State Budget Impasse Taking Toll on the Developmentally Disabled

Health care providers, families and disabled clients rally at Senator Kuehl's
District Office

WHO: Caregivers for people with severe developmental
disabilities, family members and the clients they care for
will implore the Chair of the Senate Health Committee 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 Sheila Kuehl's District Office:
10951 W. Pico Blvd. Los Angeles, CA

We are urging Senator Kuehl to call upon her colleagues to return to
Sacramento and pass a budget now. There is legislation pending in her
committee 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 Senator Kuehl
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, Fresno, Rancho
Cucamonga and San Diego.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Betsy Hite (916) 233-6031
California Assoc. of Health Facilities
Or Cheryl-Loflin-Wertz (Harbor Health Care) (562) 716-5376 (on-site)

SOURCE California Assoc. of Health Facilities