Assemblyman Tom O’Mara (R,C-Horseheads), chairman of the Assembly Minority Task Force on Medicaid Waste, Fraud and Abuse, has been appointed to the Medicaid Inspector General Joint Conference Committee.

“I am pleased with my appointment to this all-important conference committee, and as the only Assembly minority member appointed I look forward to working with my Assembly and state Senate colleagues to create an office of inspector general that effectively deters, detects and prosecutes Medicaid waste, fraud and abuse in the most efficient ways,” said O’Mara. “I am dedicated to the fight against Medicaid waste because it drives up property taxes and medical costs, two expenses that my minority colleagues and I constantly work to reduce.”

The conference committee was formed because of differences between the Assembly and Senate versions of the bill creating the position, effectively stalling action on legislation that could be sent on to the governor for his review. It is expected committee members will negotiate an agreement so the governor can establish, by law, the Office of Medicaid Inspector General.

“I look forward to being very active on this committee in hashing out the differences between the Assembly and Senate bills to come up with the strongest and most effective Medicaid inspector general,” remarked O’Mara. “These differences include the term and qualifications of the inspector general, whether to include a ‘whistleblower’ or false-claim provision, and to what extent local county governments would share in fraud recoveries. The office needs all the tools we can afford it to efficiently combat the questionable expenses in New York’s Medicaid system.”

According to the New York Times, Medicaid waste, fraud and abuse costs New York taxpayers almost $18 billion annually.

“We cannot allow any delays in finalizing this legislation,” concluded Assemblyman O’Mara.