Assemblyman Dave McDonough (R,C,I-Merrick) today called for a re-evaluation and downsize of New York’s expansive and burdensome Medicaid program. McDonough called on legislative leaders to make changes to New York’s Medicaid program that would save taxpayers money and more responsibly allocate federal funding.

“We have a duty to ensure that taxpayer money is being responsibly allocated and that proper documentation and reports are being filed. New York spends more on Medicaid than several other states combined, and the fact that we owe a large sum of money to the federal government for overspending is unacceptable,” McDonough said.

McDonough’s statement comes on the heels of a federal audit calling for New York State to repay $1.5 billion back to the federal government for overspending on its Medicaid program. A large-scale audit by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services found that lack of proper oversight by the state led to dysfunction of internal processes within organizations and ultimately the mismanagement of funds. New York spends $56 billion per year on its Medicaid expenses, which is among the highest in the country. Unfunded state mandates like Medicaid are the root cause behind the state’s notoriously high property taxes.