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LeadingAge NY Testifies at Assembly Health Committee Public Hearing on Medicaid

The Assembly Standing Committee on Health held a hearing on Nov. 1st to receive testimony on the State Medicaid program's efficacy and sustainability. In attendance were Assembly Health Chair Richard Gottfried and Assemblymembers Edward Braunstein and Phara Forrest.

Karen Lipson, executive vice president for innovation strategies at LeadingAge NY, was one of several stakeholders who outlined the issues with the Medicaid Global Spending Cap during the hearing. During her testimony, Karen pointed out that the cap does not effectively adjust for natural demographic changes that drive enrollment, such as the aging population. She also pointed out that the “effectiveness and viability” of the Medicaid program is exceedingly important to the hundreds of thousands of vulnerable New Yorkers who rely on long term care (LTC) services daily. As the primary payer for LTC services in New York and nationwide, Medicaid bears significant responsibility for access to high-quality LTC services, the financial viability of the LTC sector, and its capacity to compensate staff appropriately for the difficult and essential services they deliver.

Karen’s in-person testimony was supplemented by written testimony highlighting the ways that the State’s Medicaid funding decisions have depleted the LTC system and led to the current workforce crisis. It also lays out a series of policy goals that would support a high-performing LTC system and addresses the questions posed in the official Assembly hearing notice.

If you missed the livestream of the Nov. 1st hearing, an archived video recording will be posted on the Assembly website once available.

Contact: Sarah Daly, sdaly@leadingageny.org, 518-275-3670