State Senate leader backs Medi-Cal expansion
Los Angeles Times
The Democratic leader of the state Senate urged Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday to expand the state's public health system as part of the implementation of the federal healthcare overhaul signed by President Obama in 2010. Sen. Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) told reporters Thursday that he looked forward to an expansion of Medi-Cal, the state's public insurance system for the poor, during the next year. In its ruling upholding the federal law earlier this year, the U.S. Supreme court said the federal government could not force states to expand their public insurance programs. In California, the Medi-Cal program already serves about 8 million people, and could serve hundreds of thousands more as insurance coverage is expanded. Expansion of the program would require a bill to pass through the Legislature and receive Brown's signature.
