Assemblywoman Ann Margaret Carrozza knows that your family’s health is of the highest importance. That’s why she worked to make sure every New Yorker gets the quality, affordable health care they deserve.

• $5.7 million in hospital funding
• $8.4 million for nursing homes, plus
• $879,000 more for nursing homes by updating Medicaid reimbursement rates

The Assembly fought to extend the Medicare/Medicaid wraparound coverage for the poorly implemented Medicare Part-D fiasco through July 2007, allowing seniors to obtain specific prescription drugs from the plan that offers the best coverage (A.12045).

Carrozza supported a measure that establishes a program to secure the lowest possible prices for prescription drugs (A.6336-B). The measure institutes a state board to negotiate prescription drug costs for hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers and gives the state comptroller oversight of the program to ensure its effectiveness.

Residents without prescription drug coverage or those who are covered by EPIC, public employee plans and health care facilities can opt-in to the program.

The Senate should promptly pass this important legislation to help hard-working families and seniors afford prescription drugs.

Carrozza worked with her colleagues in the Assembly and Senate to fight Medicaid fraud, protect people in need of care and relieve overburdened taxpayers by creating a Medicaid Inspector General and implementing stricter penalties for those who commit fraud (A.12015).

Last year, President Bush signed the Deficit Reduction Act, which contained drastic changes that can dramatically and adversely affect your Medicaid eligibility - now and in the future.

The act creates a five-year look-back period for transferring assets prior to applying for nursing home medical assistance, which will be gradually implemented.

The new look-back period does not apply to community-based (home care) medical assistance.

The Legislature rejected Governor Pataki’s attempt to do away with spousal refusal (Ch. 109 of 2006). Seniors now stand a better chance of protecting hard-earned assets in the event that a spouse requires long-term care.

Assemblywoman Carrozza is committed to making sure New Yorkers have access to affordable, quality health care.