BY: Keith S. Shikowitz, Editor in Chief/Investigative Reporter
Robert Jowaiszas, Community Editor/Reporter
As campaign season heats up, political ads are flooding television and social media claiming that “Medicaid was cut,” often showing people in wheelchairs, struggling parents, and worried caregivers. But local families and providers say those messages don’t match what’s actually happening on the ground.
Despite the dramatic ads, no cuts have been made to Medicaid benefits for eligible individuals, and no federal or state official has announced any reduction in funding for local disability nonprofits such as Another Step, Inc. There has been no directive, no rate change, and no order from Albany or Washington signaling that services are in danger.
Residents in Rockland County are speaking out about this situation. “I have family on Medicaid, Social Security and other government programs. I keep an eye on all of this stuff. Until something is in writing and passed by the House and Senate and signed by President Trump, it is NOT happening.” Said JR.
State level (New York)
The New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) continues to fund home‑ and community‑based services at the same levels. The state has not sent letters or directives to any nonprofit saying their Medicaid reimbursements will decrease. State budget guidance has not instructed agencies to anticipate cuts — any adjustments would go through normal budget processes, which haven’t occurred yet.
“In New York State, if the Republicans in Washington were actually trying to cut Medicaid or any other program, the Democrats in Albany would be the first to call them out on it. Their silence on this issue tells us that there is nothing happening. NO cuts are being made.” Said Robert Charles.
In an interview with Congressman Lawler, I asked him about the alleged cuts. This is what he said:
Now that the shutdown’s over, what’s next? Schumer’s still saying the shutdown was caused by Republicans. They’re running ads against you saying that you voted to cut Medicaid, Social Security, and SNAP monies. As far as I know, Medicaid and Social Security are under mandated spending, it can’t be cut short of a sixty-vote, majority in the Senate. What do you have to say about these accusations?
“Well, it’s just more lies by those that really don’t care about the truth or the people. The fact is, I have always voted to protect Social Security and Medicare. I’ve never cut Social Security or Medicare. In fact, I fought to get the Social Security Fairness Act passed and signed into law to ensure that retirees who worked as federal employees and those in law enforcement, first responders, that they are not being unfairly penalized because of their pension systems and that they get their full Social Security benefits. So, the idea that somehow we cut that is a baldfaced lie.”
The Big Beautiful Bill, which became the Big Beautiful Law, on July 4, 2025, cut a lot of spending and waste from the federal budget. It got people who do not deserve to be on programs like Medicare, Medicaid and SNAP off of them which made them stronger and longer lasting because there is more money available to those who do deserve it.
What nonprofits are actually responding to: They are reacting to political ads and media messaging that say Medicaid “cuts” could happen. They are trying to prepare for uncertainty and ensure continued service delivery, which often leads to fundraising newsletters highlighting the hypothetical risk.
This is precautionary and advocacy‑driven, not a response to actual government orders.
Still, the ads have created enough uncertainty that some nonprofits have begun sending newsletters warning families about “possible future impacts” and asking for donations to help “protect services.” For many parents and caregivers, the timing feels tied more to politics than policy.
“When people see those commercials, they get scared,” one local disability advocate said. “Then nonprofits feel pressured to respond, even though nothing has changed.”
Nonprofits rely heavily on Medicaid reimbursement, so any talk of reductions—even hypothetical ones—makes boards and directors nervous. With the public already anxious, year-end fundraising appeals are now highlighting the same concerns promoted in political messaging, even though no agency has been told that cuts are happening or imminent.
Much of the fear comes from how national political campaigns are framing recent federal budget actions. While Congress adjusted future Medicaid spending formulas, no current recipient lost coverage, and no provider was singled out for cuts. New York State continues to fund services at the same level, and agencies like Another Step have not received any notice of reductions.
Federal level: The federal budget reconciliation bill adjusts future federal Medicaid spending growth and implements some rules (like work requirements for certain populations). It does not direct cuts to specific agencies or services for people already eligible. CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) has not issued any notice to Rockland nonprofits saying, “Your reimbursement rates will be reduced” or “You must prepare for funding cuts.” CMS has signaled potential limits on optional programs or approvals for future state requests, but that is policy guidance, not a direct cut order to providers.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson explained what the Big Beautiful Bill, now law, will do to Medicaid.
The Hill: Johnson Says 4.8 Million Americans Won’t Lose Medicaid Access ‘Unless They Choose To Do So’ Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) doubled down on his claim that there won’t be Medicaid cuts in President Trump’s “big, beautiful bill,” despite projections that millions of low-income individuals would lose health insurance as a result of the bill. Johnson, during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” pushed back on independent projections that the bill would lead to 4.8 million people who would lose coverage because of work requirements, saying they won’t lose it “unless they choose to do so.” … He added that the people who are complaining about losing their coverage are doing so “because they can’t fulfill the paperwork,” noting that the policy follows “common sense.” (Scully, 6/1)
In an interview with NBC News, Johnson told them that Medicaid is not being cut from people who are eligible for it.
In another interview he told Jake Tapper that Medicaid is not being cut. “It is being taken away from those 1.4 million people who are here illegally and those who are able to work and aren’t and they are fraudulently abusing the system. It is intended for the most vulnerable population of Americans, which are pregnant women, young single mothers, the disabled, the elderly. They are protected in what we are doing because we are preserving the resources for those who need it the most. You are talking about 4.8 million able bodies workers, young men for example who are not working. They are choosing not to work when they can. That is called fraud. They are cheating the system. When you root out those kinds of abuses, you save the resources for those who desperately need it the most. That’s what we are doing. The morality of what we are doing is precisely right and it comports with all of the public opinion polls.”
Still, election-season messaging does what it always does: it raises emotions. In this case, it has sparked a wave of fundraising letters built around the idea that disability services may soon be threatened—an idea based on campaign rhetoric, not confirmed policy.
For local families, the takeaway is simple: services remain unchanged, and no nonprofit has been told to expect cutbacks. The worry is real, but the facts remain steady.
As one parent put it, “We just want the truth, not fear. If something actually changes, tell us. But don’t scare people because it’s election time.”
Medicare & Medicaid: What Seniors and Disabled Should Know: Don’t panic over the ads: Recent petitions and ads about “cuts” to Medicare and Medicaid are mostly exaggerated. Who is safe: Seniors and disabled people who are already eligible for Medicare or traditional Medicaid do not face loss of coverage. Your benefits are protected. Who could be affected: Proposed changes mainly target newly eligible adults under expanded Medicaid programs, not long-standing beneficiaries. Why the ads seem urgent: Advocacy groups like AARP are encouraging members to act quickly. The messaging often blends all populations together, which can make it feel like everyone is at risk.
The following is a phone interview with Marty Schmidt, who is suffering from dealing with Medicaid and issue as a result of what he feels are incompetent people dealing with the program:
“None of this because I’m here illegally and I’ve got 6 children. No. Were your 6 children born here? No.
Why should they take food out of my mouth? If you weren’t born in this country, you do not deserve it. If you did not put into the system, you do not deserve it. I say no!” Schmidt stated emphatically.
What about the whole idea of people who, are capable of working but just don’t and are on Medicaid and welfare?.
He noted, “Single men, you know, if you’re perfectly capable of going to work, you should be made to go to work. I wish I could go to work. I can’t physically. My body cannot handle it any more. Because why? I was always carrying a family of 5 in my back pocket. So what you need to do is, you need to stop, and you need to think, gee, who actually outrightly deserves what they get? If you choose to live on the street and be a bum. God knows there’s numerous, numerous people that make more money out of pocket. Sitting there crying for change, and they’re driving home in a Mercedes or a brand-new pickup truck.”
He says he’s seen it with his own eyes. “Therefore, no, that needs to come to a stop. You want to sit on the street and beg; you better be begging for what you get right then and there. That’s why I don’t give nobody change. I don’t give them a dollar here or a dollar there. No, I’ll go and buy you a meal. What you choose to do with it after that, I don’t care.
“You want to feed your dog that you sit there and you have. Fine, feed it to the dog. At least something will survive. I’m tired of being put in a position where I gotta either risk my own health, go back to work, and not take care of my family. And where I got to sit there and watch my family suffer, not happening. I had too many friends, I’ve lost too many friends to illicit operations. Being on Medicaid and Hey, nobody stopped them from getting their drugs or their beer. But they still managed to do it. Medicaid needs to put a stop to it!!” Schmidt said.
Bottom line: No one has told or suggested to these nonprofits that their Medicaid funding will be cut. No law or policy currently reduces funding for Rockland disability service providers. Any fear or fundraising is based on political messaging, not confirmed government action. If you’re already enrolled and eligible, your coverage is secure. You don’t need to panic or donate in response to these fear-driven messages — though staying informed about legislation is always wise.