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4w ago

9/11 Health Program Faces Renewed Crisis with Staffing Cuts and Delayed Care

Despite bipartisan promises to restore funding and leadership, the World Trade Center Health Program struggles with staff reductions, administrative gaps, and mounting patient backlogs.

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Firefighters at Ground Zero in Manhattan. September 2001. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)
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Overview

  • A second wave of staffing cuts in April has eliminated 16 more positions, further undermining the program's ability to provide timely care to over 150,000 enrolled responders and survivors.
  • Dr. John Howard, the program's longtime leader, has yet to be formally reinstated despite assurances from federal officials, leaving critical administrative functions in limbo.
  • Patients are now facing six to eight-month waits for appointments, with some life-threatening conditions going untreated due to delayed certifications.
  • Advocates report that three FDNY employees diagnosed with 9/11-related cancers were unable to secure treatment approvals this week, highlighting the program's operational challenges.
  • The bipartisan funding bill HR 1410, aimed at addressing the program's financial shortfall, remains stalled in Congress, with no resolution in sight.