The party’s over for wealthy Medicaid moochers.
About 8,400 patients receiving home-care services could be booted from the Medicaid rolls for failing to fully disclose family income, under a crackdown by Gov. Cuomo, The Post has learned.
Cuomo’s tough-love spending plan abolishes the so-called “spousal refusal” provision that enables wealthier New Yorkers to qualify for Medicaid.
State Health Department officials said the elimination would save taxpayers $56 million in the upcoming fiscal year and $113 million in 2012-13.
Under current law, residents applying for home- care services often transfer assets to a spouse or other relatives in order to qualify for Medicaid. A spouse or other family member living with the home-care patient then refuses to make his or her income available to contribute to the costs of the service, thus sticking Medicaid, and, therefore, taxpayers, with the tab.
Under the Cuomo plan, the income of the entire household must be included when applying for Medicaid home-care services to determine eligibility.
“We’re the only state in the country that allows spousal refusal for home-care services,” said state Medicaid Director Jason Helgerson.