CONGRESSMAN ADRIANO ESPAILLAT STATEMENT ON THE EMPIRE STATE KICKBACK AS BAD DEAL FOR NEW YORK STATE

   U.S. Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) issued the following statement in response to the “Empire State Kickback” provision in the Republican’s failed attempt to make the American Health Care Act (AHCA) more palatable.

“In a dangerous and haphazard gambit to garner enough support to pass the American Health Care Act (AHCA), Republican leadership has added an ‘Empire State Kickback’ provision in a failed attempt to make this odious legislation palatable to Republicans in New York’s Congressional delegation,” said Rep. Espaillat.

“The Empire State Kickback provision directly harms the State of New York by denying $2 billion in federal Medicaid funding on top of the already $5 billion cut by the AHCA.  This provision is a shameful political ploy dressed as an attempt to lower local property taxes; almost as shameful as the Republicans calling their bill healthcare reform instead of acknowledging that it is a tax reform benefitting the wealthy and irrevocably harming the most underserved communities.

“As we celebrate the 7th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, let’s not turn back the clock on the progress we have made since its passage.  The radical Republican health care bill would take health care away from 2.7 million New Yorkers, and cost state taxpayers $6.9 billion in additional costs.  The bill is an all-out attack on New York and our inclusive vision that health care is a fundamental right in America.  The reality of the AHCA does little to improve the lives of New Yorkers and harms our residents by making them pay more for less for the healthcare they rightfully deserve.”