At a recent budget discussion, Westchester Children’s Association board member Dr. Heather Brumberg spoke about the importance of Medicaid for the youngest and most medically fragile children in our community. Her perspective, shaped by decades of experience caring for newborns, reflects the realities many Westchester families face and underscores why protecting child health programs is central to WCA’s advocacy priorities.
Dr. Brumberg lives in White Plains and is the mother of two daughters, both proud graduates of White Plains Public Schools. She is a pediatrician and neonatologist, caring for the sickest and tiniest babies in the neonatal intensive care unit at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital at Westchester Medical Center.
In her role, she treats infants who often face serious medical challenges at birth. Many of these babies require weeks or months of intensive care, followed by ongoing medical visits, therapies, and specialized services once they go home.
Last year, nearly two-thirds of all deliveries at Westchester Medical Center were covered by Medicaid. For many families, this coverage is not optional. It is the only way they can afford the care their newborns need.
Dr. Brumberg cares for a patient population with significant social and economic needs. She sees firsthand how families rely on Medicaid for prenatal care, hospital deliveries, and follow-up services that help babies grow and develop.
When a premature or medically fragile infant leaves the hospital, the journey is far from over. Many need regular visits with pediatric specialists, early intervention services, medications, and therapies. Medicaid makes those essential services possible.
Without it, families would face impossible choices between their child’s medical needs and basic necessities like housing, food, and transportation.
In one of the wealthiest counties in the country, many families still struggle with the high cost of living. Rising housing costs, childcare expenses, and food prices leave little room in family budgets for unexpected medical needs. Medicaid provides a critical safety net, ensuring that babies receive the care they need to survive and thrive.
Dr. Brumberg emphasized that budget decisions are not just numbers on a page. They affect real children and families every day. Cuts to Medicaid or other child-focused programs would not only strain hospitals and providers, but would also put vulnerable infants at risk.
A premature baby who cannot access follow-up care, a toddler who cannot get needed therapies, or a family forced to skip appointments because of cost are the real consequences of reduced funding.
Her message aligns with WCA’s advocacy priorities: protecting and strengthening the programs that keep children healthy. Investments in Medicaid and child health services help ensure that babies get a strong start, families stay stable, and communities grow stronger.
Behind every data point is a real child and a real story. The infants Dr. Brumberg cares for cannot speak for themselves, but the policies that shape their care will determine their futures.
WCA will continue to advocate for budgets that prioritize the health and well-being of Westchester’s children. Protecting Medicaid and other essential programs is not just about funding. It is about giving every child the chance to grow, develop, and thrive.
If those investments disappear, so do opportunities for many of Westchester’s most vulnerable children.