California Disability Benefits: California Budget Cut Hits Seniors and Disabled

June 1, 2011

San Francisco – Due to California’s budget deficit problem, about 380,000 seniors and disabled individuals enrolled in the state’s Medi-Cal program will need to apply for managed health care plans.

Officials point out that the quality of health care services provided to seniors and disabled people would not be affected by the shift of health care plan. However, their choices of medical physicians would be limited.

Elizabeth Landsberg, director of legislative advocacy for the Western Center on Law and Poverty said that managed health care plans might not be able to treat beneficiaries with serious health problems.

In the past, seniors and disabled individuals have the privilege to choose what kind of health care plan they are going to apply and which doctor to handle them. Now, everyone is required to apply for the managed health care. If a senior would not apply, the state would choose a plan for him.

The change is still caused by California’s budget cut to supply $10 billion to federal funds over the next five years.