Family Life

09.20.10 | FL News Team

(New York, NY)  --  Lieutenant Governor Richard Ravitch is calling for an overhaul of Medicaid.  Ravitch describes the health care benefits for the poor and disabled in New York as a "massive program" that zaps billions of dollars from the state's budget.  According to the "New York Times," Ravitch will release a report that suggests Medicaid's rate-setting process should be removed from legislative control.

Ravitch also wants rules that allow some middle-class families to qualify for coverage to be re-examined and seeks limits on medical malpractice awards.  The report says almost one in four New Yorkers receive Medicaid, making it the largest purchaser of health care in the state and consuming a third of all the money the state spends every year.