Action, Action, Action

Groperzenneger's initial, proposed budget cuts were released today. As an employee at a major hospital, Left is Right is particularly dismayed with these:

It would impose a 10 percent reduction on the rates paid to physicians and others who treat Medi-Cal patients, the state's version of Medicaid. That's on top of a 5 percent cut in this year's budget. The Legislature last summer rejected the deeper cut. The provider rate cut would save $152 million this year, and $443 million in the fiscal year that starts next July. Schwarzenegger also would cut state payments to long-term care facilities that increased the salaries and benefits of caregivers. His proposal calls for elimination of a number of services offered to developmentally disabled people through regional centers. These include camping, social and recreational activities, and non-medical therapy such as music, art and equestrian programs. In what's likely to be one of the more controversial proposals, the governor would put a cap on caseloads in various health and social service programs and establish waiting lists. Healthy Families, a fast-growing health care program for children in low-income families, drug assistance for AIDS patients, the regional centers and several other programs would be subject to the caseload limit. This action would require the Legislature to suspend the Lanterman Act, which entitles developmentally disabled people to services. Lawmakers said Monday that they have seen many of the elements before. "This past year, the Legislature had an extensive debate about Medi-Cal and developmental services and decided in a bipartisan manner not to make those reductions," said Assemblyman Keith Richman, R-Northridge. "I don't see a lot of new stuff in here," said Assemblywoman Jenny Oropeza, D-Long Beach, chair of the Assembly Budget Committee. "It's ugly stuff. ... I sure don't see the waste, fraud and abuse they said they'd root out." California already has the lowest Medi-Cal provider rates in the nation, which has made it difficult for some recipients to find doctors.

These days it just doesn't pay to be poor. Plus, today's proposed cuts are only one-seventh of what's needed. Time for a revolution, yes?