Health 11-13

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is proposing more cuts to state healthcare programs in an effort to erase a budget deficit looming over the coming fiscal year. Included is $141 million in service reductions, including lower eligibility standards for working parents on Medi-Cal and the elimination of dental, vision and podiatry benefits for adult Medi-Cal enrollees. Stricter eligibility standards for Medi-Cal enrollment would mean more people turning to Santa Barbara County’s public health clinics for care.