A battle is looming in Sacramento over Governor Schwarzenegger's proposed cuts to the Medi-Cal program. Community clinics say the cuts would hinder their ability to give proper care. KPBS Reporter Kenny Goldberg has more.
The governor says he must cut more than a billion dollars from the Medi-Cal program to help the state balance its books. He's proposing cutting the rate Medi-Cal pays doctors by ten percent. He also wants to eliminate dental coverage for adults. Tracy Ream directs Neighborhood Healthcare. She runs eleven community clinics in the San Diego area.
Ream: They're also taking about delaying payments. And that would have some devastating effects for community clinics who are already on a very thin margin.
Ream says in addition, the governor wants to reduce a program that provides breast cancer screenings to poor women. The governor argues all state programs need to be cut by ten percent.
Kenny Goldberg, KPBS News.
