Nassau County Presiding Officer Judy Jacobs (D-Woodbury) and Legislator Lisanne Altmann (D-Great Neck) announced today that former New York Chief Judge Sol Wachtler would facilitate the Legislature's Medicaid Reform Summit scheduled for May 14, 10 a.m., in Mineola. The non-partisan summit will address escalating Medicaid costs in Nassau County.

"I believe that a meeting of this scope will benefit greatly from a professional facilitator, such as Judge Wachtler," said Jacobs.

"Judge Wachtler is the perfect person to help us untangle the complex issues that Medicaid presents to us," said Legislator Altmann.

Sol Wachtler began his government career in 1963, when he was elected a councilman of the town of North Hempstead. He was appointed to the New York State Supreme Court in 1968 and elected to the Court of Appeals, New York's highest court, in 1972. In 1985, he was appointed Chief Judge of the State of New York and the Court of Appeals.

After numerous discussions back in April about the Medicaid crisis confronting the county, Presiding Officer Jacobs and Budget Review Chairperson Altmann called for a summit for the purpose of obtaining overviews of the various Medicaid reform proposals that have been developed by the Governor, State Senate, State Assembly and other parties. More than 60 invitations have gone out for the summit, covering officials from Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester counties and New York City, as well as state and federal officials.

Those elected officials and experts who have already confirmed include Robert Gregory, Executive Director of the New York State Association of Counties; Suffolk County Legislator Michael Caracciola, Chairman of the ad hoc Committee on Medicaid Relief; State Assemblyman Thomas DiNapoli and a representative from Congressman Peter King's office.

"We will be seeking to determine which proposed reforms are most viable for enactment by the State Senate of New York and of the reforms, which will provide the most fiscal relief for the downstate region," said Jacobs. "Counties must work together to create a framework that will allow different areas of the state to get the relief they need, while continuing to provide important programs."

According to Legislator Altmann, the Legislature's Independent Office of Budget Review has been asked to examine all the different proposals on the table and will be releasing a report at the summit.

Medicaid costs in Nassau County are anticipated to increase from $260.1 million in 2004 to $380.3 million by fiscal year 2007; a $120 million dollar spike in three short years.