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Cuomo says Collins-Faso Health Care Provision Tells New York to "Drop Dead"

Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo and the leader of the opposition in the legislature, Senate GOP Leader John Flanagan, both agree that a new provision in the federal health care act repeal will harm the state and its taxpayers. Cuomo calls it a “targeted war on New York”.

An amendment pushed by two upstate New York Congressman, Buffalo’s Chris Collins and the Hudson Valley’s John Faso, would free counties from having to pay for Medicaid health care costs. But the difference, of around $2.3 billion dollars, would have to be picked up by the state, without any additional federal aid. Governor Cuomo, saying his “greatest fear” from the 2016 elections is coming true.

You would have a rabid conservative ideology in Washington that would tell New York to drop dead,” Cuomo said.

He predicts hospitals and nursing homes would close.

Even Senate Republicans Leader John Flanagan is skeptical.

It’s the same taxpayer at the end of the day,” Flanagan said.

New York is the only state that would be affected by the provision.

Scott Willis covers politics, local government, transportation, and arts and culture for WAER. He came to Syracuse from Detroit in 2001, where he began his career in radio as an intern and freelance reporter. Scott is honored and privileged to bring the day’s news and in-depth feature reporting to WAER’s dedicated and generous listeners. You can find him on twitter @swillisWAER and email him at srwillis@syr.edu.