New York State Should Cap Medicaid Contributions by Counties, Editorial Says

While Medicaid is "one of the most successful government programs of our time," the program is "overburdening New York City and the state's counties," and New York state must "reduc[e] the local share of Medicaid's cost," according to a Long Island Newsday editorial. New York state, which the editorial says has the "nation's most expensive Medicaid operation," is the only state to require localities -- counties and New York City -- to contribute half of the program's nonfederal costs. The editorial says that the state should consider ways to reduce the program's expenses, which have risen because of a "sluggish economy" and the increasing cost of care. The editorial adds that while a "shift of costs" entirely to the state is "unlikely any time soon," the state could at least "heed the call of downstate county executives," who have asked for a cap on their share of Medicaid expenses. The editorial says that "even capping [costs] at current levels" would help local governments, concluding that "until broad-based reforms can be introduced," the state must "apportion [Medicaid] costs more efficiently and fairly" (Long Island Newsday, 9/19).