Dive Brief:
- New York health officials testified at a Monday budget hearing that the state has made progress on curbing Medicaid costs for its 6.3 million enrollees, the Associated Press reported.
- While enrollment has been increasing, annual spending growth has been reduced to 1.4% and quality of care has been improving, New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said.
- Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) has proposed a budget of $63.3 billion for the program's coming April 1 fiscal year, half of which would be covered by federal funding.
Dive Insight:
The controversy comes over Cuomo's plan to require New York City, which is responsible for more than 50% of the state's Medicaid costs, to fund its own annual growth in Medicaid costs--an expense that would cost the city $735 million by 2020, the Associated Press reported.
Zucker and state Medicaid Director Jason Helgerson said they would work with the city to try and avoid the need for the city to take on more costs.
Also tied in with the issue is criticism over a lack of details regarding plans to increase healthcare aides' pay under the governor's proposal for a $15 minimum wage, which the administration officials say would be phased in over several years and would help ensure a stable work force.