CA State Budget Woes and Your Medical Care

This may not seem like a big deal to some...but it is to me. California hospitals and their fiscal wellness are my bread and butter. I own my own Medical Coding and Auditing company in Southern California. While my work keeps me very busy, hospitals just can't survive more budget cuts. I received this today in my corporate email:


Today is July 1, and the new state fiscal year has started without a state budget. There is little expectation that we will have a budget soon. As the deliberations continue, the proposed 10% cut for hospitals and health care spending remains part of the package. The severe budget cuts increase the number of uninsured patients in California’s already overcrowded and overburdened hospital emergency rooms. The result would be longer wait times and higher health care costs for everyone.

If you've been watching television this week, you might have noticed a new a campaign supporting California's hospitals. The ads are part of the California Hospital Association's (CHA) ongoing public advocacy effort to stop $1.5 billion in cuts to Medi-Cal, CHA is launching an aggressive statewide advertising campaign -- SaveMyEmergencyRoom.com. This call-to-action campaign features a 30-second television commercial, supporting print ads and a website at SaveMyEmergencyRoom.com.

If the cuts are not restored, Scripps Health could lose $2.3 million, severely impacting Scripps Mercy Hospital's two campuses.

The goal of the campaign is to educate voters and stakeholders; build a coalition of support; and mobilize that support with a call-to-action to stop the cuts by signing a petition to the governor and e-mailing letters to legislators.

The television ad began airing June 24 with print ads also appearing over the next couple of weeks in newspapers around the state, including the San Diego Union Tribune. The ads will direct viewers to the new advocacy website to view a list of hospitals in their area impacted by the cuts, sign a petition to the governor, and e-mail advocacy letters to legislators. To lend your support to the effort, visit https://mail.scripps.org/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.savemyemergencyroom.com and encourage others to do the same.

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If you have a moment to particpate, I would appreciate it.

Thanks,
Michellene