Page 1 - Retiree News Summer 2025

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etiree etiree NEWS R
Mary E. Sullivan, President
SUMMER 2025 Federal budget cuts will impact retirees
Just before the July 4th
reduced in-home services that
holiday, Congress passed,
help seniors remain in their
and President Trump
communities.
signed a sweeping federal
The consequences don’t
budget that slashes Medicaid
stop there. These cuts could
funding to states by nearly
also kick seniors off Medicaid
$800 billion. These deep
and force them to pay out-
cuts will have devastating
of-pocket for care. Currently,
consequences for CSEA
three out of five nursing home
retirees and millions of other
residents have their care paid
seniors across the country.
for by Medicaid. Without that
Medicaid isn’t just a health
support, many would be forced Westchester Retirees Local 921 members recently volunteered to sign postcards. care program for people living
to forego care or spend down
in poverty; hospitals, nursing
their life savings to cover costs
homes, and other health care
that often exceed $100,000 per
facilities rely on Medicaid
year.
funding to operate. These cuts
With the cost of prescription
could lead to staff shortages,
drugs, groceries and other
reduced services or even
everyday items on the rise,
facility closures.
retirees are already being
In fact, 70 of New York’s
stretched to their limits. These
156 hospitals will be at risk
cuts to Medicaid would weaken
of closure. This means that
the systems that millions
the health care that older
of seniors rely on for care,
Orange-Ulster-Sullivan adults rely on will be harder
independence and dignity.
Suffolk Retirees Local
Local 917 member
Retirees Local 917
to access, and in some places,
CSEA was very active in
920 delegate Nick
Dawanda McDonald
President Juanita unavailable.
opposing these cuts. Retiree
LaMorte signs postcards.
signs postcards.
Johnson signs postcards. Nursing homes and long-
members in particular
term care services are at
worked with our union’s
particular risk. Medicaid is
Legislative and Political Action
the primary source of funding
Department on a postcard
for long-term care. Since
campaign. The volunteers
2021, more than a dozen
filled out and addressed the
nursing homes have closed
postcards to CSEA retirees
across the state, citing low
who live outside New York.
Medicaid reimbursement rates
The postcards asked retirees
that would only decrease
to contact their U.S. senators
further under this proposal.
to urge them to fight back
The result would be more
against the proposed federal
From left, Capital District Retirees Local 999 activists Joe DiSanto and Georgianna closures, longer waitlists,
budget plan. Photos from
Natale, local President Jack Rohl, local Executive Vice President Bill VanGuilder, fewer nursing home beds and
several locals are on this page.
local activist Lester Cole, Capital Region President Shana Davis and local 2nd Vice President Jeff Zabielski.