New York to Fund Health Care for Prostitutes

New Yorkers will continue to finance treatment for sexually transmitted diseases and birth control for sex workers. The administration of Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul plans to allocate an extra $1.5 million in taxpayer funds, while also restoring $1 million in healthcare costs for this group, according to a report from the New York Post. This move is part of a pilot program that was extended without needing legislative approval.

The New York State Department of Public Health, Hochul’s office, the Community Health Project, and Evergreen Health did not comment immediately when approached by the Daily Caller News Foundation.

The Community Health Project operates the Karen Road Community Health Center in Brooklyn. The center is described as deeply committed to advancing equitable healthcare and combating stigma associated with health disparities.

The state’s AIDS Institute has allocated $1 million to Karen Lord and Evergreen Health to provide various health services, including primary and sexual health care, to sex workers. The program, originally slated to expire last year, has now been extended until 2028.

Republican Representative Michael Novahoff criticized the decision, suggesting that funding health care for sex workers when frontline health workers struggle financially is misguided. “Governor Hochul is funding the health care costs of prostitutes with millions, but the actual front-line health care workers… are living on food stamps,” he stated. He further urged that the needs of those saving lives should be prioritized over those of the sex work sector.

The program’s extension followed indications of support from progressive politicians, including New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani, who advocates for the decriminalization of prostitution. He emphasized the need for inclusive justice alongside decriminalization.

Some Republican representatives pointed out that sex workers already have access to free abortions and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases at state-funded medical facilities.