For More Information Contact:

Norma Jean Vescovo, Executive Director
Independent Living Center of Southern California, Inc. 
14407 Gilmore Street, Suite 101, Van Nuys, CA 91401 
Tel: (818) 785-6934 
Email: ilcsc@ilcsc.org 

UNPRECEDENTED RULING BY NINTH CIRCUIT COURT ON MEDI-CAL CUTS

On July 11, 2008, the Emergency Panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a one-month interim emergency order, restraining the 10% Medi-Cal payment cut to pharmacies until August 11, 2008.  it was unprecedented for the court to hear and rule on a civil case appeal this quickly.  It remains to be seen whether the State will exercise its rights to request a rehearing of the case.

The Medi-Cal cuts had went into effect on July 1st.  The cuts would have caused Medi-Cal recipients here in the San Fernando Valley, as well as the entire State of California, to be unable to find doctors, dentists, and pharmacies willing to serve them.  Thousands of frail, elderly, and disabled recipients of Medi-Cal, right here in the Valley, who would not be able to obtain medical services, which they desperately need to survive, would have either died or been forced into nursing homes or other institutions, as a result of the cuts.  The cuts would destroy the Medi-Cal program by reducing provider rates so low, that no Medi-Cal recipient could obtain treatment and medicine from any practitioner.

The lawsuit was filed April 21, 2008 in Los Angeles Superior Court by the Independent Living Center of Southern California, Inc., in Van Nuys; three pharmacies, three disabled Medi-Cal recipients; and the Gray Panthers of both San Francisco and Sacramento.

As a result of the lawsuit, Medi-Cal recipients will now be able to obtain their prescriptions for the next thirty days.

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