Gov. Kathy Hochul has quietly prolonged a pilot program offering free healthcare to intercourse employees – with taxpayers footing the practically $2.5 million invoice.
The state Well being Division in 2023 awarded $1 million in public funds to two contractors as a part of Hochul’s plan to assist the “world’s oldest career,” however new paperwork reviewed by The Submit present this system extending by means of June 2028, with $1.5 million extra in prices.
Below the initiative, intercourse employees in NYC and the Buffalo space will proceed to obtain main, sexual, behavioral, and dental care.
Critics bashed the hooker healthcare program — which was launched with out state Legislature approval – for encouraging prostitution.
In addition they ripped the politics behind the transfer, accusing Hochul of extending the pilot to fulfill Mayor Zohran Mamdani and different far-left Dems who need to decriminalize prostitution.
“The lengths by which New York Democrats will cater to the far left has no better instance then Gov. Hochul funding healthcare for hookers to the tune of thousands and thousands whereas precise frontline healthcare employees . . . dwell on meals stamps,” stated state Assemblyman Michael Novakhov (R-Brooklyn), referring to a repeated gripe by EMTs that they’re so poorly paid that many search authorities help.
“As a substitute of enjoying pimp, Kathy ‘Ho-Ho’ Hochul and Mayor ‘Madam’ Mamdani ought to contemplate ensuring the heroes who reply 911 calls and save lives day by day can afford their lease and groceries,” stated Novakhov.
State Assemblyman Sam Pirozzolo (R-Staten Island) agreed, claiming Hochul is “completely catering” to Mamdani and state Democratic Socialists of America pols peddling laws to decriminalize intercourse work.
“She is a goal and making an attempt to maintain them at bay [during her re-election bid] with different individuals’s cash,” Pirozzolo stated.
“The governor likes to say, ‘New York is open for enterprise.’ We’re open for enterprise . . . but it surely’s the enterprise of promoting needles and marijuana, . . . prostitution and different enterprise that’s dangerous enterprise for New York.”
Hookers in search of to take care of hazards of the commerce by having abortions or taking capsules for sexually transmitted ailments and contraception can simply get free help by means of well being clinics for these companies and don’t want a well being care plan, he added.
As a part of the pilot program, Callen-Lorde and EHS Inc./Evergreen Well being will proceed to obtain yearly funds of $250,000 to supply intercourse employees entry to medical care through the Well being Division’s AIDS Institute.
The unique deal expired final yr, however the Well being Division put out a authorized discover in September saying “extra time is required to judge this system.”
The distributors acquired the additional work with out aggressive bidding as a result of it “was not possible on this occasion,” the discover stated.
Callen-Lorde – who calls itself a “international chief in LGBTQ+ healthcare” — endorses the decriminalization of intercourse work, in accordance with its web site.
The Well being Division defended the extension, insisting in an announcement that “all New Yorkers deserve entry to high quality, barrier-free well being care,” and that” the one factor driving the division’s selections are what’s finest for public well being and security of New Yorkers.”
