MEDICAID REDESIGN TEAM COMING TO A THEATRE NEAR YOU

Albany, N.Y.-- The state Health Department has announced the schedule for public hearings being held across the state by Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Medicaid Redesign Team. The panel is charged with recommending ways of cutting costs and improving quality and efficiency in the state’s nearly $54 billion health-care program for the poor.

In addition to attending one of the hearings, members of the public can submit any ideas online. The panel will submit its initial report to the governor March 1, in time for recommendations to be used in crafting the 2011-12 state budget. The governor proposes his budget Feb. 1 for the new fiscal year, which begins April 1. The team will be working on long-term measures for Medicaid and will submit its final report in November.

“At its current rate of growth, New York’s Medicaid program is unsustainable,” said Redesign Team Co-chairman Michael Dowling, president and CEO of the North Shore Long Island Jewish Health system. “The Medicaid Redesign Team is seeking everyone’s help in finding solutions to bring costs down while maintaining and improving quality. This is an open, participatory process. These hearings offer an opportunity for the general public as well as various stakeholders to offer their suggestions and be part of the solution.”

These are details on the seven public hearings, which start next week:

1-Buffalo: Jan. 19 from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute David C. Horn Lecture Hall, Elm and Carlton streets.

2-Rochester: Jan.20 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the National Museum of Play at the Strong, One Manhattan Square.

3-New York City: Jan. 27 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Baruch College, William and Anita Newman Vertical Campus, One Bernard Baruch Way, 55 Lexington Ave. at East 24th Street.

4-Bronx: Jan. 27 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Bronx Community College Hall of Fame Playhouse, 2155 University Ave.

5-Nassau County: Jan. 28 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Hofstra University Student Center Theatre in the Mack Student Center, 1000 Fulton Ave., Hempstead.

6-New Paltz, Ulster County: Feb. 2 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the State University of New York New Paltz, Lecture Center, Room 100, 1 Hawk Drive.

7-Queensbury, Warren County: Feb. 3 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at SUNY Adirondack Community College, 640 Bay Road, Main Theatre, Science and Humanities Building.

Here is a list of team members:

 The members of the team are as follows:

• Michael Dowling, President and CEO of North Shore LIJ Health system.

• Dennis Rivera is the former Chair of SEIU Healthcare and is currently the Senior Advisor to the International President of SEIU.

• Kenneth E. Raske is the President of the Greater New York Hospital Association.

• George Gresham is the President of 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East.

• Dan Sisto is the President of the Healthcare Association of New York State.

• Frank Branchini is the President and COO of EmblemHealth.

• Eli Feldman is the President and CEO of the Metropolitan Jewish Health System as well as the Chairman of the Continuing Care Leadership Coalition.

• Carol Raphael is the President and CEO of the Visiting Nurse Service of New York.

• Linda Gibbs is the Deputy Mayor of New York City for Health and Human Services.

• Ed Matthews is the CEO of the United Cerebral Palsy of New York City as well as the President of the Interagency Council.

• Dr. Nirav Shah is the newly nominated Commissioner of Health.

• Mike Hogan is the Commissioner for the Office of Mental Health.

• James Introne is the Deputy Secretary for Health and the Director of Healthcare Redesign.

• Max Chmura is the Acting Commissioner of the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities.

• Arlene Gonzalez-Sanchez is the newly nominated Commissioner of the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services.

• Lara Kassel is a Coordinator at Medicaid Matters New York.

• Karen A. Ballard is the President of the New York State Nurses Association.

• Stephen J. Acquario serves as the Executive Director of the New York State Association of Counties.

• Dr. Jeffrey A. Sachs is the Co-Chair of the JFK Jr. Institute for Work Education at City University of New York.

• Ann F. Monroe is the President of the Community Health Foundation of Western and Central New York.

• Steve Berger is the former Chairman for the Commission on Health Care Facilities in the 21st Century and a board member for the Partnership for New York City.

• Dr. William Streck is the Chair of the New York State Public Health and Health Planning Council.

• Elizabeth Swain is the CEO of the Community Health Care Association of New York State.

• Senator Kemp Hannon is the former Chairman of the Senate Committees on Health and Housing. Senator Hannon was appointed by the Majority Leader of the Senate

• Senator Tom Duane is the former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, 2009-2010. Senator Duane was appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate.

• Assemblyman Richard N. Gottfried serves as the Chairman of the Assembly Committee on Health. Assemblyman Gottfried was appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly.

• Assemblyman Joe Giglio of the 149th Assembly District currently sits on the Medicaid Waste, Fraud and Abuse Task Force. Assemblyman Giglio was appointed by the Minority Leader of the Assembly.