New York: Don’t Dump Medicaid Expansion on Us

Pushback from the nation’s governors continue. Gov. David Paterson (D-New York) says he’s against any health reform that ends up costing New York more.

While Paterson says he applauds President Obama’s general program, “if there are any of these matching programs where the state has to put in money, New York State can’t be interested.”

Why? For one thing, the state is broke.

Of course, the Washington, D.C., politicians have some advice:

The federal government can borrow money if tax revenues fall short of health-care costs. Finance Committee members had suggested states could do the same to cover expanded Medicaid coverage.

I can imagine the reaction in governors’ offices: My state has a structural budget deficit, health care costs are climbing every year, and you suggest we borrow to pay for an increased commitment to ongoing expenses? Thanks for the tip, Senator!

(Cross-posted from State House Call.)

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