SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) commended state legislators for their support of Assembly Bill (AB) 900 (Alejo).

AB 900, which would partially restore Medi-Cal funding for hospital-based skilled nursing services, is critical to the successful implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and vital to rural counties that are struggling to maintain health care services, the group said.

“Cuts to hospital-based skilled nursing services don’t save money, they actually cost more by eliminating the most efficient treatment,” said Kevin Cann, RCRC Board Chair and Mariposa County Supervisor. “The state will spend hundreds of millions more to deliver less effective care, at a time when millions of new residents will become eligible for services due to the ACA. RCRC is committed to working with legislators to enact AB 900 to provide effective healthcare, and protect scarce resources.”

These cuts to hospital based skilled nursing facilities are disproportionate and devastating to rural communities, where access to care is already limited.

The cuts range from 25 to 40 percent, and are retroactive to 2011.

As a result, some facilities are closing, and others cutting back drastically.

For example, Mayers Memorial Hospital in Shasta County and Eastern Plumas Health Care in Plumas County have both halted new patient admissions.

In San Benito County, Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital also is making potential plans to shut down a 70-bed facility.

“AB 900 is critical to California’s future, and we are pleased that it passed the Assembly by a 76-0 margin, as well as the Senate Health Committee by an 8-0 vote. Such overwhelming bipartisan support proves that AB 900 should be passed and signed by Governor Jerry Brown,” Supervisor Cann concluded.

AB 900 was sent to the Senate Appropriations Committee Suspense File on Monday due to its fiscal impact.

It is anticipated that the measure will be heard in that Committee prior to the close of the Legislative Session.