Rep. Torres Leads Bipartisan NY Delegation Letter to Trump Admin Opposing Devastating Home Health Cuts
Torres Releases Hard-hitting Video Shadowing Home Care Nurse for Patient Visit
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Ritchie Torres (NY-15) today led a bipartisan group of New York lawmakers in sending a letter to President Donald Trump, Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz opposing the administration’s proposed CY2026 home health payment rule.
In addition to Congressman Torres, the letter was signed by nearly the entire bipartisan New York Congressional Delegation, including Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Reps. Nick LaLota (NY-01), Andrew R. Garbarino (NY-02), Thomas R. Suozzi (NY-03), Laura Gillen (NY-04), Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05), Grace Meng (NY-06), Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07), Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09), Dan Goldman (NY-10), Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11), Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), George Latimer (NY-16), Michael V. Lawler (NY-17), Patrick K. Ryan (NY-18), Josh Riley (NY-19), Paul Tonko (NY-20), John W. Mannion (NY-22), Claudia Tenney (NY-24), Joseph D. Morelle (NY-25), and Timothy M. Kennedy (NY-26). The letter warns that the proposed rule would impose more than $1.1 billion in funding losses in 2026 alone, adding to over $10.9 billion in cumulative cuts since 2020.
To drive the point home, Congressman Torres joined a VNS Health home health care nurse on a home visit to a Bronx patient receiving home care, where he saw firsthand how critical these services are to keeping people out of the hospital and living their best lives. He released a video in coordination with the letter capturing that visit and highlighting how the proposed cuts would devastate access to care in communities like the Bronx. VNS Health operates the largest home health agency in NYS.
The video can be viewed here.
“Home health is not a luxury. It is a lifeline for seniors, people with disabilities, and vulnerable communities,” said Congressman Torres. “Slashing reimbursement rates at this scale will leave families without care, push more patients into already overcrowded hospitals, and deepen inequities in places like the Bronx where access to care is already fragile. We are urging the administration to pause this rule and work with Congress to protect care in the home.”
A copy of the full letter can be accessed here.