Deputy Majority Whip Stefani Zinerman (D-Brooklyn) joined Speaker Carl Heastie, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and fellow members of the State Legislature’s Democratic majorities to call on the U.S. Senate to reject a proposed $13.5 billion cut to Medicaid and Affordable Care Act (ACA) funding — cuts that would jeopardize access to health care for 1.5 million New Yorkers and have a severe impact on hospitals and long-term care providers across the state.

The press conference, held in the State Capitol, highlighted the wide-ranging consequences of the federal proposal, which includes new work requirements, increased out-of-pocket costs, and reduced enrollment windows. State leaders emphasized that these changes would disproportionately affect vulnerable communities, reduce access to care, and threaten the stability of the entire health care system.

“In Bedford-Stuyvesant and Crown Heights, Medicaid is not just a benefit — it’s a foundation for how families remain healthy, and providers stay present in our communities,” said Assemblymember Zinerman. “As Deputy Majority Whip, I stand with our legislative leaders in urging the U.S. Senate to protect these essential programs. Every New Yorker deserves care that is affordable, accessible, and delivered with dignity.”

Assemblymember Zinerman represents the 56th Assembly District, which includes Bedford-Stuyvesant and Crown Heights—communities served by hospitals, clinics, and care networks that would face serious strain under the proposed federal cuts.

Medicaid and ACA coverage help sustain these community-based providers and connect working families to essential care. In neighborhoods where long-standing health disparities persist and providers often do more with less, these cuts threaten to widen the gap in care and weaken the very infrastructure that keeps families healthy and stable.

Assemblymember Zinerman remains committed to advancing equitable health care and ensuring that residents of District 56 and communities across New York continue to receive the care they need and deserve.