ALBANY -- The first meeting of Governor Cuomo's Medicaid Redesign team takes place Thursday at the State Capitol
Jason Helgerson who was tapped by New York’s new governor to revamp Medicaid, told a local Wisconsin newspaper that Cuomo wants to pursue "radical reform". Which isn't all that different from how the Governor characterized his own mission during the State of the State address…
Cuomo is sending a message by hiring Jason Helgerson away from Wisconsin, that he wants to do similar cost-cutting here. But there may be another message the new governor is sending to Medicaid stakeholders.
Senator Hannon says, "I think the more important lesson to take from Cuomo's appointment of Jason is that here's a gentleman who went through the process of engaging the stakeholders, the nursing homes, the hospitals and engaging them and doing it in a positive way."
As we will do in New York State, Wisconsin solicited ideas on how to change Medicaid from the public. One example of the many small changes made in that state is this: not paying hospitals for a two-day stay when a patient is admitted to an emergency room late one day and discharged early the next. It's a solution born not of across the board cuts, but of individual stakeholders knowing where the system can change..
Senator Duane says, "What I’m hoping is that we will give sectors the freedom to tell US where they can provide savings.”
The first meeting of the 27-member Medicaid redesign team is Thursday.
To learn more about the Governor’s plans for Medicaid, visit this website.
