Rep. Tom Reed (R-Corning)
WASHINGTON – Chautauqua County’s congressman is responding to Governor Andrew Cuomo’s comments regarding the repeal of the Affordable Care Act and its impact on New York State.
On Wednesday, the governor said that if the repeal were enacted, an estimated 2.7 million New Yorkers would lose coverage and New York State would experience a direct state budget impact of $3.7 billion. Also, New York Counties would see a total loss of nearly $600 million of federal funding. Locally, the governor said more than 15,000 people in Chautauqua County would see a negative impact. In addition, the county government will likely see a loss of more than $2.4 million in healthcare funding.
On Thursday, Congressman Tom Reed (R-Corning, NY 23), who favors the repeal, responded to the governor’s comments.
“We care about ensuring access to quality, affordable healthcare, close to home for the hardworking men and women of our region. This is particularly critical in rural New York. That is a bipartisan cause we all agree on. That is why we must address skyrocketing healthcare costs,” Reed said in a statement released by his office. “While we recognize the Governor’s concerns, it is disingenuous to suggest the Affordable Care Act is not deeply flawed. Going forward, as we continue working on healthcare reforms our priorities remain getting healthcare costs under control while ensuring access to care and protecting New Yorkers, local hospitals, providers and municipal governments from unintended impacts.”
SENATE MOVES FORWARD WITH REPEAL EFFORT
Also on Thursday U.S. Senate defeated a bid by Democrats to ensure that the bare bones of ACA would be preserved in moves to roll back the law.
Senators from both sides of the aisle argued for changes to ACA. The debate is part of the budget reconciliation process, to which the GOP has tied its hopes of repealing the law.
Republicans decry what they call a law that resulted in higher costs and lower levels of coverage. They want to ‘repeal and replace’ the health care law that blocks insurers from refusing to cover individuals with preexisting medical issues, allows parents to cover their children until they are 26 and requires most tax-payers to purchase an insurance policy. No replacement proposal is ready, but Republicans say there will be a delay before a repeal takes effect, an interim period during which a new health care law can be crafted.
Democrats have said that while not perfect, the ACA needs to be updated – but not tossed out.
According to a report by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, repealing Obamacare could cost almost 25 million people their access to health coverage – more than half of them Medicaid recipients. Senate Democrats Thursday tried to protect many of those who would be affected by introducing an amendment that sought to set a baseline for all budget reconciliation proposals, but it failed along party lines, 48 to 52.
More Senate action on health care is expected to continue next week.
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