Medi-Cal & Medicare Underfunding

With many in California's primary care physician community approaching retirement, the Golden State needs a significant increase in providers, particularly doctors who will accept Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, a study released July 16 said. (Physician Participation in Medi-Cal, 2008 CHCF)

Hospitals and physicians are bracing for possible Medi-Cal reductions as the state budget is once again on life support and could remain that way for months.

Citing a federal government estimate that more than 3 million Californians cannot find doctors who will provide them essential medical care, health care and social justice advocates challenge the Senate to show the same level of compassion and leadership demonstrated by yesterday's passage of SB 726 (Ashburn) on the Assembly Floor.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) expands Medicaid to nearly all individuals under age 65 with incomes up to 133 percent of the federal poverty line (FPL) which will extend coverage to large numbers of the nation’s uninsured population, especially adults. However, the ultimate reach of the program will depend heavily on both federal and state actions to implement the new law.

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Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program, is the main source of health care insurance for 6.8 million people, or one in six Californians. During the 2008 – 09 fiscal year, it drew $27 billion in federal funds into the state’s health care system and accounted for 19 percent of General Fund spending.

Higher Medicare copays, sometimes just a few dollars more, led to fewer doctors visits and to more and longer hospital stays, a large new study reveals.