This afternoon the Senate Budget Sub-Committee with jurisdiction over the Medi-Cal program rejected the Governors proposal to eliminate several optional benefits that included DME and disposable medical supplies. The Governor's 2010-11 budget proposal contained a trigger mechanism that would make several changes to Medi-Cal eligibility, Health Family program, and eliminate optional benefits if the state did not receive an additional funding from the federal government in the amount of $6.9 Billion.  This is an important first step in eliminating the prospect of this type of cut, but far from the end. CAMPS is part of a larger coalition of providers, manufacturers, and patient advocacy groups who oppose the elimination of these essential Medi-Cal benefits. We testified against this change at the hearing.

An Assembly Budget Sub-committee will have a similar hearing and consideration later this month. We also hope that the Administration will abandon this idea when they release their May revise of their budget proposal in several months. We will provide information in the next few weeks regarding a new website that will allow our members and their patients to get the latest information on the status of this proposal and how they can contact their legislator.