The Region : Hearings Set on County Medical Cuts

Faced with state budget cutbacks of as much as $29.1 million for health services, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors will begin hearings next month on probable reductions of outpatient and inpatient services for the county’s estimated 85,000 medically indigent adults. Although precise cuts have not been finalized, county Health Director Robert Gates said that his department will likely recommend cutting about 150 inpatient beds countywide as well as elective surgical procedures now performed at 42 health centers. Hearings are required by state law whenever patient care is directly affected by proposed budget cutbacks.