Washington, DC -- Congressman Eliot Engel (D-NY-17) organized a meeting between the New York House Democratic delegation and Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday afternoon to urge her to stand strong against proposed cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Graduate Medical Education (GME).  The delegation called such funding reductions “devastating to New York’s economy.”  The delegation would “find it next to impossible” to support a debt ceiling package which included cuts to GME funding for teaching hospitals and essential Medicaid services. 

“I am glad Leader Pelosi was able to sit with our delegation to discuss this great concern we have for our state and our teaching hospitals.  New York’s hospitals are the largest employer in many of our communities, and New York has been a leader nationwide in health care for its citizens.  Cuts to Graduate Medical Education (GME) funding would not only force New York’s teaching hospitals to cut back on training doctors, but also reduce services to patients.  With a nationwide physician shortage, expected to reach 130,000 physicians by 2025, hindering teaching hospitals’ ability to train new doctors is counterproductive.  It is also completely unacceptable to force New York to sacrifice caring for its citizens’ health as part of this budget plan.  These proposed cuts to our safety net would endanger the health of our constituents, the stability of our state’s economy, and thousands of jobs across New York. 

“New York hospitals generate nearly $108 billion for state and local economies annually, and support more than 686,000 jobs through direct and indirect employment.  Combined, hospitals pay more than $4.7 billion in state and local personal income and sales taxes.  New York is a net bill payer to the federal government, and this funding is one of the few ways the state is paid back.  The impact to New York is chilling.  The delegation made it clear that it would be very short-sighted to place even more of a burden on our working families to solve our budget problems, while the richest individuals and oil companies continue to enjoy tax breaks.”

Rep. Engel is a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.  The 12-term Congressman led a delegation letter to Pelosi, President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner, (attached) stating their opposition to a plan which deeply cuts GME, Medicare and Medicaid.

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