Referred to: The Public Health and Social Services Committee (Chairman Lopez and

Legislators Allen, Belfiglio, Heppner, and Roberts)

Legislator Jonathan R. Heppner offers the following:

WHEREAS, profound social, demographic, technological, and political

changes have swept across the United States during the tenure of the 44th President,

including important shifts in government policy and public opinion; and

WHEREAS, it is imperative that the nation continues to advance and embrace

change in the form of legislation such as the Affordable Care Act, ACA, which

makes healthcare and health insurance more affordable and more available to more

Americans; and

WHEREAS, prior to 2010 and the enactment of the ACA, most health

insurance policies did not cover dependents of the primary insured customers up to

the age of 26, and it was not a required provision of all U.S. Health Insurance Plans;

and

 WHEREAS, the enactment of the Affordable Care Act, ACA, in 2010

provided opportunities for tens of millions of Americans to obtain health insurance

through the open exchange even if they had pre-existing conditions; and

WHEREAS, since 2010, 19.2 million people have gained health insurance and

the uninsured rate has dropped 38%; and

WHEREAS, under the new Administration, the ACA is likely to be

irresponsibly repealed without a replacement plan in place; and

WHEREAS, if the ACA is fully repealed, 23.1 million people could lose their

health insurance, including 1.4 million young adults on parents’ plans; and

WHEREAS, a repeal of the ACA would have detrimental effects on the

residents of New York and Ulster County, as an estimated 2.7 million New Yorkers

would lose coverage, including 19,850 individuals in Ulster County; and

WHEREAS, the estimated direct New York State budget impact of the repeal

is $3.7 billion; and 

WHEREAS, a repeal would result in a total loss of $595 million in additional

federal Medicaid funding currently available through the ACA, which goes directly

to New York counties and helps to lower property taxes; and

WHEREAS, Ulster County would lose $2,935,566 in allocated annual

funding; and

WHEREAS, only 26% of Americans want to see the ACA fully repealed; and

WHEREAS, the Ulster County Legislature believes the health and civil rights

of Americans should never be at risk; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, the Ulster County Legislature opposes any effort to repeal or

weaken the Affordable Care Act; and be it further

RESOLVED, the Ulster County Legislature further opposes any similar

measure that unnecessarily causes a massive increase in the deficit, reduces consumer

rights and protections, and puts the health of the American people at risk; and be it

further

RESOLVED, the Clerk of the Ulster County Legislature shall forward copies

of this resolution to U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, U.S.

Congressman John Faso, Hon. Governor Andrew Cuomo, and the New York State

Association of Counties (NYSAC),

and move its adoption.

DEFEATED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES: 11 NOES: 8

(Ayes: Legislators Allen, Bartels, Berky, Briggs,

Delaune, Donaldson, Greene, Heppner, Loughran,

J. Parete, and Rodriguez)

(Absent: Legislators Gerentine, Maio, Roberts and

 Ronk)

Defeated in Committee: Public Health and Social Services on January 30, 2017

Petition to Discharge successfully executed.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

NONE

STATE OF NEW YORK

 ss:

COUNTY OF ULSTER

I, the undersigned Clerk of the Legislature of the County of Ulster, hereby certify that the foregoing resolution is

the original resolution DEFEATED by the Ulster County Legislature on the 15th Day of February in the year Two

Thousand and Seventeen, and said resolution shall remain on file in the office of said clerk.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of the County of Ulster this 17th Day of

February in the year Two Thousand and Seventeen.

|s| Victoria A. Fabella

Victoria A. Fabella, Clerk

Ulster County Legislature