Opinion: No ‘Credible’ Plan Exists To Rein In Medi-Cal

"While many commentators, including the governor, have said this may be the time to enact pension reforms, no one has made a credible proposal to address the long-term fiscal threat posed by the state's largest entitlement, Medi-Cal," California's Medicaid program, Michael Genest -- director of finance for former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) and principal of Capitol Matrix Consulting -- writes in a San Francisco Chronicle opinion piece. Genest discusses Gov. Jerry Brown's (D) proposals to extend taxes and enact "expenditure reductions" to address the state's budget deficit, adding that "longer-term fiscal pressures would require dramatic additional solutions, either rolling back entitlements or raising taxes even more."

• "California Faces Tough Budget Choices" (Genest, San Francisco Chronicle, 3/9).