DREADFUL CUTS MAY STILL COME AFTER NOVEMBER VOTE
CALIFORNIA HAS A BUDGET, ON TIME AND FULL OF HOPE(FUL ASSUMPTIONS)
Governor Jerry Brown signed the budget bill for 2012-13 into law on June 27. What will be the effects on people with disabilities? Here is our summary:
In-Home Supportive Services: Rejected Brown’s plan to cut caregiver hours by 7% across-the-board and eliminate domestic services in shared households while continuing current 3.6% cut in hours. Shifts pay negotiations for workers from counties to a state board, which organized labor hopes will lead to higher and more uniform wages across the state.
Healthcare: Eliminates Healthy Families program by moving clients to Medi-Cal. Reduces payments to hospitals and nursing homes. Approves the expansion of managed care for recipients of Medicare & Medi-Cal from original 4 counties to 8 counties. What was once called a “pilot study” is now called a “demonstration project.” This was a compromise with the Governor, who wanted authorization to expand this model to all 58 counties. The 8 counties slated for implementation are: Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, San Mateo, San Bernardino, Riverside, Alameda & Santa Clara. These 8 counties comprise approximately 60% of the population for the entire state.
Additional information on the implementation of the “California Coordinated Care Initiative” can be found at: http://www.calduals.org

Venn Diagram of Dual Eligible