How Medi-Cal Could Affect California Kids - Central Coast News KION/KCBA

Sacramento, Calif.  California officials are now preparing to move more than eight hundred fifty thousand California kids into Medi-Cal. Those kids are currently being served by "healthy families", a low-income insurance program which was eliminated from the latest California budget. So they'll be transitioned to medi-cal, a move expected to save the state more than seventy millions dollars a year.

But it's been criticized many in the medical community. Officials with the California Medical Association say it is irresponsible to move kids from a successful program to an overburdened one. And they say there may not be enough doctors to go around since they'll be paid about fifteen percent less under medi-cal than under healthy families. But california health and human services secretary diana dooley, who testified at a legislative hearing on the issue today at the state capitol, says she thinks doctors will step up.

According to Diana Dooley, Secretary, California Health and Human Service Agency "This is a very difficult time in California and a lot of people have to make sacrifices. Employees have taken pay cuts, providers have taken reductions. This is difficult, but I believe that these providers that are dedicated to the service of theses children will continue to meet their obligations and pick up and step up to serve these children that need this kind of care."

The transition will begin early next year and is expected to be completed by September.