African American and Latino Health Care Leaders Criticize Schwarzenegger’s Use of Medi-Cal Patients as Bargaining Chips in California Rx Proposal

“African American and Latino health care leaders gathered today in Los Angeles to protest Governor Schwarzenegger’s California Rx proposal and the negative consequences it will have on the state’s Medi-Cal patients. The leaders are troubled that California Rx will restrict access to prescription drugs for the state’s poorest and sickest patients. They urged lawmakers not to jeopardize the health of the state’s Medi-Cal patients and to reexamine the consequences of the Governor’s plan.

The advocacy groups are protesting the so-called “Medi-Cal Hammer,” an initiative in the Governor’s plan which could result in the removal of critical and important medicines from the Medi-Cal program. In effect, the Governor is using the state’s Medi-Cal patients as a bargaining chip and placing the most vulnerable patient populations at risk of losing access to needed medications. If Governor Schwarzenegger’s plan is enacted, many Californians will be left without access to their much needed medicines or forced to substitute their current drugs for older and potentially less- effective medications.”

Stumble it! | |

Other posts that may interest you

Immigrants Hit Hard by Governor's Planned Medi-Cal Cuts, Changes - California

Analysis: Medicare vs. the race gap

Latina Lista: Schwarzenegger's Remarks about Latina Colleague Highlight Sexual Racism in Latino Culture

Lower rates of emergency department injury visits among Latino children in the USA: no association with health insurance.

Regional, language differences affect Hispanics’ health-care experiences

Coalition of Latino, African American, and Asian Leaders Partner With Health Care Providers to Request State Funds to Tackle Growing HIV Cases in Communities of Color - Los Angeles

Medi-Cal pays for 100,000 births yearly to undocumented immigrants

NJHAs Quality Institute Receives Grant from RWJF to Improve Cardiac Care for Minorities - New Jersey

New Survey Shows Solutions to Improve Latinos' Access to Health Care in California

Study shows insurance status, not race, linked to complications in patients with acute appendicitis