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NEWS from the Office of the New York State Comptroller
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DiNapoli Audit Finds Lax Oversight of Medicaid Payments May Have Cost Taxpayers Nearly $300 Million

Too often Medicaid pays medical bills that a third-party insurer should have covered, and not enough is being done to make sure Medicaid recovers that money, according to an audit by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. The audit found that a lack of oversight by the state Department of Health (DOH) and the Office of the Medicaid Inspector General (OMIG) resulted in nearly $300 million in pharmacy claims that Medicaid never tried to recover from patients’ insurance providers.

DiNapoli: Syosset Man Sentenced for Role in $12 Million Ponzi Scheme

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly announced a Syosset man was sentenced today to up to ten-and-a-half years in prison for his role in a $12 million Ponzi scheme that targeted nearly 50 victims—many of them seniors—between 2015 and 2017.

Matthew Eckstein, 52, pleaded guilty on Feb. 8, 2022, before Judge Teresa Corrigan to charges of Grand Larceny in the First Degree (a B felony) and Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree (an E felony). The defendant was sentenced today to 3-1/2 to 10-1/2 years in prison.

DiNapoli Releases Analysis of State Financial Plan

After two years of extraordinary volatility in state finances, the State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2022-23 Enacted Budget Financial Plan from the Division of the Budget (DOB) projects fiscal stability for the next five years and includes plans to bolster rainy day reserves significantly, according to a report by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. However, DiNapoli’s analysis identifies several revenue, spending, and sustainability risks that could disrupt the Financial Plan that should be monitored closely.

DiNapoli Releases Bond Calendar for Third Quarter

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli today announced a tentative schedule of planned bond sales for New York State, New York City and their major public authorities during the third quarter of 2022.

The planned sales of $8.69 billion include $7.19 billion of new money and $1.5 billion of refundings and reofferings as follows:

State Contract and Payment Actions in May

In May, the Office of the State Comptroller approved 1,326 contracts for state agencies and public authorities valued at $2.4 billion and approved more than 2.5 million payments worth nearly $15.6 billion. The office rejected 123 contracts and related transactions valued at $276.8 million and more than 4,500 payments valued at nearly $11.5 million, primarily for mistakes, insufficient support for charges, and improper payments. More information on these contracts and payments is available at Open Book New York.

DiNapoli: Rechargeable Battery Use Rising Dramatically, But State Not Enforcing Recycling Law Requirements

The state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is not doing enough to ensure rechargeable batteries are recycled as required by law to protect the environment and public safety, according to an audit released today by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.