Doctors and health care providers facing a 10 percent cut to Medi-Cal reimbursements won a minor court victory today.
A federal judge in Los Angeles sided with plaintiffs in deciding which court had jurisdiction over the lawsuit and ordered the case be moved back to state court.
But the ruling has come too late for health care advocates. That's because the suit won't likely be heard before the cuts take effect July 1.
"It's a shame we have to go this route," said Scott Seamons, regional vice president for the Hospital Council of Northern & Central California. "The only way to stop the bleeding is to go through the legal process."
Earlier this year, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and lawmakers agreed to cut the state's health insurance program for the poor in a cash flow-saving move to keep the state solvent.
Doctors, hospitals and health care providers filed suit, seeking an injunction to prevent the cuts from being implemented. They said on average, hospitals already lose 28 cents on the dollar.
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