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Preventing cuts to vital health services
The Health and Human Services Agency is among the largest areas funded by the state budget - second only to elementary and secondary education. Health and human services constitutes about one-third of the state's general fund. Health programs such as Healthy Families, Medi-Cal, Access for Infants and Mothers (AIM), Managed Risk Medical Insurance Program (MRMIP), are an integral part of our health care system, providing health care coverage to more than seven million Californians - about twenty percent of California's population.
These programs provide a vital link for Californians who would not otherwise be able to afford health coverage and health care. When the state's fiscal forecast sours, health programs are often among the first targets because of their sheer size in the state budget. Ironically, it is when the economy is bad that these programs are needed most: during bad economic times, Californians lose jobs, benefits, and income, which in turn qualifies many for access to these programs.
Health Access continues to fight efforts to reduce these programs in any budget cycle.
Health Access Analysis
- California Budget Seeks To Limit Access to Health Care - Governor Schwarzenegger's proposed 2010-11 budget proposes a 6.3% cut to health and human services, on top of continuing cuts from previous years and despite increased demand. (May 19, 2010)
- MEDI-CAL BENEFITS: Proposed Budget Cuts - Governor Schwarzenegger's proposed 2010-11 budget proposes to eliminate a range of benefits for the over 3 million California adults (low-income parents, seniors, and people with disabilities) with Medi-Cal coverage. (May 6, 2010)
- Cuts to Health Care Are Bad for California's Economy: Proposed Health Cuts Would Eliminate At Least 42,000 Jobs - A report showing how Governor Schwarzenegger's proposed budget cuts of $6.4 billion to California's health and human services systems, will have a negative impact on the state's economy. (March 24, 2010)
- A First Look at the 2010-11 Health Care Budget Proposal (January 8, 2010)
- DAMAGE ALREADY DONE: A Report on the 2009 Health Care Budget Cuts Six Months In - An impact analysis showing that just six months after severe cuts in spending on public health programs went into effect, millions of Californians hurt by the recession are being denied the basic services they need now more than ever. (January 7, 2010)
- The 2009-10 Budget: Huge Hits to Health Care - A fact sheet summarizing a package of $2 billion in additional cuts to health care that revised the budget for fiscal year 2009-10, which began on July 1, 2009. (October 9, 2009)
- BUDGET DEAL UPDATE: What We Know About Health Care Cuts Today - While there are no publicly available documents as of this writing, this is our best summary of the proposed health care cuts, and their impacts. (July 21, 2009)
- Real Cuts, Real Pain: Vital Medi-Cal Benefits Eliminated for Over 2 Million Californians (June 30, 2009)
- THE WORST PRESCRIPTION FOR CALIFORNIA'S ECONOMY: Analyzing the Economic Impacts of Health and Human Service Cuts - This new brief describes the significant negative economic impacts of the latest budget proposals, especially with respect to health care. (June 19, 2009)
- Budget Update: Health Care Cuts in the Ongoing Budget Crisis - A fact sheet outlining the proposed cuts included in Governor Schwarzenegger's May revision of the 2009-10 state budget. (June 1, 2009)
- Health Coverage Impact of 2009-10 Revised Budget Proposal - Nearly two million Californians could lose coverage according to a report on the coverage impacts of Gov. Schwarzenegger's revised 2009-10 budget proposal (May 22, 2009)
- Understanding California's Budget: Implications for Health Care (February 22, 2009)
- 2009 Budget Scorecard (January 9, 2009)
- 2008 Mid-Year Budget Cuts
- 2008 Budget Scorecard