Yesterday, Governor George Pataki presented his annual fiscal plan for 2004-2005. As expected, due to the current economic environment, the executive budget includes some borrowing, some questionable revenue sources and a 5% across-the-board cut in each state agency. OMRDD’s budget was not exempt from cuts but it does include some generous additions, including significant trends for Medicaid programs.
Some highlights from the OMRDD program include: · A 3.12% retro trend to last funding period · A 3.2% trend going forward for this year · $80.2 million for NYS-OPTS initiative · $31.5 million in efficiencies to be realized by non-profit providers through streamlining and updates, as appropriate · 600 new opportunities for in-home services · 370 new opportunities for day services · 140 new residential and day services for individuals aging out of education services
Click Here for a comparison break down of the $2.9 Billion OMRDD recommended budget.
The OMRDD Budget Briefing Booklet will be distributed at the end of this week or the beginning of next week. Commissioner Maul will be meeting with association executives on Monday January 25th. More details of the OMRDD budget will be available at that time.
Other parts of the executive budget that will have an impact on provider services include:
· The DOH budget includes extending the “2003-04 action to reduce the reimbursement to local governments for local share of services”, which is the $19.5 million reduction in overburden reimbursement to local governments for OMRDD services. · The DOH budget also recommends a “restructuring of the Early Intervention Program for achieving program efficiencies. · It is unclear if and how some of the other changes in Medicaid and Public Assistance will directly or indirectly impact provider services or the people for whom we provide services.Please call Jim Kosakoski or Forest Cotten in the NYSACRA office if you have any questions. A more detailed analysis will be available as soon as possible.
