By skyforbes 
By Redetha Abrahams-Nichols
In the halls of Congress in Washington, D.C., lawmakers are debating about millions of dollars in cuts to Medicaid. This decision has the potential to permanently change the healthcare landscape in New York and across the country — and not for the better. As someone who represents over 2,300 union members at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, including resident physicians, attending doctors, nurse leaders, and administrators, I’m sounding the alarm on what these changes mean for Brooklyn, and more importantly, for our people.
Downstate is more than a hospital. It’s a symbol of opportunity, access and community.
Downstate is more than a hospital. It’s a symbol of opportunity, access and community. It’s one of the few places where aspiring doctors from less affluent, often Black and brown communities can afford to get a high-quality medical education. It’s a vital safety net, providing care to a population that overwhelmingly relies on Medicaid. In Brooklyn alone, 51 percent of residents use some form of Medicaid. That’s more than half of our borough — working-class people who may not have commercial insurance but deserve dignity and healthcare just the same.
Our hospital reflects that diversity. From Caribbean families to members of the Jewish community, from the elderly to young adults aging out of foster care, and even formerly incarcerated individuals — Downstate cares for them all. These are not nameless statistics. They are our neighbors, our families, and our future. They are the working poor. And without robust Medicaid support, they face the loss of the only accessible care they have.
The proposed Medicaid cuts aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet — they’re existential threats to Downstate. With more than 50 percent of our patients on Medicaid, cuts mean no revenue. No new programs. No additional staff. No hospital. This is not business. It is a lifeline.
U.S. Rep. Yvette Clarke understands that. She sees our patients, knows our history — her parents were treated at Downstate. At a recent hearing, she spoke about a patient with congestive heart failure who depends on our care. Her words were powerful. But even more powerful was the moment she looked into the crowd and saw me — her constituent — and said, “Downstate is here.”
That moment reminded me: Representation matters. Not just in government, but in presence. Our elected officials cannot do this alone. We need her as much as she needs us. It’s time for all of us to show up, speak up and organize.
Our members are watching closely. We are asking for answers and bracing for change. We’re not afraid of standing up — we’re afraid of being silent. Because silence equals closure. Silence equals cuts. And silence equals loss — of jobs, of services, and of lives.
We must raise our voices in every way we can.
We must raise our voices in every way we can. Write to your U.S. representative. Show up at their offices. Attend local events. Ask questions. Demand answers. You don’t have to say it perfectly — just say something. Because when we say nothing, we lose everything. And when we speak — even in small ways — we become part of a movement that can’t be ignored.
They say tax cuts for the rich will create jobs, that trickle-down economics will save us. But we know better. We’ve lived the truth. Those cuts don’t create jobs — they create crises. They concentrate wealth while stripping working people of care, security and hope.
But I still have hope. That’s what keeps me going. I think we’re going to create tons of new activists, and that’s what I’m excited about, because it’s time. Because this isn’t just about Medicaid. It’s about justice. It’s about equity. It’s about survival.
Redetha Abrahams-Nichols is president of the Downstate chapter of United University Professions and a member of the AFT Healthcare Program and Policy Council.
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