U.S. Supreme Court Denies Review of Injunction that Stopped Medi-Cal Cuts
[Posted 06/29/09]

The U.S. Supreme Court has let stand a federal appeals court ruling that reversed the 10 percent Medi-Cal cut that took effect last July. The ruling also confirmed the right of California’s Medi-Cal providers to challenge state cuts to Medi-Cal provider reimbursement.

On August 18, 2008, a federal court in Los Angeles issued a preliminary injunction that forced the State of California to reverse the 10 percent Medi-Cal reimbursement cut, finding that the cuts would irreparably harm access to health care for nearly 7 million Californians.

This is an enormous victory for Medi-Cal patients and the physicians who care for them. CMA’s legal efforts will result in slightly more than $100 million going to physicians for providing health care to the poor than would have absent CMA’s efforts.

With the State of California facing an unprecedented budget deficit, this latest ruling sends lawmakers a clear message that they cannot balance the budget on the backs of the state’s poor or those who provide their health care.

Contact: Clarisa Sanchez, 916/551-2867 or csanchez@cmanet.org.