While the Orange County Board of Supervisors and County staff continue to contemplate Budget adjustments to comply with $73 million in annual lost revenues from the state, the most current figures for the County’s program for the uninsured (Medical Services Initiative, or MSI) now show hospital actual-cost losses at $200 million. This is up from $125 million in the 2011-12 program year.

Losses are attributable to spikes in enrollment (20,000 new enrollees from 2010-11 to 2012-13) and the federal government’s decision to shift payment for AIDS drugs to the Low Income Health Program, administered in Orange County through MSI.

HASC has sent a letter on behalf of hospitals to the Board of Supervisors. The draft County Budget recommends another $2 million Budget Augmentation for hospital services in the 2013-14 program year.

Contact: Julie Puentes
(714) 663-0294, jpuentes@hasc.org