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Columbia County supervisors urge continued opposition to proposed Medicaid cuts in federal budget
Summary
Supervisors reiterated earlier unanimous opposition to proposed federal Medicaid changes, warning local impacts on health care access, hospitals, EMS and food assistance and urging continued advocacy.
Supervisor Chaney, a member of the Columbia County Board of Supervisors, told colleagues the county’s earlier, unanimously adopted resolution opposing proposed federal Medicaid cuts remains vital as the House budget proposal moves through Congress. "We had opposed this resolution because we know that it's so important our residents have health care," Chaney said during board remarks.
The supervisor said the House proposal would affect millions nationwide and impose administrative requirements that could reduce enrollment. "The current proposal in the house would, cut health care for 8,600,000 people across the country. It would require people to apply twice a year instead of once a year and adding this red tape, but also knock a bunch of people off and just add a lot more hardships," Chaney said, adding the plan would also "reduce the tax assistance, for through the ACA" and cut SNAP benefits for an estimated 11,000,000 people, according to the supervisor's summary of the proposal.
Why it matters: County officials said Medicaid and related programs are critical to local hospitals and emergency medical services and to low-income residents. Chaney urged continuing outreach to New York’s congressional delegation, noting some state legislators have spoken out and some have not.
Discussion: Other supervisors offered brief acknowledgments of the ongoing effort; no new local ordinance or formal board action on the matter was taken at this meeting. The board’s previous resolution opposing Medicaid cuts was described as already adopted; the meeting transcript did not provide the resolution’s adoption date or the motion text during this session.
What’s next: Chaney encouraged supervisors to "keep the message going" and said the county will continue advocacy while the federal process unfolds. No staff assignment or follow-up deadline was stated during remarks.
Ending: The update was given as part of supervisors’ reports; no vote or new directive was recorded in the meeting minutes provided.
