How can you close a $4 billion Medicaid gap? One audit at a time. 

Comptroller Tom DiNapoli's office on Friday released a package of audits of aspects of the Medicaid program, finding $790 million in potential savings. The four audits come as New York faces a $6.1 billion budget gap in the coming fiscal year, which begins April 1. 

“New York state faces a projected budget gap of $6 billion for the coming fiscal year, in part because of higher Medicaid spending,” DiNapoli said. “Over the last four years, my auditors have focused on the Medicaid program, uncovering billions of dollars in waste, fraud and abuse. Our role is to help lower Medicaid program costs by identifying significant cost savings, revenue enhancements and waste. That mission will continue in earnest as the state Department of Health can do much more to save taxpayer dollars.”

The Medicaid program provides services to 7.3 million people. New York spends the lion's share of its $170 billion or so budget on health care each year. 

Tha audits from DiNapoli's office review improper fee-for-service payments, Medicare Part D clawback payments, managed care premium payments for those with third-party health insurance and the failure to collect rebates for prescirption drugs under Health and Recovery Plans. 

Gov. Andrew Cuomo will release his budget proposal on Tuesday.