CA DISABILITY COMMUNITY ACTION
NETWORK
CAPITOL NEWS REPORT - ISSUE
#140-2004 (see also 139-2004)
Linking people to disability rights and
unified action
Website:
www.cdcan.org Toll-free info Lines Up!
August 2, 2004 - Monday late afternoon
Official Statement on Delay
of Medi-Cal Redesign Until January Issued by California Health & Human
Services Agency
SACRAMENTO - An official statement by
the California Health and Human Services Agency was released late this
afternoon (August 2) further detailing why the Schwarzenegger
Administration is delaying the release of any Medi-Cal Redesign proposal -
originally scheduled for today - until January, as part of the Governor's
2005-2006 budget proposal. As reported earlier this afternoon, [see
CDCAN Capitol News Report #139-2004], the California Health and Human
Services Agency intends to continue further development of the proposal,
working with the Legislature and stakeholders over the next several
months.
The statement - posted on the State's Medi-Cal
Redesign website, at
http://www.medi-calredesign.org/ is not attributed specifically from
Kim Belshe, Secretary of the Health and Human Services Agency, but is on
the Agency's letterhead.
The Medi-Cal redesign will likely call for
the most sweeping changes to the Medicaid program in California - a
program that is used by hundreds of thousands of low-income children and
adults with developmental and other disabilities, people with traumatic
brain injuries and seniors, and people with mental health needs. No major
reductions or changes were made to the Medi-Cal program in the budget that
was just passed by the Legislature and approved by the Governor.
Medi-Cal Redesign
Update (Issued 8/2/04 by the California Health and Human Services Agency)
Note: this is the complete update (statement)
as released by the California Health and Human Services Agency today:
"In January, Governor Schwarzenegger
announced his intent to redesign Medi-Cal, a publicly funded program that
provides health care coverage to more than 6.7 million low-income children
and their parents, seniors and disabled Californians. The impetus for
this complex undertaking is both clear and compelling. In the past five
years, program expansions and rising health care costs have caused Medi-Cal
expenditures to grow by more than $3 billion, a 41% increase. In order to
ensure continued access to health care coverage for California's most
vulnerable residents, the state must contain costs through programmatic
reforms and operational efficiencies.
Since the Governor's January
announcement of a planned Medi-Cal redesign, the California Health and
Human Services Agency (CHHSA) engaged in a thoughtful public input process
designed to ensure that the views of beneficiaries, providers, counties
and advocacy groups informed our thinking on elements of reform. In
addition, CHHSA worked through issues related to the financing of public
and private hospitals that provide services to Medi-Cal beneficiaries and
the uninsured, issues that have implications for the overall redesign
effort. Our plan was to present a redesign proposal to the Legislature in
early August, however a few key issues still need to be resolved.
The Administration remains firmly
committed to restructuring Medi-Cal, and the Governor plans to present a
restructuring proposal as part of the January budget. Meanwhile, CHHSA
and the Department of Health Services will:
* Refine components of the redesign
that will ultimately be included in the January proposal.
* Continue working with federal officials
and safety net hospitals (those serving Medi-Cal recipients and the
uninsured) to resolve outstanding issues on hospital financing.
* Review and analyze Medi-Cal program
improvement ideas coming out of the California Performance Review for
possible inclusion in the restructuring proposal.
California has a long and proud
tradition of making access to health care a reality for those most in
need. We want to maintain that tradition; however, in order to do so, we
most provide Medi-Cal coverage in a more rational and affordable manner.
With these goals in mind, our redesign proposal may include components
that would:
* Expand the use of organized systems
of care that increase access, improve outcomes and contain costs.
* Revise the Medi-Cal eligibility and
enrollment process to make it more efficient and improve customer service.
* Tailor benefits to the needs of distinct
Medi-Cal populations.
* Incorporate beneficiary cost sharing
that promotes personal ownership and responsibility, aligns Medi-Cal with
other publicly funded health programs and encourages appropriate
utilization of services.
* Stabilize financing of the state's
safety net to ensure that hospitals have the resources to care for
low-income and uninsured Californians.
Redesigning a program as complex as
Medi-Cal is no simple task, and we want to do it right. Toward this end,
the Administration intends to work closely with the Legislature and
stakeholders as the redesign proposal is further developed."
BACKGROUND
"Medi-Cal is an essential source of
health care for California's most vulnerable residents, promoting the
health and well being of low-income children, supporting the ability of
their parents to become self-sufficient and providing critical services to
seniors and disabled persons. Today, more than 6.7 million low-income
Californians - 15.3 percent of the state's population - rely on Medi-Cal
for health care services.
Since 1999, Medi-Cal State General Fund
(GF) costs have grown by more than $3 billion, a 41% increase. Much of
this increase stems from program expansions and reforms that have added
1.7 million new beneficiaries over the past five years, a 32% increase.
Medi-Cal is the primary funding source
for the state's mental health program and system of care for the
developmentally disabled. Additionally, Medi-Cal; provides significant
funding for California's health care safety net, including the public and
private hospitals that serve Medi-Cal beneficiaries and the uninsured.
Even with one of the lowest per capita costs of any Medicaid program in
the nation, it is estimated that Medi-Cal will cost roughly $31 billion in
total funds and $13.4 billion in GF dollars in 2004-05. Medi-Cal is now
the third largest component of the GF budget (14%)."
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT CA
DISABILITY COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK
URGENT - CONTRIBUTIONS
NEEDED TO CONTINUE EFFORT
CDCAN may soon have to close
down! The advocacy effort toward the budget - and Medi-Cal Redesign and
other critical issues has continued and there has not been the expected
time to finalize proposals and connect with potential grants and other
funding. Many many, thanks again, to the friends, people with
disabilities and their families, community organizations and others who
have sent in generous and needed contributions and donations.
Contributions from people and organizations is very urgently needed to
keep the advocacy efforts going for the next several months, as we work to
establish non-profit status, which we can focus after the budget is
signed. Apologies to anyone who have not yet received a thank you -
emails, letters, calls have been overwhelming!
Please make check or money
order to: California Disability Community Action Network (or abbreviate
CDCAN). A method to contribute by credit card (through Paypal) is NOW
set up on our website, at www.cdcan.org. CDCAN is not yet a non-profit
organization but will be soon. Send contributions to: California
Disability Community Action Network, 1225 8th Street Suite #480,
Sacramento, CA 95814. A method to contribute by credit card (through
Paypal) is NOW set up on our website, at www.cdcan.org.
* Who Is CDCAN?
The California Disability
Community Action Network is a non-partisan link to thousands of
Californians with developmental and other disabilities, their families,
community organizations and providers, direct care and other workers, and
other advocates. These action alerts and news reports is for all of them.
In addition it also goes to news organizations, state and local government
officials and staff.
* How To Receive CDCAN
Capitol News Reports and Alerts
If you would like to get on this
distribution (and conversely, get off of it) please send an email with
that request to: martyomoto@rcip.com OR sign up via the CDCAN website at
www.cdcan.org. Sharing information is
part of our organizing effort. Please feel free to forward or copy this
(attribution is nice). We're all in this together!
* How To Contact CDCAN
Marty Omoto, director/organizer
- California Disability Community Action Network WEBSITE:
www.cdcan.org
1225 8th Street Suite 480
Sacramento, CA 95814 VOICE PHONE: 916/446-0013
FAX number: 916/446-0026
email: martyomoto@rcip.com
INFO HOTLINE TOLL FREE NUMBER:
1-877-260-0267 (cannot leave messages) SAME INFO HOTLINE FOR SACRAMENTO
AREA: 486-4652
