On February 27, 2012, Senate Majority Leader Skelos (R, Long Island) wrote a letter to Minority Leader Sampson (D, Brooklyn) claiming that Senate Republicans believe it would be “fiscally irresponsible and a disservice to New York taxpayers” to pass the Exchange bill.  As my teenage nephew would say:  “What a whopper!”

As HCFANY outlines in its detailed response to Senator’s Skelos’ “whopper” of a letter:

• Myth (Skelos):  This is a rush.
• Reality (HCFANY): What rush? This is the same bill that the Republican leadership assiduously negotiated eight short months ago—at the end of the last Legislative session.  How many years does the Senate need to pass a bill?

• Myth (Skelos):  Federal health reform could cost NYS $65 billion in State Medicaid costs.
• Reality (HCFANY): Federal health reform will generate $18 billion in federal Medicaid revenues.

• Myth (Skelos):  New York hasn’t missed out on any funding opportunities.
• Reality (HCFANY):  Federal funding isn’t the point. New Yorkers need Exchange legislation NOW.  An Exchange will:
  • Offer affordable, quality health coverage to the more than 2.7 million uninsured New Yorkers.
  • Bring down prices for employees of small business by up to 22%
  • Bring down prices for individuals purchasing coverage by up to 66%

To read more of HCFANY’s responses to Majority Leader Skelos, click here.  To read Minority Leader Sampson’s response to Skelos’ letter, click here.

HCFANY Myth-busters Lyrics:
If there’s somethin’ strange in Albany…
Who ya gonna call?   Myth-busters
If it’s somethin’ wrong with the facts, and the Exchange bill suddenly looks wobbly
Who ya gonna call?  Myth-busters