Last week, patients of distinct-part skilled nursing facilities (DP/SNFs) in rural areas of the state, and their families, were spared from the loss of access to vital services when an agreement was reached to prevent proposed cuts to Medi-Cal reimbursement for those facilities.Had the cuts moved forward, these very vulnerable patients would have faced the prospect of having to find care at other skilled nursing centers, located, in many cases, far from their homes and family support system. Thankfully for those patients, reasonable minds reached a compromise to not only avoid the cuts but allow for a small increase in the reimbursement to those providers.

With that now accomplished, it’s time to find a similar resolution for urban skilled nursing facilities. Implementation of Medi-Cal cuts for DP/SNFs in urban areas will have devastating consequences for patients, communities and access to essential medical care.

There is currently a measure moving through the state legislature that would achieve some relief for the remaining DP/SNFs in the greater southern California region.  AB 900, authored by Assemblymember Luis Alejo, a Democratic lawmaker from Salinas, has very strong bipartisan support and has, up to now, sailed through the legislative process without a single dissenting vote. The bill also has several co-authors from both sides of the aisle.  This important legislation is now at a very critical juncture in the state Senate where it currently awaits final action in the Senate Appropriations Committee, chaired by Democratic Senator Kevin De Leon from Los Angeles.

On August 30, the Appropriations Committee will determine the fate of AB 900. A decision will be made to either allow the measure to continue moving through the legislative process or to kill it. Hopefully, lawmakers, led by Senator De Leon, will follow suit with the action taken in rural communities and allow this bill to advance to a vote of the full Senate. The upper house can then  express their support for continuing the critical skilled nursing services for patients in urban settings.

If you wish to express your support for AB 900, please communicate directly with Senator De Leon’s office or your local state senator.