FACT CHECK: Stefanik Lies About Her “Deciding Vote” for Largest Medicaid Cut in History

Stefanik’s vote for Trump’s Big Ugly Bill threatens health care for 1.5 million NYers and five rural hospitals in her own district.

From the New York State Democratic Committee, December 3, 2025

NEW YORK – In an interview on CNBC this morning, Elise Stefanik claimed her “deciding vote” to cut more than $900 billion from Medicaid would “strengthen” the program.

That is false.

The obvious truth that Stefanik would like to avoid: she is bragging about enacting the largest Medicaid cut in American history:

• Putting health care for 1.5 million New Yorkers on the chopping block

• Threatening five rural hospitals in Stefanik’s own district

• Significantly increasing health care costs for New Yorkers

Joe Kernen, CNBC: “Congressman, you know they're going to say, I mean, I can hear it now. They're going to say, demagoguing that you voted to cut Medicaid because you voted for the Big Beautiful Bill…” (WATCH VIDEO)

Stefanik: “What I voted for was to strengthen Medicaid.”

FACT CHECK: Sellout Stefanik gutted Medicaid.

Stefanik said she is “proud to be the deciding vote” on Trump’s Big Ugly Bill – the least popular piece of legislation this century – that includes the biggest cut to Medicaid in history. 

Stefanik voted to cut over $1 trillion in health care funding that puts health care for up to 1.5 million New Yorkers on the chopping block, and risks the closure of five North Country hospitals in her own district. 

Gutting Medicaid could cause rural health care in Upstate New York to “collapse,” create a “medical desert” in Stefanik’s district, and devastate nursing homes, Planned Parenthood clinics, rural hospitals, and more throughout the region.

Rural health care leaders have warned that Stefanik’s vote for the largest Medicaid cut in history would be “devastating” and could force hospitals to close, increase the mortality rate, eliminate jobs, send property taxes higher, and result in a “sicker population.”

Stefanik voted in the Big Ugly Bill to defund Planned Parenthood, which threatens access to vital services like reproductive care and cancer screenings for women in her own district.