New York – Governor Eliot Spitzer’s Healthcare Reform Proposal

The following summary was derived from information released by the office of Governor Eliot Spitzer:

Governor Eliot Spitzer pledged to reform New York's healthcare system to make healthcare affordable for each person, family, business, and for government. The main features of his plan are the following:

First, to provide access to health insurance to all 400,000 of New York's uninsured children. To do this, they will expand Child Health Plus to cover kids in families up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level, so that every family in New York will be able to provide their children with the health insurance they need.

Second, comprehensive reforms to strengthen the State’s ability to combat fraud, waste, and abuse in the Medicaid program are proposed, and are expected to generate approximately $400 million in 2007-08, an increase of $104 million over last year. The Office of Medicaid Inspector General will add 157 new staff, including 100 new auditors, and will also make investments in technology. Collaborative efforts will identify potential abuses by providers serving special populations, and legislation will be enacted to encourage whistleblower actions, strengthen the Attorney General’s authority to investigate and prosecute fraud and strengthen criminal penalties for healthcare fraud.

Source: Press Release (1/31/07)

To learn more, please visit http://www.ny.gov/governor/press/0131075.html