NY in Medi-$hambles

New York Post ^ | May 29, 2013 | Michael Goodwin

[PMAS]

There’s often magic and meaning in round numbers: The Dow index passes 15,000, a baseball player hits .300, crime falls to 50-year lows.

Here’s a milestone that tells a different kind of story: The number of people on Medicaid in New York City has passed 3 million. As records go, this one carries a dubious distinction — and a red alert about the future.

The rise in enrollment, from 2.5 million in 2005, to 2.9 million in 2011, to 3.1 million today, adds another headache for the next mayor. In a city of 8.3 million people, that over 37 percent get health insurance under a poverty program shows both the decline of the middle class and the vast expansion of government benefits.

With ObamaCare expected to add hundreds of thousands more people to subsidized-insurance rolls, it is obvious that the current course is unsustainable. Less obvious is what to do about it.

[2banana]

Property taxes are already at insane levels ($20,000/year on a small nothing house in Queens). Add in the state income tax (7% under $200,000), NYC income tax (3.5%) and sales tax at almost 9%.

The Free Sh*t Army votes and wants their government cheese.

[EQAndyBuzz]

Fix it? Until city pensions are cut, there is nothing that can be done.

[nascarnation]

Wow NYC has almost as many peeps on Medicaid as the whole state of Texas.

[upchuck]

All according to the plan.

[PMAS]

37% of the residents on Medicaid, just unbelievable

[PMAS]

You are right, taxes are out of control and so are the pensions

[Gay State Conservative]

SECESSION!

[Hojczyk]

I left the state in 1981...best thing I ever did...Born in Schenectady... it is looking more and more like Detroit....the only way out is to leave... It has only gotten worse in 45 years..I would tell my children to leave

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks PMAS. One of the paid ads on YouTube today (I put on music while I work) was some of Holder's people claiming that "the new health care law" cracks down on Medicare fraud -- which is just a method of A) creating a straw man argument in favor of Zerocare, and B) another way to spin Death Panels.

The number of people on Medicaid in New York City has passed 3 million... In a city of 8.3 million people, that over 37 percent get health insurance under a poverty program shows both the decline of the middle class and the vast expansion of government benefits.

[Graybeard58]

($20,000/year on a small nothing house in Queens).

I gotta chuckle a little when I see stuff like this. I own a nice house in "fly over country" and taxes around $800 per year.

[GOPJ]

The number of people on Medicaid in New York City has passed 3 million... In a city of 8.3 million people, that over 37 percent get health insurance under a poverty program shows both the decline of the middle class and the vast expansion of government benefits.

Thanks for the ping.