Governor’s Proposed Cuts May Hurt Entire System, Not Just Medi-Cal, Experts Fear

In a California Healthline Special Report, leaders of organizations representing doctors and hospitals, along with an advocate for low-income people discussed the potential impact of proposed cuts to the state’s Medi-Cal system.

The Special Report includes comments from:

• Jamila Edwards, assistant director for policy with the California Primary Care Association;
• Jan Emerson, vice president of external affairs for the California Hospital Association;
• Richard Frankenstein, president of the California Medical Association; and
• Angela Gilliard with the Western Center on Law and Poverty.

Gilliard said cuts to Medi-Cal will reduce preventive care for patients and will eventually shift more patients to the state’s already-crowded hospital emergency departments.

Noting that California doctors already receive the lowest Medicaid reimbursement rates in the country, Frankenstein said that the governor’s cuts will cause physicians to lose money by treating Medi-Cal patients.

Emerson said the impact will not be limited to Medi-Cal recipients and providers.

“If these cuts take effect, you’re going to see a complete meltdown of the health care system in California. This is not limited to people on Medi-Cal … all of us in California could be affected by these cuts,” she said (Kennedy, California Healthline, 5/29).