For Immediate Release
January 3, 2006
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Contacts:
Lynn Schulman, 212.367.1210
Noel Alicea, 212.367.1216
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GOVERNOR'S MEDICAID LEGACY:
SERVICE CUTS OR MEANINGFUL REFORM?
Governor Pataki's final State of the State Address, to be delivered
tomorrow, is likely to project a positive outlook for the State and of
the Governor's time in office, particularly in light of his possible political
ambitions. But one thing is certain — there is nothing positive about
the Governor's expected proposals for Medicaid, the largest source of care
for New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS.
In his address to the Legislature, the Governor is likely to call once
again for "Medicaid reform," a vague term that usually translates to cuts
in health care eligibility and services for low-income and disabled people.
The Governor's version of "Medicaid reform" last year translated to billions
of dollars in proposed Medicaid cuts, including the increased burden of cost-sharing
requirements on Medicaid beneficiaries (affecting those living with HIV/AIDS),
cutting services such as dental and vision from the Family Health Plus program
(a critical source of coverage for single adults without health care), and
limiting services available for low-income children with disabilities.
Within a month of his State of the State, the Governor will follow-up with
his Executive Budget for 2006–2007. Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC) urges the
Governor to present a budget that will offer meaningful Medicaid reform, with
initiatives — like purchasing drugs in bulk — that will save money for New York's
Medicaid program overall, instead of merely shifting the cost to the neediest
New Yorkers. Medicaid is the central link in the health care safety net, providing
coverage for over three million New Yorkers, including tens of thousands of people
with HIV/AIDS. The Governor's legacy should not include cutting that safety net
from under the New Yorkers who depend on it.
* * *
GMHC is a not-for-profit, volunteer-supported and community-based organization
committed to national leadership in the fight against AIDS. GMHC provides services
and programs to over 15,000 men, women and families that are living with or affected
by HIV/AIDS in New York City. For more information, please visit www.gmhc.org.
© 2005 Gay Men's Health Crisis
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