Medi-Cal cuts worry Merced area health organizations

Merced Sun-Star
A 10 percent cut to the Medi-Cal reimbursement rate would make it more difficult for patients who use it to get the care they need, said Christine Muchow, executive director of the Merced-Mariposa County Medical Society. Last week, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that California can cut its Medi-Cal reimbursement rate by reversing an earlier decision that blocked the cuts, according to the California Medical Association. Medi-Cal is the state's Medicaid program. It provides health coverage for low-income families. "I believe that we would have a bigger problem with access to care," Muchow said of the reimbursement cut. "The other problem with that is that it causes congestion at the emergency room because they can't get access." The state had proposed the cut in 2011 to help solve its budget woes. Molly Weedn, spokeswoman for the California Medical Association, said her group is hoping the state will reevaluate the cut because its financial situation is better now than when it was first proposed.
Full Article >