By Forum Staff
After the Trump administration slashed the workforce for the World Trade Center Health Program, U.S. SenS. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) on Tuesday demanded U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. immediately reverse the cuts that directly impact care for Sept. 11 first responders and survivors.
Schumer and Gillibrand said that cuts to the WTCHP have already led to the termination of at least 16 program staff according to advocates, with others taking the administration’s “buy out” reducing those who work on or supervise the WTCHP by approximately 20 percent of total staff. This is on top of additional announced Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cuts to research grants that reportedly will prevent the City Fire Department from providing members with treatment coverage for new, Sept. 11-related health conditions, and other research cuts set to negatively impact lifesaving research on Sept. 11 conditions and treatments.
The WTCHP helps pay for first responders diagnosed with conditions related to their service on Sept. 11. WTCHP program covers the medical expenses for Sept. 11-related health conditions, including many types of cancers, respiratory illnesses, and more.
The senators explained the cuts will limit the program’s ability to support approximately 132,000+ Sept. 11 first responders and survivors and delay care and other services. According to advocates, this will impact Sept. 11 responders and survivors from the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and the Shanksville Crash site, who are in all 50 States and in 434 out of 435 Congressional Districts. Advocates say it will delay certifications for treatment of cancers and other conditions, delay pending petitions for expanded healthcare coverage, and overall increase wait times and negatively impact healthcare coverage as fewer staff will be available to respond to complaints by patients and intervene when there are issues with prescriptions and treatment.
Anthony Gardner, whose brother was killed in the Sept. 11 attack and who worked in the WTC Health Program in his honor until he was fired last week, said: “For the past three years, I was privileged to be a member of the dedicated WTC Health Program team who takes great pride in ensuring the brave community of responders and survivors receive vital medical care and treatment for their 9/11-related health conditions. The recent staffing cuts are particularly detrimental to those who receive care or are applying to receive care through the Program because they cross all of its critical service areas including medical health benefits, health condition certifications, enrollment, member communications, and research. I urge Secretary Kennedy to reverse these Program staffing cuts and to please refrain from making further staff reductions so this vital Program can fulfill its Congressionally-mandated mission to help this resilient community of 9/11 responders and survivors heal as they live with the ongoing consequences of that tragic day.”
Schumer added, “‘Never forget’ is not just a slogan. It is a sacred promise to always stand by 9/11 heroes, a promise being broken by slashing funding and vital staffing for their healthcare in the World Trade Center Health Program. It’s unacceptable, and un-American.”
