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For Immediate Release: April 8th, 2004 Contact: Contact: Jordan Isenstadt (c) 516.991.3842 (w) 212.490.9535 (f) 212.490.2151 ***PRESS
RELEASE*** State Senator Liz Krueger Calls for Major Medicaid Reforms to
Preserve Health Care Coverage for Poor and Elderly New Yorkers New York, NY – Claiming that New York’s
Medicaid system is “inefficient, too expensive and unaccountable,” State
Senator Liz Krueger (D-Manhattan) today announced her support of major new
Medicaid reforms, backed by the Senate Democratic Minority. The proposed Medicaid reforms aim to
reduce the program’s costs, while increasing availability to more uninsured
New Yorkers.
“If we do not reform Medicaid, I’m concerned it will not
exist as we now know it for future generations of New Yorkers,” said Senator
Krueger. “That’s how important this issue is today. Medicaid costs in New York have jumped 68% since 1995. Obviously, there is no way that the system
can continue to grow at such an alarming rate. We, as government officials, have a responsibility to take care
of those least able to take care of themselves.” Senator Krueger noted that Senate Democratic Leader David
Paterson has proposed several innovative reforms to help save Medicaid. “I commend Senator Paterson for bringing a
realistic and common sense approach to Medicaid reform and demonstrating that
we can bring fiscal responsibility and accountability to the program while
providing high quality, cost-effective health care to every New Yorker in
need,” stated Senator Krueger. Senator Krueger noted the proposed Federal and State
Medicaid reforms would save New York over $27 billion over the next five
years. The State changes alone would save New York $3.2 billion over five
years, and it would save New York’s counties and localities $400 million in
2004-5 and at least $6.5 billion over five years. The reforms would:
“What is clear about the need to reform Medicaid is that
there must be good faith negotiation by the Federal government,” remarked
Senator Krueger. “For example, New York’s reimbursement rate is the lowest of
any state in the country. The formula using per capita state income is not
truly reflective of New York and must be replaced by a formula that takes
poverty rates into account. The
federal government should also help ease New York’s fiscal burden by reimbursing
the State for health care coverage of legal immigrants. It is simply poor public health policy
that refuses to pay for preventive care, thus resulting in higher costs for
emergency health care.” “Finally, with New York facing a multi-billion budget
shortfall over the coming years and several counties declaring a fiscal
emergency because of the soaring mandated costs of Medicaid, we must look at
a fundamental restructuring of the present Medicaid system,” said Senator
Krueger. “Most importantly, the reforms presented here do not in any way
compromise the delivery of quality health care services to New York’s poor
and elderly.” -30- |
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