Health program for 9/11 illnesses faces uncertain future after federal staffing cuts
More than 23 years after the Twin Towers collapsed, blanketing lower Manhattan in toxic dust and debris, the number of people diagnosed with 9/11-related illnesses is still growing.
More than 23 years after the Twin Towers collapsed, blanketing lower Manhattan in toxic dust and debris, the number of people diagnosed with 9/11-related illnesses is still growing.
Since 2011, the main resource for people exposed to the fumes has been the World Trade Center Health Program, which covers treatment for cancer, asthma and post-traumatic stress disorder, among other health conditions.
Of the roughly 132,000 people enrolled in the program as of December, 64% have at least one condition linked to 9/11. Cancer is the most common, affecting more than 40,000 members. Some people join the program after illnesses have developed, while others join to receive annual screenings that could detect illnesses in the future.
The program’s fate has seesawed over the past 10 weeks as the Trump administration fired and rehired certain staffers, only to terminate them again last month, according to lawyers and advocates for people with 9/11-related exposures. They added that the staffing cuts have made it harder to enroll members or confirm that their treatment is covered by federal funding.
“These cuts are going to potentially delay treatment, delay diagnosis and early detection of their cancers, and it’s going to cost lives,” said Todd Cleckley, a nurse medical specialist at Barasch & McGarry, a law firm representing 9/11 responders and survivors.
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