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Brian Adey
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Griffo Launches Petition Drive
To Reform Medicaid and Reduce Costs

Oneida County Executive Joseph A. Griffo today urged Oneida County residents to make their voices heard while there is still time for state legislators to implement Medicaid reform, and unveiled an e-petition that will be available for residents to sign on-line.

“The people of Oneida County cannot afford another year of putting off action on Medicaid,” Griffo said. “Reducing the cost of Medicaid through serious programmatic reforms and reducing the burden of Medicaid on county governments are essential actions to help our taxpayers. Putting Medicaid on the back burner will end up putting unnecessarily large tax increases on the front burner for county governments across New York .”

“Serious, well-thought-out comprehensive proposals to reform Medicaid have been proposed this year from the Senate Medicaid Task Force, the Assembly Republican leadership and other committees. These plans have been debated for months. It is time for action,” Griffo said. “No one can expect that Albany will enact instant reform of an issue that has been troubling both state and local governments for more than a decade. However, we have every right to expect that with several well-researched proposals on the table, some first steps can be taken this session to provide relief and reform.”

  Oneida County ’s 2004 budget calls for Medicaid to rise from  $48.5 million in 2003 to  $53.2 million in 2004, a 10 percent increase.  Griffo said figures from the New York State Association for Counties (NYSAC) show that Oneida County ’s net local share of Medicaid – the amount paid for by local property taxes – rose 105.8% between 1992 and 2002. Of that increase, 42.3% came from 1998 to 2002, according to the NYSAC figures.

            “That kind of a burden requires relief and reform,” Griffo said. “It’s not just about plans and proposals. It’s about addressing the number one issue impacting county property taxpayers.”

            Griffo said that Oneida County is launching the petition drive because the Medicaid issue needs greater attention.

            “Taxpayers feel the Medicaid impact indirectly. What we have are state decisions that impact county property taxes. It’s important that local residents understand Medicaid costs are determined by at the state level, and it is important that our local legislators hear from the people who are impacted by their decisions, and not just those of us in county government,” Griffo said. “Senator Meier was one of the leaders of the Senate Medicaid Task Force. We know he knows the issue. But through these petitions, he can show others in Albany the depth of taxpayer feelings over Medicaid, and that can help get some action.”

            Griffo said the petition can be found on the Oneida County Web site (www.ocgov.net). Copies are also being distributed at area libraries, municipal buildings and community organizations. Copies of the petition with all the names signed will be delivered to all members of the state’s legislative delegation who represent all or part of Oneida County . The petition’s text is as follows:

Reform Medicaid Now

           On behalf of the people of Oneida County and all of New York State who are impacted by the soaring costs of Medicaid and its growing burden on local governments, I call upon you to fix the state’s badly broken Medicaid program.

The people of Oneida County need immediate fiscal relief from the ever-increasing burden that Medicaid places on the local taxpayer as well as long-term reforms to end the years of ever-increasing costs.

Because of Medicaid, county dollars that could help grow jobs and increase our quality of life are directed at paying mandated costs for Medicaid services. Without the burden of Medicaid, our county property taxes could be lower, helping to create new jobs.

A number of proposals exist to reform Medicaid. The tools exist to fix this problem. Please use them to bring this program back into balance and end its unending drain of local and state tax dollars. Providing health care to our poor is a goal that should not be abandoned. However, how we finance and control this program must also be fair to those who must pay for it.

Reform Medicaid now.