Medicaid Cuts – California

Medi-Cal cuts sought as stimulus funds run out, By Victoria Colliver, June 30, 2011, San Francisco Chronicle: “Billions of federal stimulus dollars that boosted Medicaid programs for the past two years will run out Friday, while at the same time California is trying to get approval for a series of cuts to the health program for the poor. It could be a one-two punch for more than 7 million Californians enrolled in Medicaid, known here as Medi-Cal. California received about $12.4 billion of the $90 billion the Obama administration injected into Medicaid programs nationwide as a way to help ease the strain of unemployment and other impacts of the recession. The extra help meant the federal government matched California at 62 cents on the dollar instead of 50 cents. That ends Friday. As a result, Medi-Cal patients will pay more and receive fewer benefits…”