COUNTY BOARD SUPPORTS ROGOWSKY’S RESOLUTION CALLING ON NYS TO ASSUME ENTIRE MEDICAID OBLIGATION
$4 Million Weekly Tab From The State For Medicaid Falls on Property Owners
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 19, 2007
Contact: Sally Schecter, Legislative Aide; Tel: (914) 995-2832; SallyS@westchesterlegislators.com
The County Board approved a resolution urging the passage of federal legislation that would bar states from passing along the cost of Medicaid to counties.
The bill, HR 326/ Medicaid County Protection Act of 2007 (Medicaid Act), was proposed by Congressman G.K. Butterfield of North Carolina, one of the few states that, like New York, shifts Medicaid costs to its counties.
County Legislator Marty Rogowsky (D-Harrison), a long-time outspoken critic of unfunded mandates, brought the resolution to the attention of the Board. He explained that the federal government and the states split Medicaid costs, each paying 50% of the total costs. Counties in New York pay 50 percent of the state’s Medicaid share, except for long-term care, for which counties pay 10 percent of the state’s share.
The resolution states that NYS's Medicaid costs, per recipient, are the highest in the nation and nearly exceed those of California and Texas combined. Rogowsky partially attributes this to the fact that the state is like someone who buys things using someone else's credit card.
"The state is not fully feeling the pinch," said Rogowsky. "Maybe the overall cost of Medicaid would be better contained if the state were motivated enough. I think if they had to pay the full Medicaid bill, they would get motivated pretty quickly."
“The Medicaid mandate continues to be an enormous burden for Westchester and the rest of the counties in New York," continued Rogowsky. "In fact, some counties appropriate 100 % of their property taxes on Medicaid.”
Rogowsky said that the Board's support of the resolution was a way to ensure that Westchester's federal delegation is aware of how important this legislation is. "We really want them to get behind this bill" said Rogowsky. "It's clear the state is not going to lift this burden from the counties on its own initiative."
County Legislator Judy Myers (D-Larchmont), Chair of the Families, Health & Human Services Committee, added. "The county is sending NYS approximately $200 million per year or about $4 million a week. Unlike the state which has an income tax, the county has limited revenue sources. We're paying the county's share of Medicaid through property taxes. In fact, because of skyrocketing costs, paying our Medicaid bill to the state now accounts for about 40% of the county's property tax levy."
