While the state budget deal struck on Sunday by the Governor’s office and state legislature still contains painful cuts to Medi-Cal rates, state worker pay, and the University system, funding for community-based care options that serve older adults and the disabled was ultimately spared.

Details on the budget deal are still being released, but it appears that more optimistic projections of revenue and expenses allowed the state to eliminate some of the serious cuts to community-based programs serving older adults, persons with disabilities, and their caregivers. If those cuts had gone through, advocates feared that many older and disabled adults who rely on community supports and services to remain at home would be forced into skilled nursing facilities — at a time when facilities are waging a battle against COVID-19. 

It appears that the budget still includes some cuts to Medi-Cal provider rates scheduled for summer 2021, and doesn’t include a proposed plan to expand Medi-Cal to undocumented people over age 65.  Learn more>>