Seward: New Budget Will Cap Medicaid

The new state budget that will be approved by the legislature this week will include a cap on counties' expenses for Medicaid, Senator James L. Seward said today. The savings, resulting from cost controls, a cap, and accelerated state assumption of the Family Health Plus program, will help ease pressure on county property taxes.

The Medicaid cap will save counties in Seward's 51st District more than $43 million per year when fully enacted in 2009. Total aggregate savings through 2009 exceed $122 million. The plan was included in the senate's original budget plan approved on March 21.

"Last fall I pledged to take action against the rising impact of Medicaid on our county budgets," Seward said. "We are working toward a final state budget that will take a big step forward in our effort to rein in the cost of Medicaid and reduce its impact on county taxpayers."

For counties' current fiscal year, the plan is estimated to save the counties in Seward's district more than $5.8 million.

The budget is expected to include new local accountability standards that will provide additional relief for local taxpayers.

"As we continue work in open, bipartisan conference committees to craft an on-time budget, I continue to work for our local schools, colleges, tax relief, and business growth," Seward said.

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