The State Senate will consider a number of budget cuts Friday, including some reductions to the Medi-Cal program. Critics say the Medi-Cal cuts under consideration would save money in the short term, but cost more in the long run. KPBS Reporter Kenny Goldberg has more.
The Senate budget committee has already approved a ten percent cut in the rate Medi-Cal pays doctors. Physicians complain the Medi-Cal rate is too low as it is.
Ned Wigglesworth is with a coalition called the Alliance for Patient Care. He says if the cut goes through, Medi-Cal patients may have trouble finding a doctor who will treat them.
Wigglesworth: These people are then going to be getting their primary and preventative care in emergency rooms, which is the highest cost place to get healthcare, which is going to drive up costs for everyone, and it's going to lead to longer lines in emergency rooms."
Governor Schwarzenegger is urging lawmakers to consider broader Medi-Cal cuts. He he'd like to reduce Medi-Cal spending by more than a billion dollars this year.
Kenny Goldberg, KPBS News.
