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Advocates: NY budget would hurt Latino health care

Story Created: Mar 21, 2011 at 10:02 AM EDT

Story Updated: Mar 21, 2011 at 10:02 AM EDT

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - Latino health care providers will make a
last-ditch effort to get the Legislature to roll back some Medicaid
changes they say will hurt Hispanics and others in New York's poor
neighborhoods.

The Hispanic Mental Health Professionals, Latino Commission on
AIDS and the Hispanic Federation are scheduled to meet with
lawmakers Monday.

They oppose parts of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's Medicaid overhaul in his proposed state budget that will force managed care. They say the HMO-like system isn't as accepted in low-income areas as the
traditional fee-for-service model.

The Latino health care officials also worry that critical medications won't be as available. Cuomo's Medicaid team denies that.

Cuomo seeks to move almost all Medicaid patients to managed care
within three years. He says that will save the state billions of
dollars and improve care.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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