PCMA applauds Cuomo's Medicaid proposal

WASHINGTON — In his 2011-2012 budget, New York governor Andrew Cuomo included a proposal to update New York’s Medicaid program. The announcement comes at the heels of New Jersey governor Chris Christie's motion to modernize the state's Medicaid plan.

Similarly to New Jersey's plan, Cuomo said New York's “Proposal to Redesign Medicaid” could save state taxpayers $350 million though 2015 by managing prescription drug benefits similarly to those in Medicare and private-sector programs.

The Pharmaceutical Care Management Association lauded Cuomo's proposal, noting that New York’s Medicaid program could save $2.3 billion over the next decade by managing pharmacy benefits more like Medicare, Medicaid managed care plans and commercial-sector employer plans, citing a recent PCMA-commissioned study.