Albany, NY – New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo wants to cut $25 million from 39 public health programs that fight cancer, diabetes and other conditions.
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The Democrat’s administration says it will be up to state health officials to decide where to make the reductions, which are intended to make public health spending more efficient. A spokesman says Cuomo’s $152 billion budget proposal increases health care spending overall.
Some lawmakers aren’t buying Cuomo’s explanation. Democratic Sen. Liz Krueger, of Manhattan, says the governor should specify which programs will be cut before the budget is approved.
The American Cancer Society opposes any cuts, noting that last year the program funded 25,000 cancer screenings for poor New Yorkers.
Last year, Cuomo called for big investments to fight cancer after his girlfriend, celebrity chef Sandra Lee, successfully battled breast cancer.
I’m no fan of Cuomo, but he might be onto something here. It is legendary that funds for such worthy causes become someone’s cash cow, and that a smaller fraction than expected ends up funding the actual cause. Fighting cancer can mean many different things, and an item analysis would reveal quite an array of possibilities. One that was mentioned was the early screening for the poor. There are probably funds for awareness programs, research, publications, and the like. Without judging the merits of any of these causes, it would be prudent to have an independent monitor investigate whether someone provides a small amount of service and pockets the money, or is there true service provided for every dollar. This is taxpayer money. Governments are notorious for mismanaging money. We have all read in the media about how Medicaid and similar programs have been bilked.
Again, I wish Cuomo would retire and be replaced, but I think he is onto something here.