Based on per-capita federal data, USA Today reports that “New Yorkers get more government aid per person from social programs than residents of any other state.” The Empire State’s Medicaid spending per-person alone is more than double the average, but we’re also high in other categories of social assistance.
No real surprises here, although the story does feature this interesting twist on an old excuse:
“New York has a social tradition, an ethic, if you will, of providing services to the entire population with a special welcoming attention to those at the bottom,” says James Tallon, a former legislative leader who heads the United Hospital Fund, a research group.
New York has unique challenges — a large number of poor people, often immigrants, and a high-cost of providing health care in New York City, he says.
Of course, California, Florida and Texas also have large numbers of poor people and poor immigrants, but social spending per person in all three states is much lower. They must lack our welcoming sense of tradition and ethics.
You may also like
The House GOP’s Shrinking Budget Plan Could Still Cost New York Billions
The likely impact of federal health-care cutbacks has diminished in recent days as House Republican leaders backed away from some of their bigger-ticket proposals, reducing the estimated savings to $625 billion from previous figures of $715 billion and $8 Read More
Feds Move To Close Medicaid’s ‘MCO Tax’ Loophole, Spelling Trouble for New York
New York's budget has sprung its first major leak just five days after being finalized by Governor Hochul and the Legislature.
On Tuesday, federal officials announced a that would Read More
Highlights of Albany’s Bloated and Belated Budget
The state Legislature approved the last of nine budget bills Thursday evening, 38 days after the start of the fiscal year. Here are some highlights of the fiscal impact of final spending plan:
Top lines
Read More
How Medicaid ‘Expansion’ Changes Could Affect New York
As House Republicans consider cutbacks to federal Medicaid funding, their focus has turned to the so-called expansion population.
Although the details of remain undetermined, the s Read More
How Albany Could Save Millions by Closing a Medicaid Loophole
A glitch in state insurance law is allowing doctors to collect Medicaid fees that are sometimes hundreds of times higher than the program normally pays, costing taxpayers millions of dollars a year.
Read More
After Tariff Shock, Albany Should Face its New Fiscal Reality
This year, for once, state lawmakers' failure to pass a timely budget could prove to be a stroke of luck.
When President Trump rolled out his on April 2, Albany leaders had not agreed on a spending plan for the f Read More
New York’s Home Health Workforce Jumps by Another 10 Percent
New York's home health employment is continuing to soar, growing by 57,000 jobs or 10 percent from 2023 to 2024, according to newly released data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Read More
Sorting Fact from Fiction on the Future of Medicaid
As Washington contemplates cutbacks to federal funding for Medicaid, officials in Albany have reacted in two self-contradictory ways.
On one hand, they warn of Read More