Doctors Cry Foul Over Tobacco Tax Money
California doctors thought they would see higher Medi-Cal reimbursement rates from revenue raised by the new tax, but Gov. Jerry Brown's budget directs that the funds instead cover other increases for the program.
Sacramento Bee:
CA Gov. Jerry Brown Keeps Tobacco Tax Money Doctors Wanted
Doctors have long argued that the money they receive for serving Medi-Cal patients isn’t enough to sustain a practice, leading to a shortage of medical providers willing to treat California’s poorest residents in rural communities and other pockets of the state. But they have been unable to persuade a fiscally restrained Gov. Jerry Brown to allocate money in the state budget to raise reimbursement rates. (Luna, 1/12)
Los Angeles Times:
As A Deficit Looms, Here's A Look At Some Of The Plans In California's New Budget
Gov. Jerry Brown’s newly unveiled state budget calls for spending $179.5 billion in the coming fiscal year, while offering ways to avoid what he believes would otherwise be California’s first deficit in more than three years. Here’s an overview of some of the most important proposals outlined by Brown in the budget he presented to the Legislature on Tuesday. (Myers, 1/13)