Community clinics in the region can breathe a little easier now that the new state budget has been signed. That's because clinics will finally get paid for all of the Medi-Cal services they've provided over the last two months. KPBS Reporter Kenny Goldberg has more.
The state hasn't paid community clinics for Medi-Cal services since late July.
La Maestra Family Clinic operates at six locations in San Diego County.
Executive director Zara Marselian says the state will soon reimburse her clinics one-million dollars. But she says there are a lot of services they'll never get paid for.
Zara Marselian: We're not being reimbursed for the uninsured care for those people who don't fall under any program, any of the social services, a lot of mental health services, we will never collect a dime on that.
Over the last two months, Marselian and many other clinic operators were forced to take out lines of credit or short-term loans. The state won't pay for any financing charges or interest payments clinics had to incur.
Kenny Goldberg, KPBS News.
