Crisis for poor as Medi-Cal funds end

[Newsjock]

Source: San Francisco Chronicle

In an emerging crisis for California's elderly and poor, all Medi-Cal funding will be halted this week to an estimated 500 hospitals throughout the state and 11,000 nursing homes, hospices and adult day care centers.

Medi-Cal funds have run out because of the state's monthlong budget impasse, forcing community programs and other facilities into a frantic scramble to cover their bills. Some care facilities for the aged are making plans to close.

California has nearly 6.8 million elderly, frail and chronically infirm Medi-Cal beneficiaries, and many would be forced to find help elsewhere, or make do on their own, without emergency funding from the state Legislature.

... Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman, R-Irvine (Orange County), said he is not overly concerned about the budget stalemate dragging out weeks or even months longer. He said the state continues to take in tax revenue and most agencies have plenty of money in reserve.

Read more: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/08/01/MEDICAL.TMP&tsp=1

[area51]

1. Horrible.

The richest country in the world, huh, yet we can't take care of our citizens' medical needs like the civilized countries can.

[xxqqqzme]

2. I'm on the Board of Directors of an after school program.

We just drafted a letter to all the staff about this crisis. It's not the first time either. We have some reserve funds that we are using but that is gone as of today's payroll. We are in Orange County and we are NOT represented by these lazy ass trough feeders.

[madrchsod]

3. california is one of the richest states in the world

and they can not afford to take care of the frail,elderly,and infirmed......

[FloridaJudy]

4. Let's not pay the legislators

Until they come up with a solution. Unfortunately, I fear they're already rich. Bastards.

[slackmaster]

13. That is already in place

Legislators and their staff people get no pay until a budget is passed.

[ninkasi]

5. Even though

our annual income is a bit under 14,000 a year, my husband and I would pay more in order to help people less fortunate. We have to pay no rent, since our home is paid for. We have very decent health insurance. Even so, we struggle to make ends meet.

I am truly blessed, in that my children, and two of my nieces, have offered all kinds of financial help. I do not take them up on their generous offers, because if I can't pay my own way, I won't go there. I think of my 4 great-nephews, and their future, and prefer that any extra money their parents have be spent on them. My main goal in life now is to nurture, and teach, the younger generation.

There seems to be no lack of funds to subsidize corporations. That's a bottomless well, which our Republic politicians seem to have no hesitation in drawing from. When it comes to a tiny fraction of aid for out poor, they claim that the well is dry.

The only way to resolve this is for big corporations, who are heavily subsidized by our taxes, to make it on their own. Welfare should go to the middle, and lower classes, instead. Companies making record profits shouldn't be getting our tax dollars.

[orleans]

6. unfuckingreal. n/t

[broadcaster]

7. ..but we have 12billion/mo for Iraq. n/t

[acmavm]

8. Amazing. California with all its extremely wealthy freeloaders letting the

poor and the elderly suffer. Arnold is an ass and he's backed by some of the greediest bastards on earth. I wonder why there's no Hollywood activist speaking out on this issue? Maybe because they like these tax breaks?

[slackmaster]

14. The Governor is not responsible for writing the budget

That's the job of our (2/3 Democratic in both houses) state legislature.

[acmavm]

15. No, but he's pushing for all the health care cuts.

[salin]

9. outrageous!

"some care facilities fo the aged are making plans to close" - and then what - Gov? Where do these people go? How do they get there? Do they just get dumped on the street? And Senator Ackerman, what are you going to do personally to help these individuals after they are unceremoniously dumped on the streets to "make do on their own" while you play petty political games with the budget?

The lack of connection of REAL CONSEQUENCES of political decisions/actions, especially such harsh ones for some of the frailest of the citizenry, is a serious problem in this country. Divide the 6.8 million people up by the number of legislators in the state house plus the governor and make the politicians personally responsible for finding individual solutions for each of those citizens care - make the politicians (even if briefly) the equivalent of "case managers" for real people as a cost of the consequences of their politican gaming. See how quickly those politicians come around to recognizing how serious of a crisis this is.

[comtec]

10. Can someone bring me up to date please?

I know the legislature is very Dem majority, but how come there is a problem getting the budget passed?
I have only been getting national news, and I have missed local news of my beloved home state.
-A patriot in exile

[Newsjock]

11. Here's why

The California budget requires a 2/3 majority in the Legislature to pass. The Democrats hold just under 2/3 of the seats, so they need a few Republicans to agree. Guess what's happening.

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[damntexdem]

16. When I lived there, such impasses occurred frequently.

Providers were sent promises of payment -- in effect, "your check will be in the mail when we have money for stamps." And Medi-Cal reimbursement rates generally aren't very generous to start with.

[trashcanistanista]

17. To add a little fuel to the fire

my friend works for Cal. Dept. of Corrections and everyone working for Corrections will get their paychecks despite the budget impasse under the guise of "emergency release of funds for hazard pay". But elderly and poor on MediCal - nada.