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TAXPAYERS BEWARE
Thomas F. O'Mara
February 23, 2015
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A mid-January report from the state comptroller’s office found that the state Department of Health (DOH) wrongly paid more than 29,000 pharmacy claims, worth nearly $1 million, for thousands of Medicaid recipients already covered by managed care plans.
And just last week, a second comptroller’s report found that the DOH failed to collect an estimated $120 million in available rebates from prescription drug makers.
These are the findings that drive state taxpayers crazy.
For more than a decade, various reports have highlighted wasteful Medicaid spending. Time and again, New York’s system has been characterized as one of the nation's most expensive and wasteful, continually plagued by rip-offs and scams.
Ten years ago, Medicaid spending was roughly $42 billion annually. Now, the cost is about to increase to $60 a year.
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!["We need to make it clear that these illegal sticker stores cannot operate and that there are criminal and civil consequences for any owners who continue to do so,” the lawmakers said. "We need to make it clear that these illegal sticker stores cannot operate and that there are criminal and civil consequences for any owners who continue to do so,” the lawmakers said.](/sites/default/files/styles/760x377/public/article/main-image/stickerstores-candid1.jpg?itok=PcL2zwwM)
!["New York State remains one of America’s highest-taxed, least affordable, most debt-ridden and overregulated states, and we’re leading the nation in population loss to top it off. It’s mind-boggling how Governor Hochul and top legislative Democrats can keep boasting about higher and higher state government spending," said Senator O'Mara. New York State remains one of America’s highest-taxed, least affordable, most debt-ridden and overregulated states, and we’re leading the nation in population loss to top it off. It’s mind-boggling how Governor Hochul and top legislative Democrats can keep boasting about higher and higher state government spending.](/sites/default/files/styles/760x377/public/article/main-image/affordability-candid_1.jpg?itok=4YK7725o)