Devastating....

Cuomo says the Affordable Care Act repeal could be 'devastating'

By LOUIS NELSON

Republican-backed legislation intended to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act could prove “devastating” for state governments, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday morning, especially if cuts to Medicaid funding are severe.

Among other provisions, the GOP leadership-backed Trumpcare Act includes a gradual decrease in funding for Medicaid as well as a program that would block-grant that funding from the federal government to the states.

But even among GOP legislators on Capitol Hill, the proposed legislation’s cuts to Medicaid have already proven controversial and already a handful of senators, among them Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio), have said they cannot support the bill because of the cuts. Governors from both parties have fretted as well, concerned that expanded Medicaid funding from the Affordable Care Act will be taken away.

“Obviously the consequences for a state like New York could be devastating, depending what they do. We have three million people who are insured under the Affordable Care Act. What are you going to do with the three million people?” Cuomo, a Democrat, said from the snow-covered streets of New York during a Tuesday interview on “Morning Joe.” “They talk about block grants, turning it over to the state. That sounds great. The question is, when they block-grant it, do they actually transfer the money? You remember the old experience passing the buck without passing the bucks.”

The New York governor said he has no backup plan for a dramatic decrease to his state’s Medicaid budget, cuts that he said could amount to as much as $3 billion. Such a change in funding “would wreak havoc in this state.”

“I get the political appeal of repeal the Affordable Care Act, but, you know, be careful what you ask for. And a little bit, I think this is the dog that chases the car. What are they going to do?” he said. “I just did my budget. I said, look, I don't have a contingency plan. Because I don't know what they are going to do. And frankly, they could take an action for which there is no contingency plan.”