NYC, New York state fight over who controls Medicaid program

Thanks for the bill, governor.

The City of New York will be forced to foot a massive healthcare bill and won’t even be in the room to haggle down the price tag under Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Medicaid savings plan, city officials charge.

City budget officers estimate the five boroughs will be on the hook for $1.1 billion annually under the new proposal, which requires the city and 57 upstate counties to pay for Medicaid program cost increases above the 3% limit.

The state argues the city is inflating the cost, estimated at $221 billion, according to state budget officials.

But it’s an unfair burden, according to City Human Resources Administration Commissioner Steve Banks, who argues the city plays a limited, administrative role to the program and follows state guidelines.

“HRA determines financial eligibility and then the individual is sent to a state vendor, who then determines what the medical need is,” he told reporters during an Albany visit Tuesday, painting the city’s job as little more than a pipeline.

“The individual is connected to a state-administered plan, which the state authorizes.”

A frustrated Mayor Bill de Blasio echoed the frustration.

“We don’t run the Medicaid program. I mean, come on people. How stupid do they think people are? Let’s get real. The State of New York runs the Medicaid program,” the mayor raged to reporters at a Manhattan press conference.

Meanwhile, Cuomo released the names of 21 appointees to the $2.5 billion in program savings before the clock strikes 12:01 a.m. on April 1.

The de Blasio administration was noticeably absent from the list riddled with state officials and Cuomo allies, like Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone.

“The city wants to have it both ways: they say they don’t control the cost, yet they want to be a part of the process to control costs,” shot back state Budget Director Robert Mujica in a phone interview with The Post.

He said the city is downplaying its role, and has been lax in helping the state identify ways to save money and control costs.