Sacramento – Donaldo Hernandez, M.D., the president of the California Medical Association (CMA), issued the following statement in response to Governor Newsom’s revised state budget proposal:

“The California Medical Association (CMA) applauds Governor Newsom’s ongoing efforts to achieve universal access to health care coverage for all Californians. We support the renewal of the Managed Care Organization (MCO) tax and urge that it be fully invested in the Medi-Cal system that provides coverage to one in every three Californians to significantly improve access to care and address health disparities.

It is very welcome news that a significant share of the remaining provider reimbursement rate cuts from 2011 are proposed for elimination in the Governor’s May revision, as these cuts have had a negative impact on patient access to care for more than a decade. It is more important than ever to address the underfunding of the Medi-Cal system that makes it difficult for many patients to get access to primary and specialty care when they need it.

The May revision marks a significant step forward in achieving justice and equity in access to care for Medi-Cal recipients. There is much more to be done and CMA looks forward to working with the Administration and the Legislature in the coming weeks to seize this rare opportunity to make meaningful change in the lives of Californians by making timely access to health care a reality for all.”