Issues: Health

Call to Action Comes in the Wake of Congressional Report on Alleged Waste, Fraud and Mismanagement Within NY Medicaid Program, Inaction of OMIG, Resulting in Potential Loss of Billions in Federal Dollars

Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos and the Senate Republican Conference today called for an immediate independent audit of New York State’s Medicaid program and announced a forthcoming joint roundtable meeting of the Senate Health and Investigations Committees to investigate allegations of complacency and inaction by the state Office of the Medicaid Inspector General (OMIG).

The following statement can be attributed to State Senator Liz Krueger (D-Manhattan):

“In his State of the City address, Mayor Bloomberg announced that he will prioritize banning styrofoam food containers in New York City. This would be a great step forward for our city, both for the environment and public health – but we shouldn’t just stop at the city limits.”

“I call on my colleagues in the state legislature to race New York City to the goal and pass legislation to ban styrofoam food containers this year, and I ask Mayor Bloomberg to lend his considerable influence with the State Senate’s Republican-dominated majority to this cause.”

Citing overwhelming support and outsize need for higher wages in communities of color, lawmakers seek hike to $8.75, plus indexing to inflation

ALBANY — Members of the Black, Puerto-Rican, Hispanic, and Asian Legislative Caucus called Tuesday for the state Legislature to raise the minimum wage to $8.75 and allow for annual increases to keep up with the rising cost of living. Workers of color are the majority of minimum-wage workers in New York State. More than half of the 1.5 million New Yorkers who would benefit from an increase in the minimum wage are Black, Latino or Asian. 

BROOKLYN -- Today, State Senator Daniel Squadron released the following statement upon the SUNY Board of Trustees vote to authorize Downstate's president to propose a plan to the New York State Department of Health that could close Long Island College Hospital (LICH) and sell off the hospital for real estate development:

"Our fight isn't over. 

Honorable Andrew Cuomo Executive Chamber State Capital Albany, NY 12224

Dear Governor Cuomo:

We write to request changes to your state budget and also to highlight specific changes that would support education, the justice system, MWBE, ELL, minimum wage, and school age children. However, we begin by acknowledging our support for a number of your proposals. We appreciate that your budget reflects an increase in minimum wages, as well as a 4.4% growth in education aid. 

ALBANY, 02/04/13 -- State Senator James L. Seward (R/C/I – Oneonta) has been named to three key senate budget sub-committees which will review the governor’s budget proposal and offer recommendations for modifications.  Senator Seward will serve on the education, health and higher education & arts sub-committees.

“State expenditures on education and health are leading concerns and effect a number of economic sectors,” said Senator Seward.  “Spending decisions made at the Capitol in these areas greatly influence the budgets of local schools, households, and governments.  Small business owners also closely monitor these issues because they impact their ability to operate and expand.