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State Budget Crisis: Will It Impact Local Senior Services? |
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Friday, 03 August 2007 |
 As the Golden State heads into yet another month
without a ratified state budget the crisis for California's elderly and poor is
becoming critical. All
Medi-Cal funding will be halted this week to an estimated 500 hospitals
throughout the state and 11,000 nursing homes, hospices and adult day care
centers.
Medi-Cal funds have run out because of the state
legislator’s inability to find a solution for the month long budget impasse and
help is unlikely because both the Senate and the Assembly would have to approve
an emergency bailout, and the Assembly has gone on summer recess. Medi-Cal coffers
ran dry last week when the state was scheduled to issue $223 million to
managed-care providers. Instead, checks for only $143 million were issued. On Thursday, $227 million was scheduled to be
paid to assorted hospitals, clinics and other providers of Medi-Cal services.
No money will be paid.
"This is the perfect storm," said H.D. Palmer, spokesman for
the state Department of Finance. "In the absence of an enacted budget, we don't have the authority
to pay certain vendors." Locally, according to Lori Webb of the
Amador Senior Center there are no impacts to the senior services offered
through the center. The Senior Center operates on County, grant and private
funding, says Webb, and is operated independent of State dollars. Common Ground
Senior Services, a provider of meals to seniors is in a similar situation to
the senior center. According to Common Ground Administrative Assistant Candace
Aubert, there is no
impact to our “Meals on Wheels” program, because we will keep running on what
we have. This applies to all services administered by Common Ground
Senior Services. Aubert emphasizes none of Common Grounds services will be
impacted”.
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Last Updated ( Friday, 17 August 2007 )
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