CSEA SUNY Upstate Hospital Local President Ali Cottrell, shown here on the hospital grounds, is committed to protecting services at the safety-net hospital.
SYRACUSE — CSEA is deeply concerned about the devastating impact that proposed Medicaid cuts could have on health care workers and the communities they serve.
Nowhere is this more apparent than at Upstate University Hospital, where CSEA members play a crucial role in delivering lifesaving care and support services.
Medicaid funding is a cornerstone of the hospital’s operations, ensuring that critical services remain accessible to all Central New Yorkers.
Dr. Robert Corona, CEO of Upstate University Hospital, highlighted the hospital’s reliance on Medicaid funding, explaining that it’s about 33 percent of the hospital’s revenue stream.
“We get benefits by taking care of a lot of Medicaid patients, which is our mission as a public hospital,” said Corona. “But if that goes away with this new (federal) administration, that’s going to be a problem.”
The Trump administration has proposed drastic cuts to the federal budget. There’s been a continuous stream of reports of mass layoffs in various departments of the federal government.
But salaries of federal workers make up a minuscule fraction of the government’s budget.
“The bulk of the budget is Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, defense, and servicing our debt,” said Corona. “We’re still wondering how (Trump) is going to (deliver on these promised cuts) without cutting into Medicaid. He says he’s not, but it seems improbable to get what he wants.”
Corona acknowledged that there is waste and fraud in the system, but Medicaid is such an important part of our health care system that a calculated approach is necessary.
“Getting the waste and fraud out of (Medicaid) would be great,” said Corona. “I don’t think you go in there with a hatchet and cut it, you go in with a scalpel.”
Consequences of Medicaid cuts
If cuts were to happen, CSEA SUNY Upstate Hospital Local President Ali Cottrell described the likely fallout.
“Cuts would mean increased workloads, reduced job security, and the potential for layoffs,” said Cottrell. “Health care workers are already stretched thin, and further budget reductions would only exacerbate burnout and stress, making it more difficult to retain and recruit employees. Our union members dedicate their lives to public service, and they deserve stable, well-funded jobs that allow them to provide high-quality care to our community.”
Despite the threat of funding cuts, Corona affirmed his commitment to protecting jobs and the essential services so many in our state depend on.
“We’re too critical to the region to cut anyone’s job; that’s the way I look at it,” said Corona. “I would fight like hell to not cut a single job. Our people are our asset.”
CSEA will not stand idly by while our members and the communities they serve face unnecessary hardship.
Our union is mobilizing to fight these proposed cuts, urging state and federal lawmakers to recognize the importance of Medicaid funding in sustaining Upstate University Hospital and other essential public services. CSEA encourages all members and supporters to contact their representatives and demand that Medicaid funding remains intact.
“The people of Central New York depend on a strong, well-funded health care system, and we will continue to advocate fiercely to protect both our members and the patients they serve,” said Cottrell. “The future of Upstate University Hospital, and the health of our community, depends on it.”
— Nicholas Newcomb
Tell your Congressional Representative: Oppose Medicaid Funding Cuts!
CSEA is deeply concerned about proposed Medicaid cuts and their devastating impact on services. Medicaid provides essential health care to millions of New Yorkers, including seniors, people with disabilities and working families.
CSEA Members Provide Essential Medicaid Services! Our union members work in public hospitals, OPWDD, mental health services, and local government programs that rely on Medicaid funding. Without adequate support, these services will collapse, leaving the most vulnerable without care.
Visit cseany.org/federal_action for more information and to contact your representative.
