Court reverses Medi-Cal cuts

Sac ^ | 8/19/8 | Kevin Yamamura and Jim Sanders

[SmithL]

A federal judge has ordered a temporary halt in the state's 10 percent cut in Medi-Cal reimbursement rates, improving access to care for 6.5 million low-income patients but throwing a new wrench in already difficult state budget negotiations.

The U.S. District Court decision forces the state to reimburse most Medi-Cal providers at rates prior to the 10 percent cut, which lawmakers and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger made effective July 1 as a cost-cutting measure to help resolve a $15.2 billion budget shortfall this year.

The move effects reimbursement rates the state pays to doctors, dentists, pharmacists, adult day-care centers and other providers who serve Medi-Cal patients. It excludes some hospitals who do not contract with the state and do not provide emergency care.

"There's no question this is good news," said Anthony Wright, executive director of Health Access California, a consumer advocacy group. "We already have more than half of doctors not taking Medi-Cal patients because of already low reimbursement rates,

[SmithL]

Snyder, Christina A.

Born 1947 in Los Angeles, CA

Federal Judicial Service:
Judge, U. S. District Court, Central District of California
Nominated by William J. Clinton on January 7, 1997, to a seat vacated by Edward Rafeedie; Confirmed by the Senate on November 7, 1997, and received commission on November 10, 1997.

Education:
Pomona College, B.A., 1969

Stanford Law School, J.D., 1972

Professional Career:
Private practice, California, 1972-1997

Race or Ethnicity: White

Gender: Female

[P-Marlowe]

The only way out of this budget mess is for the state to declare bankruptcy.

[kabar]

The courts are running the country.

[Psycho_Bunny]

"Ruining."

Ruining the country.

[KoRn]

Next thing you know, judges will be writing appropriations bills, and raising taxes from the bench...

[Kickass Conservative]

You mean instead of the idiot Lawyers that are already doing that?

[KantianBurke]

“Confirmed by the Senate on November 7, 1997”

Hmm...which political party controlled the Senate back then and confirmed someone so obviously unsuitable...can’t quite remember.

[William Tell]

KoRn said: "Next thing you know, judges will be writing appropriations bills, and raising taxes from the bench..."

At some point they may well try. But eventually the higher courts will have to recognize that there is no judicial solution for a dysfunctional state.

Kalifornia Democrats don't like the fact that the Kalifornia constitution mandates a two-thirds majority to raise taxes. The courts must allow the state to deal with its irrational expectation that it can spend more than it takes in.

The voters will have a choice in November to either elect a super-majority of Democrats, who will destroy the state through over-spending and over-taxation, or the voters will elect a majority of Republicans who MIGHT make the cuts necessary to have the state live within its means.

Either way there is great pain ahead for anybody dependent upon the state.

[oblomov]

"Next thing you know, judges will be writing appropriations bills, and raising taxes from the bench..."

They have more or less done so in several instances, such as court-ordered busing.

[Impy]

This a matter for courts?

I’d love to see a Governor and legislature somewhere tell a court to stick it. I wonder what would happen.

The constitution doesn’t grant courts these powers, they are self-imposed. Some Governor or President needs to self-impose a solution to this problem.

[upcountryhorseman]

The only way to solve this mess is to eliminate State
agencies and encourage businesses to come to California
rather than trying to raise taxes on businesses, forcing
them to leave the State.

[bamahead]

Libertarian ping! To be added or removed freepmail me or post a message here.

[socialismisinsidious]

Socialized Medicine aka Universal Health Care PING LIST

FReepmail me if you want to be added to or removed from this ping list.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

You gotta admire a guy like ElkGroveDan who’d say he’ll stay and fight for CA to the bitter end. I can’t comprehend it though. I would have threw in the towel years ago.

[ElkGroveDan]

You gotta admire a guy like ElkGroveDan who’d say he’ll stay and fight for CA to the bitter end. I can’t comprehend it though. I would have threw in the towel years ago.

It's a beautiful prosperous state with a standard of living second to none. It's been my home for 37 years. It's where I met and married my wife. It's where my five children were born. The problems facing California are not any different than the problems of liberalsim facing the rest of the nation. Sorry guys, but there really is nowhere to run in the longterm. So I'm going to stay where the weather's nice and I have a beautiful home and very comfortable life. I'm going to stay and fight the liberals for the state and country I love.

[CottonBall]

The voters will have a choice in November to either elect a super-majority of Democrats, who will destroy the state through over-spending and over-taxation, or the voters will elect a majority of Republicans who MIGHT make the cuts necessary to have the state live within its means.

If only the sheeple would understand the long-term ramifications that you so clearly stated. (BTW, we also have the same choice at the national level in November.)

[CottonBall]

You gotta admire a guy like ElkGroveDan who’d say he’ll stay and fight for CA to the bitter end. I can’t comprehend it though. I would have threw in the towel years ago.

While I do admire those that will stay and fight (like our local Minuteman group), I'm trying to throw in the towel myself. At some point, we'll get to leave Mexifornia and I can't wait!

[CottonBall]

It's a beautiful prosperous state with a standard of living second to none. It's been my home for 37 years. It's where I met and married my wife. It's where my five children were born. The problems facing California are not any different than the problems of liberalsim facing the rest of the nation. Sorry guys, but there really is nowhere to run in the longterm. So I'm going to stay where the weather's nice and I have a beautiful home and very comfortable life. I'm going to stay and fight the liberals for the state and country I love.

It is a beautiful state, no doubt. We can go to the mountains or the beaches all within 2 hours of our house. After being here, it was really hard moving to Corpus - where there was nowhere to go to cool off and even the nights were hot and humid.

Don't know about the standard of living part, however. Every area has its benefits and someplace with lower house prices, lower taxes, and less fanatical liberals would be good.

And I know that there are few places that will like the U.S. decades from now. But there are quite a few that are like it now. Our children won't have very many choices, but I think I can manage to live out my retirement years without the constant blare of spanish radio. I hope.

[CottonBall]

You know, I was thinking about what I wrote about taxes. I really do not think California is terribly high w/r personal state income tax (corporate rates are another story).

Believing all the hype, we thought we'd save on taxes moving to Texas. Well, our property tax rate there was over 3% (and rose about a quarter percent each year on top of that). That more than covered our state income tax AND property taxes in CA on a comparatively priced house. (Since most areas of CA have high priced houses compared to the rest of the U.S., the scenario we encountered may not apply to everyone else considering CA, however).

I think the state will be in for even worse budget problems in the future, as the boomers start retiring. I've run into many, many of them that plan to hit the road and take their 401Ks and pensions with them. And many that already have. It'll be uglier before it turns around. But, perhaps it needs to in order for things to change.