Rockland County Legislature Signs Resolution Which Will Save Taxpayers $8.7 Million

by Rockland Daily Staff

Rockland County Legislature received bipartisan support for a recently signed resolution against eliminating the Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Program (eFMAP).

 If enacted, this would result in an estimated $8.7 million loss for Rockland County property taxpayers in 2023.

According to Governor Kathy Hochul's Budget proposal, the state intended to stop sharing the ACA eFMAP with counties and keep $625 million in federal Medicaid assistance shared with counties since the ACA was enacted in 2011.

"We share in the Governor's goal to make New York more affordable, but this proposal would force us to pass these costs on to local taxpayers, making that goal more difficult to achieve," said County Executive Ed Day. "As state lawmakers finalize budget negotiations, my administration once again urges them to eliminate this proposal for good."

Immediately after the proposal was announced, County Executive Day met with Senators and New York State Assemblymembers representing Rockland residents to make them aware that this move is projected to shift $3 billion in costs to local taxpayers over four years.

New York State lawmakers recently indicated that neither the New York State Assembly nor New York State Senate will include Governor Kathy Hochul's Medicaid Cost Shift in the 2024 State Fiscal Year (SFY) Budget.

Photo Credit: Rockland County Government