Daily Messenger — Kolb: Health care bill would short-change New York

Canandaigua, N.Y. — State Assembly Majority Leader Brian Kolb says the health care bill making its way through the U.. Senate would be bad news for New Yorkers.

“The Senate bill is believed to contain hundreds of millions in taxpayer-financed sweeteners to states like Nebraska, while shortchanging New York’s basic funding for Graduate Medical Education and Disproportionate Share Hospital payments to care for the poor,” the Canandaigua Republican said in a prepared statement. “The Senate version of this legislation would also force New York to either increase its contribution to the Medicaid program or eliminate coverage altogether for certain individuals, resulting in another financial hit to the Empire State.”

The total cost to New York, says Kolb: $1 billion a year.

“This is why I am publicly calling on Senators Schumer and Gillibrand to put our state’s fiscal health first and stop this bad bill from becoming law.” he said.

Sen.s Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillirband both voted to move the bill forward as the health care overhaul cleared its second 60-vote test in the Senate this morning — moving it a step closer to passage by Christmas.

The motion, to shut off debate and move to a vote on a package of changes by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, passed 60-39.

The final 60-vote hurdle, limiting debate on the bill itself, is expected Wednesday afternoon