Bush’s Budget Proposal Raises Concerns Among East Bay Health Officials

President Bush's proposed budget could "drain millions of dollars" from social service programs in the East Bay, including programs for the uninsured, the Contra Costa Times reports. Bush's budget "makes major cuts" in public health outreach program funds and programs that provide low-income people training to become doctors and other medical professionals. Bush's budget proposal also eliminates a $125 million program designed to assist community health centers in establishing networks to consolidate and access medical information on the uninsured. East Bay health officials say they plan to follow the budget debate "closely." Dave Kears, Alameda County Health Care Director, said, "If this means the administration intends to pull back its commitment to insure uninsured children, that ought to be attacked seriously. It certainly sends a message that [Bush] is no longer interested in providing health coverage to kids." Republicans, however, say that the cuts are balanced with "key" funding increases such as an additional $124 million for community health centers and an extra $2.75 billion for medical research (Chang, Contra Costa Times, 4/18).