|
Senator Morrell represents the 23rd State Senate
District,
which covers
portions of Riverside, San Bernardino and Los Angeles Counties.
SACRAMENTO ___ The California State Senate held the
first hearing in the Special Session on Public Health and Developmental
Services, Thursday July 2nd morning. The newly-created Public
Health and Developmental Services Committee is chaired by Senator Ed
Hernandez (D-West Covina). Senator
Mike Morrell (R-Rancho Cucamonga) serves as vice chairman.
Senator Morrell issued the following statement in response to
the start of hearings for the Special Session
"Republicans do not believe that the only two choices today
are to either approve a $1.7 billion managed healthcare tax or continue to
underfund Medi-Cal and developmental services.
"California just adopted a record high $265billion state
budget. The state took in $10 billion more in revenue this past year, but
instead of spending the money to shore up Medi-Cal or developmental services,
the majority party prioritized spending in other areas.
"Now, we have convened a special
session to consider extending over $1 billion more in taxes on an already
vulnerable healthcare system and overtaxed public. With families struggling
to purchase healthcare under the Obamacare mandate, it is unfair to tax their
plan for a Medi-Cal expansion.
"Republicans have supported and will continue to support
increasing the Medi-Cal provider reimbursement rate by 10 percent in order to
provide low-income residents more choices in where they can receive their
healthcare. We also support expanding
funding for those who provide services to the developmentally disabled of
this state. Republicans believe both goals can be achieved by using existing
resources in the current budget without tax increases."
BACKGROUND:
In April 2015, Senate Republicans sent a letter to the Assembly
and Senate Budget committees requesting the full restoration of Medi-Cal
reimbursement rates. Media can read the letter HERE.
|