MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT

Clifton Springs Hosp. & Clinic v. McCrossen, No. 95470 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. June 29, 2005)

A hospital brought action against the county, alleging it improperly discontinued – and then refused to pay for – a patient's Medicaid benefits. The county asserted that documents requested by the hospital during discovery were not "directly connected" to the administration of public assistance, and were therefore precluded from discovery under federal law. The Supreme Court of New York disagreed and ordered the county to comply with the hospital's discovery demands, finding the documents were "directly connected," as they involved both a civil proceeding and the establishment of eligibility relating to Medicaid.