Politics on the Hudson

  Here’s yet one more piece of potentially ominous financial news: applications for Medicaid benefits are skyrocketing.

They’re up 30 percent over this time a year ago, state Health Department spokeswoman Claudia Hutton said today. She said enrollment numbers – how many of those who applied are accepted – aren’t available yet. As of February, about 4 million people were eligible.
Clients of Medicaid, which pays for the health care of poor and disabled people, typically rise when the economy slumps. At $46 billion, New York has by far the largest program in the country.. The federal government pays half the cost, with the state splitting the rest with New York City and county governments.