Health, Department of

Agency Web Site: http://www.health.ny.gov/

Mission

The Department of Health is charged with the protection and promotion of the health of New Yorkers through prevention, science and the assurance of quality health care delivery. The Department is the principal State agency that oversees the Medicaid Program and other public health insurance programs.

The Department operates health care facilities including Helen Hayes Hospital, four veteran’s nursing homes, and the Wadsworth Laboratories. In addition, DOH conducts oversight of health professionals and all other health care facilities to ensure that high quality, cost effective, health care alternatives are provided throughout the State.

Budget Highlights

The Executive Budget recommends $109 billion for the Department of Health, including $103 billion for Medicaid and $6 billion for remaining health program spending. This reflects an increase of $2 billion from the 2011-12 budget primarily reflecting the continuation of two year appropriations for Medicaid.

The Executive Budget recommends a workforce of 5,120 FTEs for the Department. This is an increase of 120 FTEs from the 2011-12 budget, which are intended to provide staff to support the phased takeover of local government administration of the Medicaid program.

Major budget actions include:

• State takeover of local Medicaid growth over three years beginning in 2013-14, fully assuming the cost of Medicaid growth for counties and New York City by 2015-16, and the phased takeover of local government administration of the Medicaid program.
• Continuation of the Medicaid spending cap enacted in 2011-12 to limit Department of Health State Funds Medicaid spending to rational measures of growth (i.e., the 10 year rolling average of the Medical Consumer Price Index, currently estimated at 4 percent).
• Implementation of Medicaid Redesign Team recommendations, including critical new investments in health care delivery balanced by savings resulting from improvements in benefits design, more appropriate treatment outcomes and compliance with Federal requirements requiring spousal income and resources to be considered during Medicaid eligibility.
• Modification of the Early Intervention Program to provide fiscal and administrative mandate relief to local governments by expanding insurance coverage, centralizing fiscal oversight through a fiscal intermediary contract and controlling administrative reimbursement. State savings over time will be applied to improving the timeliness of State reimbursement of local program costs.

For more information on this agency's budget recommendations located in the Executive Budget Briefing Book, click on the following link:

Briefing Book – Health Care (PDF)

Note: Most recent estimates as of 1/17/2012

Click for additional detailed appropriation tables