Budget Crisis Means Cuts To Vital Health Services For California

The Department of Finance answered: “We recognize that these are difficult choices..’’

But Alquist shot back, “I only ask that they be real choices….and I don’t hear an answer on how this is really doable.’’

Fellow committee member Roy Ashburn shot back that he was fed up with this type of examination of social programs.

“If that is going to be the reaction, then there are some in this committee that are not going to go for cuts. And there are some who recognize the dire situation,’’ he said. “I’m not advocating that we be heartless or harsh. But we can’t balance this budget if the answer is going to be ‘no.’’’ said Ashburn, who has signed the American’s for Tax Reform “no tax’’ pledge.

The remainder of the hearing continued with a similar tone, with administration and department officials testimony giving a hook for lawmakers to become more passionate about their positions.

In another testy exchange, Republican Bob Huff proposed a $50 copay to use the emergency room for non-emergency services as a means to divert people to other places for care. “If this is not a critical urgent thing, there’s another place to go nearby,’’ Huff said.

The Department of Health Care Services, however, reported that the state already charges a $5 co-pay for using the emergency room inappropriately, prompting a snicker from Sen. Dave Cox of Fair Oaks. “With a $5 copay, why should I go anyplace else,’’ Cox said.

Angela Gilliard from the Western Center on Law and Poverty explained: “Five dollars may not sound like a lot to many of us on this committee; we buy lattes and go to lunch. But $5 is a lot’’ to the population that must rely on the state’s health safety net for services--and $50 was enough to discourage a low-income Californian from getting needed care, even emergency care.

WHAT’S NEXT

The committee took no votes today, but Padilla made clear that wasn’t the purpose. The purpose was, “to create daylight to work together.’’

For instance, Padilla noted the copay issue – that perhaps some level of copay between $5 and $50 was in order. Padilla also seemed inclined to continue to delay the start of the SB437 pilot programs, which would streamline enrollment for children into Medi-Cal and Healthy Families, thus getting more eligible children insured--a worthy goal but one that would cost more money.

The Senate and Assembly budget committees will be meeting throughout the next two weeks before the December holidays.

At a press conference the same time, a frustrated Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger told reporters that he felt lawmakers are doing a dismal job while the state “headed toward financial Armageddon.’’ Schwarzenegger has called the Legislature into a second special session to address the budget, under which the body has until January 15th to pass some mix of “solutions’’ – cuts or revenues – on the magnitude of between $17 billion to $24 billion.

Hanh Kim Quach is the Health Care Policy Coordinator for Health Access California. Before joining the organization, she worked as a journalist for nearly 9 years covering issues in California. Health Access California is a statewide health care consumer advocacy coalition of over 200 groups. This article has also been published on the Health Access Weblog.