Morning Headlines: Judge’s Ruling Could Delay Home Care Overhaul, Lawsuit Alleges Favoritism by Mayor Adams' Ally, and AG James Targets Medicaid Fraud

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Janae Pierre: Welcome to NYC Now, your source for local news in and around New York City from WNYC. It's Thursday, January 9th. Here's the morning headlines from Michael Hill.

Michael Hill: A New York State Supreme Court judge's decision yesterday could set back the Hochul administration's plan to overhaul the popular home care program WNYC's Caroline Lewis explains.

Caroline Lewis: Some 250,000 New Yorkers with disabilities receive care through the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program. The program is operated by hundreds of different companies, but the state has tapped just one firm, Public Partnerships LLC to take over. One competitor is refusing to hand over its clients' information to Public Partnerships and sued the state for asking it to do so. The firm argued that would violate clients' privacy rights. A judge has granted the company's petition to block the state's request, at least for now. A spokesperson for the governor said the preliminary injunction is based on invalid claims.

Michael Hill: A New York City Council member is demanding reform after a new lawsuit accusing an ally of Mayor Adams of favoring a friend for a highly lucrative real estate role. The lawsuit between two real estate brokerages says Adams administration official Jesse Hamilton pressured one of the firms to put his friend in charge of city lease deals worth millions of dollars.

Brooklyn Council Member Lincoln Restler chairs the Government Operations Committee. He says the city should look for new brokers to handle its real estate negotiations in light of this and several other recent disputes. The agency overseeing city real estate says it will issue new contracts later this year.

New York Attorney General Tish James is calling out fraud in a Medicaid program to take patients to their doctor's appointments. James' office sent cease and desist letters yesterday to 54 transportation companies across New York State. She says they're billing Medicaid for rides they didn't provide or lying about tolls or the distance they had to drive. James says some companies are even offering Medicaid patients kickbacks to take part.

Attorney General Tish James: My office has been aggressively going after companies that illegally profit by corrupting our health care system.

Michael Hill: The AG has secured more than $10 million from transportation companies accused of Medicaid fraud and 11 people have been convicted. James has not named the target companies.

24, feels like single digits right now because of that high wind out there. Winds gusting to nearly 50 miles an hour today. Sunny and 32.

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Janae Pierre: Thanks for listening. This is NYC Now from WNYC. Be sure to catch us every weekday, three times a day for your top news headlines and occasional deep dives, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. See you this afternoon.

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