State Budget Impasse Taking Toll on the Developmentally Disabled

Health care providers, families and disabled clients rally at Senator
Cogdill's Fresno Office

WHO: Caregivers for people with severe developmental disabilities,
family members and the clients they care for will implore the
Senate Republican Leader to return to the Capitol and bring the
nearly six week stalemate to an end.

WHAT: A rally to bring the public's attention to the fact that without
immediate action to enact a state budget, homes that provide
care for the developmentally disabled will stop receiving
payments. The clients served need 24-hour life-sustaining
medical treatments. Their care and treatments cannot be put on
hold, while the state fails to act. These facilities are
100% funded by Medi-Cal, the state's health insurance program
for the poor and disabled.

These providers of care are being forced to take out costly
personal loans, at often outrageous interest rates just so they
can keep their doors open and their caregivers paid.

For a typical home serving 6 people, this delay translates into
an average loss of income of $32,000.00 per month.

WHEN: THURSDAY July 24 - 10:00 AM

*WHERE: Senator Dave Cogdill's District Office:
4974 E. Clinton, Fresno, CA

We are urging Senator Cogdill to call upon his colleagues to return to
Sacramento and pass a budget now. There is pending urgency legislation that
would allow the state to pay these and other healthcare providers even though
there is not state budget, but the bill has not been set for a hearing. At a
minimum, these providers are calling upon the Senate Republican Leader to set
the bill for a hearing to provide them with immediate economic relief.
To add insult to injury, in February, the Legislature approved, and the
Governor signed, emergency "budget-balancing reductions" to address the
state's unprecedented state deficit.
The emergency reductions will defer Medi-Cal payments for the month of
August this year for all Medi-Cal reimbursed facility providers serving people
with developmental disabilities. This payment delay will occur regardless of
when a budget is enacted.
There are approximately 1,200 health facilities serving people with
developmental disabilities. They are small community-based homes which serve
six or fewer people.
* Similar rallies are being held simultaneously in Oakland, Los Angeles,
Rancho Cucamonga and San Diego.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Betsy Hite (916) 233-6031
California Assoc. of Health Facilities
Or Leslie Stevens (Ahwanhee Homes) (559) 760-2440 (on-site)

SOURCE California Assoc. of Health Facilities