Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) is joining the New York State Association of Counties in the call for New York State government to reconsider its proposed plan to intercept $625 million in enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentage Money. Counties, statewide, oversee Medicaid programs and operate on different fiscal calendars compared to the state government. Hawley, as always, prefers more local control as to state oversight, and sees this proposal as more of the latter.

“The management of Medicaid is a difficult job, and the last thing counties statewide need is another layer of red tape from the state government as they try to ensure their beneficiaries are covered properly,” Hawley said. “Not only are costs likely to rise with these new levels of government intersections, but the costs to counties’ Medicaid expenditures could be dire. I wholly oppose this proposal and will be doing what I can in Albany to see this move reconsidered.”