverage to over 77.9 million Americans, including children, pregnant women, parents, seniors, and individuals with disabilities. Medicaid is the single largest source of health coverage in the United States.

How Republican Cuts Will Hurt Rural New Yorkers

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While the cuts that Republicans are making will affect many New Yorkers, rural areas may get hit harder than cities. The areas of the state that heavily vote Republican rely on Medicaid more than urban areas. Per KFF.org,

"Approximately 66 million people – about 20% of the U.S. population – live in rural areas, where Medicaid covers 1 in 4 adults (a higher share than in urban areas) and plays large part in financing health care services. In rural communities, Medicaid covers nearly half of all births and one fifth of inpatient discharges. Overall, federal Medicaid spending in rural areas could decrease by 15% ($119 billion), which is far more than the $15 billion that has been suggested for the rural health fund."

Per the Community Service Society,  45 percent of rural hospitals around New York State are at risk of closing in the next two to three years. Over the next six to seven years, 57 percent of rural hospitals are at risk of closing. These numbers were based on a study from 2024. Now, with Republicans gunning for health care funding, things may speed up.

Here's How Many Medicaid Recipients Are In Each County:

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Outside of New York City counties, Rockland County has the most residents on Medicaid - 46.9151659% of its 326,225 residents are enrolled. The demographic breakdown of the county is: White (Whites of non-Hispanic origin: 62.7%), Hispanics and Latinos (of any race) 18.4%, Black 13.1%, Asian 6.2%, Multiracial 2.1%, American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%, and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0.1%.

"The county's age distribution was 28.4% under 18, 8% from 18 to 24, 28% from 25 to 44, 24.30% from 45 to 64, and 12% who were 65 or older. The median age was 36 years."

 

Here is how many New Yorkers are enrolled in Medicaid, as of April 2025, out of the total population of the county, per census data from 2020:

ALBANY - 71,071 out of 303,654
ALLEGANY - 12,663 out of 45,587
BRONX - 925,527 out of 1,401,142
BROOME - 56,415 out of 189,420
CATTARAUGUS - 21,605 out of 75,863
CAYUGA - 20,017 out of 76,029
CHAUTAUQUA - 39,024 out of 126,032
CHEMUNG - 29,437 out of 82,622
CHENANGO - 14,362 out of 46,730
CLINTON - 20,022 out of 79,778
COLUMBIA - 14,432 out of 59,534
CORTLAND - 12,046 out of 47,173
DELAWARE - 10,338 out of 43,938
DUTCHESS - 62,688 out of 293,293
ERIE - 255,071 out of 917,241
ESSEX - 8,141 out of 36,891
FRANKLIN - 14,834 out of 49,965
FULTON - 14,741 out of 52,812
GENESEE - 13,031 out of 56,994
GREENE - 12,275 out of 47,177
HAMILTON - 699 out of 4,345
HERKIMER - 16,434 out of 60,945
JEFFERSON - 29,021 out of 108,095
KINGS (BROOKLYN) - 1,294,687 out of 2,538,934
LEWIS - 5,220 out of 26,187
LIVINGSTON - 11,804 out of 62,398
MADISON - 15,802 out of 70,478
MONROE - 199,632 out of 740,900
MONTGOMERY - 18,602 out of 49,170
NASSAU - 308,838 out of 1,351,334
NEW YORK (MANHATTAN) - 477,616 out of 1,611,989
NIAGARA - 54,030 out of 208,396
ONEIDA - 70,894 out of 227,346
ONONDAGA - 119,395 out of 459,214
ONTARIO - 22,660 out of 110,091
ORANGE - 127,925 out of 385,234
ORLEANS - 11,062 out of 39,978
OSWEGO - 33,269 out of 116,346
OTSEGO - 13,294 out of 58,701
PUTNAM - 18,031 out of 98,532
QUEENS - 1,113,233 out of 2,225,821
RENSSELAER - 35,850 out of 158,108
RICHMOND (STATEN ISLAND) - 182,673 out of 475,327
ROCKLAND - 153,049 out of 326,225
SAINT LAWRENCE - 28,816 out of 107,185
SARATOGA - 36,913 out of 230,298
SCHENECTADY - 47,543 out of 155,358
SCHOHARIE - 7,171 out of 31,132
SCHUYLER - 3,531 out of 17,685
SENECA - 7,787 out of 33,991
STEUBEN - 26,359 out of 94,657
SUFFOLK - 367,921 out of 1,474,273
SULLIVAN - 28,377 out of 75,802
TIOGA - 12,149 out of 47,904
TOMPKINS - 16,376 out of 101,058
ULSTER - 48,742 out of 177,716
WARREN - 15,688 out of 63,756
WASHINGTON - 16,528 out of 60,606
WAYNE - 21,502 out of 89,339
WESTCHESTER - 240,495 out of 965,802
WYOMING - 8,917 out of 39,465
YATES - 4,950 out of 24,780

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