California politicians seeking permission from White House for severe Medi-Cal (Medicaid) cuts.

[Better Believe It]

California could pose problem for Obama's healthcare reform
California, a model for healthcare reform, is seeking to impose some of the toughest limits on government-subsidized coverage. If approved, the limits could herald deep Medicaid cuts nationwide.
By Noam N. Levey, Los Angeles Times
September 15, 2011

Though still outpacing much of the nation, cash-strapped California is cutting its healthcare safety net more aggressively than almost any other state, despite billions of dollars in special aid from Washington.

And state leaders are pressing the Obama administration for permission to place some of the toughest limits in the nation on government-subsidized healthcare, including a cap on how often people with Medicaid — the healthcare program for the poorest Americans — can go to the doctor.

California already spends less per beneficiary than any state. It is now seeking waivers from the federal government to impose copays of $5 for office visits and prescriptions, $50 for emergency room visits and $100 for hospital stays. Few other states come close to charging Medicaid recipients that much.

In a case before the U.S. Supreme Court this fall, the administration is backing California's bid to throw out a lawsuit by state medical providers challenging its Medi-Cal cuts.


Please read the full article at:

http://www.latimes.com/health/la-na-california-healthcare-20110915,0,7723001.story

[jannyk]

1. CA has 12+% unemployment, is that how they 'outpace the nation'?

[frazzled]

2. How come we aren't hearing any anti-California rants here?

I'm not saying there SHOULD be such rants. But given the amount of ranting about hypothetical future health care cuts, it's surprising there isn't much talk about real cuts that have happened in California.

[tblue]

3. Just what we need,

more sick people walking around. More people suffering and dying unnecessarily.
:banghead:
NO NO NO NO NO!!!!!

[aquart]

4. OR they could tax the rich.

[librechik]

5. ANYTHING--even wholesale endangering of lives--rather than raise taxes a tiny percentage

California, Tabor has made you sick sick sick.

[HockeyMom]

6. Group homes are funded through Medicaid

What do they propose to do with these people, most of whom are severely disabled both physically and mentally? Many were long ago abandoned by their families and have become wards of the state. Throw them out on the streets? The majority of Americans do not think of these disabled people and how they are being cared for in just their daily living through Medicaid.

[deek]

10. Anti-coummunity living

cuts don't effect those in institutions, only those people who live at home. Corporatism at its best. If you live in a nursing or group homes, your dental, vision, hearing, and podiatry coverage is intact. If you live at home, none of these are covered.

[HockeyMom]

13. If they live at home,

they are very, very fortunate to have a family member cooking, changing diapers, feeding, lifting, giving meds, etc. When they don't have a family member who willing, or is ABLE, to care for them, somebody else will have to do it for these people. I worked with this population in group homes who were in their 50s, and either their parents were dead or disabled themselves, their siblings wanted nothing to do with them ("don't contact me until she/he is dead"), or had been disowned and not adopted as children.

Let them die would be the mantra of the good, "christian", profits at all costs Repuks.

[banned from Kos]

7. Nationwide, only 12% of Medicaid recipients are non-elderly adults.

Cuts made today will impact children and the elderly the most by far.

[Better Believe It]

8. Caps on how many times you can see a doctor when you are sick or injured. Disgusting!

[Cool Logic]

9. "copays of $5 for office visits and prescriptions, $50 for emergency room visits and $100 for...

hospital stays..."

That seems very reasonable to me.

[Better Believe It]

11. Not very resonable if you don't have any money to spend on healthcare!

[Cool Logic]

15. Please...it costs a hundred bucks for hospital stay...

If someone can't afford that, they could be seeking the wrong treatment.

[Better Believe It]

16. "If someone can't afford that, they could be seeking the wrong treatment." Or ....

they simply might not be as well off as you.

Have you even considered that?

Millions now have to decide between buying medicine or food.

Do you have to make that kind of choice?

I guess you've never been working class poor which means you might not have a clue on what they face, much less demonstrate any compassion for those who are not doing as well as you.

[deek]

12. Perspective

If you receive $700/mo from SSI and are on 15 different meds a day, see a doctor at least once a month and are usually hospitalized 1-2x/yr....

[Cool Logic]

14. I don't know...if I required that magnitude of health care...

I might ask them to let me see Dr. K.

[deek]

17. If they were your child, spouse, or your parent

would you say the same thing?