Disability Rights California Comments on Governor’s May Budget Revision Proposals for the Medi-Cal, Healthy Families, and CalWORKs Programs *
May 21, 2010
The Governor’s May Revision proposes deep and harmful cuts to the Medi-Cal, Healthy Families and CalWORKs programs, on which many low-income Californians with disabilities depend. These cuts come at a time when California’s safety net programs have already been decimated as a result of last year’s budget cuts. If enacted, the cuts will make it more difficult, if not impossible, for people with disabilities to live independent and productive lives in their communities. While we understand that there is an ongoing fiscal crisis in the state, the budget deficit cannot be solved with additional reductions. We urge the Legislature to consider the severe cuts that have already been enacted, and look to increased revenues as a budget solution and to sustain these vital programs.
Medi-Cal Cuts: Oppose
The Governor’s Revision details his proposal to cut $750 million out of Medi-Cal services. This includes:
- limiting doctor and clinic visits and prescriptions;
- imposing and increasing co-payments (e.g. $50 co-pay for emergency room visits and $100/day for inpatient hospital stays (maximum $200);
- imposing annual benefit dollar caps on hearing aids at $1,510, durable medical equipment at $1,604, incontinence supplies at $1,659, urological supplies at $6,435, and wound care supplies at $39;
- forcing seniors and people with disabilities into managed care; and
- eliminating coverage for over the counter drugs and eliminating payments for Part D coverage for some consumers.
These proposals ignore the harsh consequences that will occur for many seniors and people with disabilities if they are enacted. Unrealistic and arbitrary caps and limits on needed supplies and care will cause worsening health conditions, joblessness, increased emergency room visits, and immeasurable human suffering. In some cases, such as the governor’s proposal for annual benefit caps on durable medical equipment, it would make it impossible for a person with a disability who needs one to obtain any electric wheelchair, a piece of equipment they may need to maintain employment and health. Limits on the number of prescriptions would force some people with multiple medications to decide which medications they will no longer take, causing conditions to worsen and increasing future healthcare needs. Co-pays for emergency room visits and hospital stays would put Medi-Cal out of financial reach for many individuals who have no other means to access healthcare services.
Additionally, forcing seniors and people with disabilities into managed care does not consider the unique and complex health care needs of people with disabilities. Often, clinics are not accessible, do not have translators for the deaf, do not have proper or functioning lifts, and do not have access to the expertise that is needed to treat certain conditions. Many people would lose the doctor or specialist they have had for years, jeopardizing continuity of care, and leading to severe health crises.
Immigrant Healthcare Cuts: Oppose
The Governor’s Revision continues proposals to eliminate full-scope Medi-Cal benefits for adult newly qualified immigrants (legal immigrants that have been residing in the United States for less than five years), and those who are Permanently Residing in the Untied States Under Color of Law (PRUCOL), immigrants who are not citizens, but remain in the U.S. indefinitely with government permission. According to the Department of Health Care Services, this would affect nearly 49,000 newly qualified immigrants and about 17,000 PRUCOLs. Denying Medi-Cal to a large portion of the low-income population would cause additional suffering to individuals who critically need these services and put additional pressure on the already-strapped county health care system.
Healthy Families Cuts: Oppose
The Governor’s Revision would increase emergency room visit co-payments from $15 to $50, and add a co-payment on hospital inpatient services of $100 per day, with a maximum of $200. It would increases monthly premiums from $24 per child to $42 per child, and the family maximum from $72 to $126. The Healthy Families program is important to many children who have disabilities. The program provides much needed healthcare services to children do not qualify for Medi-Cal but cannot otherwise afford to buy health care coverage. Increasing co-payments and premiums would inhibit preventative care and result in untreated conditions that increase healthcare costs in the future.
CalWORKS Cuts: Oppose
The Governor proposes the complete elimination of Calworks. This proposal would cut financial assistance to low income people with children, including children and parents with disabilities. This very successful program helps maintain families and prevents homelessness. CalWORKS is also a leader in helping detect and evaluate learning disabilities in their clients as a way to help get services needed to find employment. CalWORKs serves 580,527 families each month, including 1.1 million children. Elimination of CalWORKs would mean the loss of 140,000 jobs, and the loss of $4.2 billion in federal funds
* For further information contact: Brandon Tartaglia (916-497-0331).
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