This story was reported for Patch on Nov. 9, 2011.
More than 100 rallied outside Tuesday protesting budget cuts that would force the closure of 274 adult day health care (ADHC) centers, affecting 35,000 elderly and disabled Californians.
The rally, one of many held in California in recent days, asks state leaders to re-consider their decision to reduce Medi-Cal funding, a key element needed to operate the adult day health care center.
“The main message we want people to take away is that this was a horrible mistake,” said Kathryn Holt, who owns the Poway Adult Day Health Center. “This is unjust; it’s ethically wrong.”
The changes, which would result into pushing recipients into either managed care or case management programs after a 10 percent provider payment reduction will force center closures, were part of Assembly Bill 97 and signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in June. The plan gained final approval from the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on Oct. 27 and resulted in the cut of $623 million to the budget with the loss of $169 million annually to adult health care centers such as the one in Poway.
Read the full story on Patch.com or click on the picture to the right.