Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger says he must cut California's safety net programs in order to balance the state's budget. Critics complain his proposals would cause up to two-million Californians to lose their health insurance.
The governor wants to reduce Medi-Cal spending by 750-million dollars. Nearly one-million children, seniors, and people with disabilities would no longer get Medi-Cal coverage.
The governor is also proposing the elimination of the Healthy Families program. That would take away health, dental, and vision care from one-million children.
Anthony Wright directs the non-profit group Health Access California.
"In total, these cuts would be the most profound rollback of coverage in the state's history," Wright says.
Wright says California could lose about two-billion dollars in federal matching funds if the governor's healthcare cuts are approved.
