California healthcare providers fight Medi-Cal cuts

Red Orbit reports

A consortium of health care advocacy groups filed a class-action lawsuit Monday against the state of California, hoping to block a historic

10 percent across-the-board cut in Medi-Cal and Denti-Cal payments scheduled to take effect July 1.

The groups – including the California Medical Association, the California Hospital Association and the California Dental Association – contend that lawmakers overstepped their constitutional authority, and that the cuts would violate the state’s obligation to ensure that Medi-Cal patients have the same access to health care as the general public.

“Medi-Cal already doesn’t cover the cost of providing care,” said Richard Frankenstein, president of the California Medical Association. “If these cuts take effect, Medi-Cal patients will be forced to seek care in already overcrowded hospital emergency rooms, which undermines access to care for all Californians.”