Pallone Condemns Republican Medicaid Cuts Threatening Kids’ Health Care at Children’s Specialized Hospital

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, held a press conference today at Children’s Specialized Hospital to highlight the catastrophic consequences of House Republicans’ proposal to cut at least $880 billion from Medicaid. Pallone was joined by hospital CEO Dr. Matt McDonald and New Jersey families who depend on Medicaid to access life-saving treatments for their children.

“These reckless cuts are designed to strip health care from kids with complex medical needs in order to pay for tax cuts for billionaires and big corporations,” Pallone said. “New Jersey families shouldn’t have to fight for their children’s survival while House Republicans push a devastating cut of at least $880 billion from Medicaid to enrich billionaires. This isn’t just bad policy—it’s a direct attack on the well-being of millions of children.”

Pallone detailed how the proposed cuts would force hospitals across New Jersey to scale back services, resulting in longer wait times, fewer specialists, and reduced treatment options for children with conditions such as cerebral palsy, autism, and rare genetic disorders. Children’s Specialized Hospital could face a devastating loss of $49 million in order to pay for the Trump tax cuts. 

Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) cover more than 37 million children nationwide, including more than 800,000 in New Jersey. 

“Any cuts to Medicaid will have far-reaching consequences on the health and well-being of the more than 820,000 New Jersey children who depend on NJ FamilyCare for essential healthcare services including well-child visits, immunizations, and dental care. Children who receive the preventive care they need are more likely to avoid future medical problems that require costly treatment,“ said Mary Coogan, president & CEO of Advocates for Children of New Jersey.

"Medicaid helps cover the costs of my medical care,  day care program, and allows me to live at home with my mom, who provides me the best possible care.  I wouldn't have been able to survive without Medicaid.  According to Thomas Reid, the chain is only as strong as the weakest link. If we cannot take care of our weakest our nation cannot survive,” said Nyema Harve, brain injury survivor and advocate, Brain Injury Alliance of NJ, who spoke at the press conference.

Jamie Tower, of Hazlet, a direct care worker for adults with special needs and the mother of a 10-year-old Medicaid-dependent child, joined the press conference after responding to Pallone’s survey asking constituents to share how Republicans’ proposed Medicaid cuts would devastate her family. "Without Medicaid health insurance my son will not have a positive quality of life,” Tower said.

Rachel Peace, the mother of a Medicaid dependent child and small business owner who also filled out Pallone’s survey, said, "Medicaid is a lifeline for me, my four year old son, and my sister Brittany who suffers from mental illness. Hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people in New Jersey and millions across the nation depend on Medicaid; our representatives in Congress have a mandate to serve the people--not billionaires, not Elon Musk, and certainly not Donald Trump."

Adding to the crisis, Trump’s actions have already disrupted pediatric cancer trials and stalled critical research on diseases affecting children. The NIH has frozen new grant applications, delaying over $1.5 billion in medical research funds, including groundbreaking studies into childhood leukemia and other life-threatening conditions.

During the press conference, Pallone called on Republicans Congress to reject these extreme cuts and instead work to strengthen Medicaid, CHIP, and medical research funding. “These cuts would turn back the clock on decades of progress in children’s health care,” he said. “We need to protect and expand Medicaid, not gut it to fund tax cuts for billionaires.”