CDCAN LOGODISABILITY RIGHTS NEWS REPORT
Advocacy Without Borders: One Community
Report #152-2008  August 19, 2008  Tuesday evening
California Disability Community Action Network Disability Rights News goes out to over 45,000 people with disabilities, mental health needs, seniors, their families, workers, community organizations, including those in Asian/Pacific Islander, Latino, African American communities, policy makers and others across California.
REPLY TO: MARTY OMOTO  martyomoto@rcip.com   website:   www.cdcan.us
REMEMBERING JOAN LEE - WE WILL NEVER FORGET HER
 
 
CALIFORNIA BUDGET CRISIS - DAY 50
FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT JUDGE ORDERS TEMPORARY HALT TO MEDI-CAL PROVIDER CUT
Judge's Order Is Temporary Until Lawsuit Filed By Medi-Cal Providers Goes To Trial and Is Decided
 
SACRAMENTO (CDCAN)  - A federal district court judge ordered a temporary halt to the 10% Medi-Cal provider rate reduction that went into effect July 1. The judge's order impacts the Medi-Cal rate reductions for Medi-Cal doctors, dentists, pharmacists, adult day-care centers and other providers who provide services to people in the Medi-Cal program.  The order excludes some hospitals who do not contract with the State and do not provide emergency care.
 
The temporary order by the district court judge was made because he believed there was a possibility the lawsuit, filed by a  Medi-Cal recipients could have a chance of prevailing.  The case has not yet gone to trial, but the judge's order - which the plaintiffs (those who filed the lawsuit) requested, would halt the provider rate cut for most of the Medi-Cal providers impacted.
The temporary court order means that the State reduction of close to $600 million in State general funds would have to be - at least for now - restored back to the Medi-Cal program to pay providers.  It is not clear yet how the State will comply with the order with no State budget in place. 
 
The Governor proposed in January a 10% permanent rate reduction for most Medi-Cal providers as part of his emergency budget legislation, which the Legislature approved in February, to take effect July 1.  Many of those provider rate reductions were reversed by the Senate and Assembly budget committees in June, but that action, along with others, are part of the State budget proposal that has been stalled for the past 50 days. 
 
Over 6.5 million children and adults are enrolled in the Medi-Cal program, including over 1.6 million children and adults with disabilities, the blind and low income seniors.  The program is matched by state funds and federal Medicaid funds. 
 
Meanwhile another lawsuit to block the Medi-Cal cuts, filed by Medi-Cal providers filed in State court in Sacramento, is still pending.
 
 
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CDCAN Disability Rights News Reports, Telemeetings & other Events
Advocacy Without Borders - ONE Community:

News Impacting People With Disabilities, Mental Health Needs, Seniors & others, including Asian Pacific Islanders, Latinos, African Americans communities across California and beyond - Reports go out to over 45,000 people with disabilities, seniors, mental health needs & others,  organizations, policy makers across California
This report - and the CDCAN townhall telemeetings, and other events and projects are for all of them and for promoting advocacy without borders toward unified action.  We are one community.
To respond to this report reply to: Marty Omoto at martyomoto@rcip.com    CDCAN website: www.cdcan.us
To continue the CDCAN website, the CDCAN News Reports.  sent out and read by over 45,000 people and organizations, policy makers and media across California and to continue the CDCAN Townhall Telemeetings which since December 2003 have connected thousands of people with disabilities, seniors, mental health needs, people with MS and other disorders, people with traumatic brain and other injuries to public policy makers, legislators, and issues. Please send your contribution/donation (make payable to "CDCAN" or "California Disability Community Action Network):

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 The CDCAN Townhall Telemeetings are partially funded by a small grant from the USC UCEDD, Grant #90DD0540 from the Administration on Developmental Disabilities. (note: the opinions expressed or content in these reports do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the USC UCEDD.
MANY MANY THANKS to Regional Center of the East Bay, Friends of Children with Special Needs, UCP of Orange County, UCP of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, Alta California Regional Center, FEAT (Families for Early Autism Treatment),  Life Steps, Easter Seals California, Parents Helping Parents, Work Training, Foothill Autism Alliance, Arc Contra Costa, Pause4Kids, Manteca CAPS, Training Toward Self Reliance, UCP, California NAELA, Californians for Disability Rights, Inc (CDR) including CDR chapters, CHANCE Inc, , Strategies To Empower People (STEP), Harbor Regional Center, Tri-Counties Regional Center, Asian American parents groups, Resources for Independent Living and many other Independent Living Centers, several regional centers, People First chapters, IHSS workers, other self advocacy and family support groups, developmental center families, adoption assistance program families and children, and others across California