The California state budget drama continued to play out this week as lawmakers prepare to vote Thursday on an agreement that would close a $26 billion shortfall. The compromise would be one that includes billions of dollars in healthcare and education cuts.
Early reports indicate that as much as $1.3 billion could be sliced from the state’s Medicaid program, Medi-Cal. In-home healthcare services could also experience significant cuts, but will not be eliminated, according to The Associated Press. Details of the budget agreement are sparse, Deborah Pacyna of the California Association of Health Facilities, told McKnight’s.
“The budget trailer bills haven’t been printed yet,” she said. “Right now, there’s just a framework for an agreement. Details should emerge soon, as the legislature gears up for a vote Thursday, Pacyna said.
After failing to reach a budget agreement when the new fiscal year began July 1, the state of California began issuing IOUs to many of its state agencies. Skilled nursing facilities, however, so far have been receiving relatively uninterrupted funding, since they belong to a protected class.
“We have been experiencing some check-write delays, but in terms of a significant impact from this budget … so far so good,” Pacyna said. “We’ll see what happens. It’s just another day in California.”
