Lifton: Assembly Fights for Real Medicaid Relief for Counties

March 22, 2005

"The New York State Association of Counties came to Albany today in support of Medicaid relief for counties. The Assembly has the only plan to place a hard cap on county Medicaid costs (Resolution C322). As of January 1, 2006, the state will permanently take over any additional Medicaid costs. This, combined with the state takeover of the Family Health Plus program enacted last year, will save property-taxpayers in Cortland and Tompkins counties nearly $5.6 million. That’s $811,544 more than the governor’s plan would provide in 2006, and nearly $1.6 more in 2007. Overall, the Assembly’s plan provides more immediate and more significant property tax relief than the governor’s plan. It’s time for the governor to negotiate a budget that once and for all addresses the Medicaid impact on county taxpayers."

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