Health Advocacy Groups Express Concern About Potential Program Cuts
Health advocacy groups are concerned that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's (R) proposed cuts to public programs will create a "devastating gap" in the state's health care system, the Chico Enterprise-Record reports. Hayward-based Community Resources for Independent Living has begun advocacy work to save the In-Home Supportive Services program (Meyers, Chico Enterprise-Record, 4/6). In his fiscal year 2004-2005 state budget, Schwarzenegger proposed to reduce by one-third the funding for the program, which uses federal, state and county money to subsidize salaries of homecare workers for low-income residents who would otherwise need to live in nursing homes. The $450 million in proposed state budget cuts would affect the "residual" program of IHSS that does not receive federal funds to pay for the homecare of about 75,000 patients (California Healthline, 3/22). CRIL Executive Director Elizabeth Pazdral said that short-term budget cuts will lead to higher costs in the long-term because disabled residents will be forced back into expensive institutions where they do not contribute to local economies (Chico Enterprise-Record, 4/6). Meanwhile, the Los Angeles County Children's Planning Council on Tuesday released a report saying the "governor's plan to tighten eligibility rules for health care and other services ... will have devastating impacts on thousands of children" statewide, the Los Angeles Times reports. Schwarzenegger has proposed nearly $7 billion in spending cuts to health and welfare, education and transportation programs (Fox, Los Angeles Times, 4/7).
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