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Thursday, August 18, 2005
Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno today called on Senators Charles Schumer and Hillary Clinton to secure a larger share of federal Medicaid dollars for New York State to ease the burden on county governments and local taxpayers and to support the State Senate�s efforts to reform Medicaid and fight Medicaid fraud.
"The 50 percent federal Medicaid share New York receives is lower than 37 other states and more than 10 percent below the national average," Senator Bruno said at a Capitol news conference. "If our United States Senators could even get New York up to the 60 percent national average, we would receive almost $5 billion more aid that could be used to provide local property tax relief."
Senator Bruno responded to comments made by Senator Schumer at a forum on Glens Falls last week, where Schumer criticized State government for allegedly not doing enough to reduce the local share of Medicaid expenses.
In a letter to Senators Schumer and Clinton, Senator Bruno outlined the Senate�s efforts to reduce Medicaid costs through recommendations made by the Senate Medicaid Task Force, Chaired by Senators Kemp Hannon and Ray Meier. The recommendations would ease the burden on local governments through the State takeover of the local share of the Family Health Plus program and place a cap on local Medicaid expenses, and Senate legislation to fight Medicaid fraud.
"This year, the Legislature approved a cap on local Medicaid costs and an accelerated State takeover of local Family Health Plus costs that will save local taxpayers more than $3 billion. The Family Health Plus takeover was an initiative first proposed by the Senate Majority, through our Medicaid Reform Task Force that recommended Medicaid reforms that would save State and local taxpayers $2.5 billion, while ensuring the New Yorkers continue to receive quality care. Unfortunately, the Assembly would not support most of the Medicaid reforms proposed by the Senate..... In addition, the Senate has lead the fight against Medicaid fraud by passing a bill, sponsored by Senator Dean Skelos, to strengthen the state�s efforts to root out and stop Medicaid fraud and improve accountability for Medicaid spending."
Senator Bruno said that, as our Senate representatives in Washington, it is incumbent on Senators Schumer and Clinton to deliver a larger federal Medicaid share for New York State taxpayers. He also urged them to offer their own suggestions for Medicaid cost containment and to convince the Assembly to pass the Senate�s Medicaid reform and anti-fraud measures.
The Senate Medicaid Reform Task Force will be holding public hearings throughout the State to build public support for Senate proposals to stop Medicaid fraud.
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