SACRAMENTO — Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana is taking aim at California’s Medicaid program for providing housing assistance, food, and other social services to high-need, low-income patients who tend to rack up big healthcare costs and, he argued, strain taxpayer funds.
The Republican blasted California during back-to-back political attacks in May, saying the heavily Democratic state is committing “outrageous fraud” and “stealing” by spending state and federal Medicaid money meant for basic medical treatment on unconventional services such as housing and nutrition assistance, gym memberships, and even tribal prayers and, he claimed, exorcisms.
“The California Medicaid program will pay for herbal medicines, meal deliveries.
'They’ll pay for housing,” Kennedy said. “I don’t know what housing has to do with healthcare.”
“California, they’re just setting all kind of records,” he added. “They’re wild people.”
Despite criticism from congressional Republicans and growing scrutiny from the Trump administration, Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat considering a presidential run, said he’s proud of California’s spending on social services in Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid program. It’s a multibillion-dollar experiment to help medically frail patients meet their housing, food, and other social needs that Newsom says is not only legal but also a more cost-effective and evidence-backed approach to providing healthcare for Californians with complex health conditions. He counters that investing in services outside clinical settings can help people avoid emergency rooms and hospital admissions, improve their long-term health, and ultimately save taxpayers money.
“It’s about whole-person care,” Newsom said, adding that he hopes President Donald Trump’s administration sees California’s leadership and agrees with the “reforms we’re advancing as national best practices.”
Now one of the governor’s marquee health initiatives is at the center of an intensifying partisan battle with Republicans in Washington, D.C., who have moved to rein in billions in healthcare spending on low-income and disabled people across red and blue states. It’s a philosophical divide: Conservatives say social services are a financial strain on Medicaid and shouldn’t be considered healthcare, while liberals argue that investing in prevention ultimately saves money. While experiments proliferated across the country under President Joe Biden, the Trump administration has rescinded federal policy encouraging state Medicaid programs to address health-related social needs.
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Leaders of Los Robles Regional Medical Center defend their actions in responding to a shooting at the hospital. Union leaders said mistakes were made. (Kisken, 7/10)
Mountain View-based El Camino Health implemented several AI applications that have revolutionized operations and clinical care in the last year. (Dyrda, 7/10)
On May 27, the Beach Cities Health District board of directors voted to move forward with a redevelopment plan for its 11-acre Redondo Beach campus that will permanently close Silverado. Within the next year, all residents will need to leave. (Harter, 7/9)
The Lighthouse Pharmaceuticals trial will determine if a drug that targets a bacteria called P. gingivalis, which is associated with gum disease, can slow or level cognitive decline in people with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. (Brenner, 7/13)
New research at UC San Diego seeks to help doctors understand why women are nearly twice as likely as men to develop Alzheimer’s disease. (Ireland, 7/11)
For years, state Sen. Roger Niello has attempted to address what he sees as a persistent issue: predatory law firms and their disabled clients suing swaths of small businesses for disability access violations. (Wolffe, 7/9)
Gov. Gavin Newsom approved $15 million to temporarily replace the federal Local Food Assistance Program that helped schools and food banks buy directly from small farms. (Zavala, 7/13)
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Bacteria were detected last month in the tap water at the California Department of Industrial Relations office on Reynolds Ranch Parkway. (Bowers, 7/13)
SEIU Local 1000 cites concerns about environmental conditions at some state offices; state officials say they are taking appropriate action. (Ronan and Williams, 7/9)
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Dr. Mia Shim has two decades of experience as a public health executive and internal medicine physician, most recently in the Seattle area. (Espinoza, 7/7)
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a resolution affirming equitable access to healthcare, including gender-affirming care. (Murphy, 7/7)
The public is invited to a special Bone Marrow Match Day and Family Fundraiser from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, July 16. (7/13)
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