NYS Senate approves bill giving illegal immigrants health care after feds agree to pick up tab

[Gary Rich 261]

ALBANY – State Senate Democrats have approved legislation to provide low-cost health care to migrants after the federal government agreed to provide the cash.

“We are already spending over a billion dollars without giving any type of regular care to these folks,” state Senate Health Committee Chair Gustavo Rivera (D-Bronx), who sponsored the bill, said on the chamber floor Thursday night.

“So these folks are already here. They get sick. They get flus They get colds. They break legs … What we’re suggesting here is that we have a way to get federal money so it does not cost the state anything.”

The 41-21 vote by the state Senate on the controversial bill — which has yet to pass the Assembly — comes as Albany Democrats push to wrap up their legislative business for the year on Friday.

Assemblywoman Jessica González-Rojas (D-Queens) did not provide comment Thursday night about whether the bill she is sponsoring will pass her chamber this week.

Rivera said the total cost to federal taxpayers is at least $1 billion per year.

“The fact that the money’s coming from the federal government doesn’t mean that it’s not coming out of taxpayer money, because the federal government gets their money from the same place,” state Sen. Steven Rhoads (R-Nassau) argued on the Senate floor on Thursday night before voting against the bill.

Washington and Colorado have already expanded health care for migrants after receiving federal waivers.

Gov. Kathy Hochul has previously expressed support for the idea of providing low-cost health care while dawdling on officially asking the federal government to provide a waiver that would allow federal money to cover health care for migrants, New York Focus reported in February.https://nypost.com/2023/06/09/nys-senate-approves-bill-giving-illegal-immigrants-health-care/

[Dashinka 24,481]

The comment by the GOP member Rhoads is inane.  Governments regardless of level get their money from the taxpayers period.  So I guess the entire country is paying for the sanctuary states.

[Gary Rich 261]

3 minutes ago, Dashinka said:

The comment by the GOP member Rhoads is inane.  Governments regardless of level get their money from the taxpayers period.  So I guess the entire country is paying for the sanctuary states.

it's crazy... plain and simple

[Crazy Cat 41,814]

"The Feds" = US tax payers.  

[Gary Rich 261]

17 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

"The Feds" = US tax payers.  

and nobody says nothing.. while we pay