The legislature of Orange County, New York, called on the state government to continue the local sharing of enhanced federal Medicaid dollars under the Affordable Care Act in a Feb. 15 resolution.
The resolution came in response to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposal to end the longstanding practice in the fiscal year 2024 and use the money instead for expanded state spending.
Orange County stands to lose around $9.2 million in the coming fiscal year as a result, with the statewide impact (including five counties in New York City) likely reaching $1 billion.
“That is a devastating impact on our counties,” Orange County Legislature Chairwoman Katherine Bonelli said during a Feb. 15 committee meeting. “They are proposing to keep all the money going forward—as far as the state is concerned—to cover their expenses of Medicaid eligibility and benefits and to increase their payments to the health care providers.”…