In the moments after House Republicans approved a bill taking the first step of repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, Reps. John Faso and Chris Collins touted a provision he helped include: Shifting Medicaid costs from counties to the state government.
The measure is staunchly opposed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has railed against the amendment as an unnecessary burden on the state, but has been supported by local governments as a way of reducing a burdensome mandate. Ultimately the shift would not take effect until 2020.
“The AHCA contains a provision I authored to eliminate the ability of New York State as of 2020 to impose Medicaid costs on county property taxpayers,” Faso said in the statement.
“For a typical homeowner or commercial property owner residing in the 19th District, Medicaid costs represent over 40 percent of their county property tax burden. New York’s Medicaid spending dwarfs that of most other states. For instance, New York spends more than Texas and Florida combined, even though these states have more than double our population. The provision I authored will bring much-needed property tax relief and keep people and jobs in Upstate New York.”
The amendment for the Medicaid shift was co-authored alongside Collins, a prominent supporter of the Trump administration from western New York.
Faso was elected last year to the battleground Hudson Valley congressional district vacated by Rep. Chris Gibson and is likely to face a strong challenge for re-election next year.
Collins, however, represents a more conservative district in western New York.
“My commonsense proposal will fix the finances of counties across New York for decades to come and most importantly keep money in the pockets of hardworking Western New Yorkers,” Collins said. “This puts a stop to this massive unfunded mandate coming out of Albany once and for all.”
Only two New York Republican House members voted against the measure: Reps. John Katko and Dan Donovan. Katko, of central New York, and Donovan, whose district covers parts of Staten Island and Brooklyn, represent moderate swing seats.
“The relief needed for local families is not in this bill. The plan would cost seniors more for health care at a time in their lives when incomes are limited and they need health care the most,” Donovan said. “Obamacare is failing and requires major reform. I remain steadfastly committed to replacing it with a plan that truly works for the people I represent.”