This story was reported for the San Diego News Network on August 6, 2009.
Thousands of San Diegans have recently accepted a change to their health care. For some, that change is as major as being completely disqualified from a government-sponsored service.
That’s because the state’s budget included a $2 billion cut to health and human services and $144 million cut to the Healthy Families program – which in turn, has caused the County to cut services to once-qualified patients throughout the region.
“By definition these are services offered to Californians who have very few options in life,” said Anthony Wright, executive director of Health Access California (HAC). “These cuts do not reflect the values of Californians and will really shape the conscience of all.”
The hit list
Statewide, 19 government-sponsored health services either saw a cut or elimination (see chart). In the county, six areas of services were affected: In-Home Supportive Services, Child Welfare Services, Alcohol and Drug Services, Public Health Services, CalWORKS and Aging Services.
The changes to the six areas are:
– 4,000 out of 24,000 clients disqualified from In-Home Supportive Services
– A $5.5 million to $7.6 million cut to Child Welfare Services; impacts include longer wait times for child abuse hotline calls, increased response times, increase caseloads, children remaining in care longer
– A possible decrease in payment to Polinsky Children’s Center
– Elimination of the Substance Abuse Treatment and Crime Prevention Act means $6.4 million less funding for the county
– A $2.9 million reduction to the Offender Treatment Program; impacts include longer wait times for services
– A 10 percent reduction in Drug Medi-Cal services
– A possible loss of $17.5 million to the county as a result of the reduction to CalWORKS
In addition, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger utilized his one-line veto power to make further cuts to health services. The cuts and effects to the county include:
– Elimination of HIV education means a loss of $1.3 to $2.1 million in funding to the county
– Elimination of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health programs means a loss of $200,000 in funding for 2,100 women in the county
– Elimination of Black Infant Health means a loss of $400,000 in contracted services for 240 pregnant women and 600 highest-risk children in low-income communities in the county
– Elimination of the Immunization Program means $700,000 in funding to the county
– Suspension of children’s dental disease prevention program means a possible increase in demand for the county’s Child Health and Disability Prevention Program
– Elimination of Aging Services means a loss of $500,000 in funding for up to 1,600 low income seniors in the county
On Wednesday, a legislative council for lawmakers deemed that these cuts were illegal, but Schwarzenegger’s office disagrees. Whether these cuts will be taken off the hit list is still unknown.
‘No good answer’
HAC estimates the cut forced the denial of health care to about two million Californians. Of that number, 335,145 children statewide and 29,431 in San Diego County lose health care for this fiscal year. Next fiscal year, the number is larger with 443,016 children statewide and 37,206 in the county. HAC also estimated 600,000 jobs will be lost.
The two million Californians (as reported from HAC) may not be able to find the services anywhere else – according to the county’s Health and Human Services Agency’s finance director Terry Hogan.
The majority of the services are only offered at a discounted rate through the county and community clinics who offer cheap services are also seeing the cuts.
“Largely these services will no longer be available,” Hogan said.
The budget deal also comprised of borrowing $2 billion of property tax revenue from local municipalities or $70 million from the County – although the County ultimately replenished the mandated loan through reserves, whether the same can happen for health services is not yet known.
Supervisor and chair of the board Dianne Jacob said the county will utilize what they have.
“County health officials have issued early warnings and the county is determined to make the most of health funds that haven’t been stolen by the state,” Jacob said. “However, there is no two ways about it: the year ahead will be painful because the State Legislature has utterly failed to reprioritize and structurally balance the state’s budget.”
In addition, Wright said even if philanthropic organizations want to help – the cuts are so major, it would be difficult to assist every Californian now living uninsured. He said the cuts could have been prevented if legislators would have chosen to raise taxes in two areas.
“The solution is a political one not a charitable one,” Wright said. “We need to see political action to restore these cuts rather than radically dis-enroll thousands of children in California from health access.”
“It’s shameful rather than taxing alcohol and tobacco companies.”
Hoa Quach is the political editor for the San Diego News Network.