Budget Cuts Hurt Elderly
This letter is in reference to the article that appeared in the Los Angeles Times (June 11) regarding Gov. Wilson considering cuts in health-care services, such as a cap on nursing home stays, cuts in physicians’ fees and elimination of certain health services.
As residents of a nursing home, many of us are on Medi-Cal and we are appalled at the governor’s considerations. In order to balance the budget, he is willing to throw us out of our homes after 240 days. Yes, “homes”--because, for many of us, skilled nursing facilities are more than institutions, they are our homes and if thrown out we have nowhere to go; many of us will be in the street, homeless.
In addition to this, Gov. Wilson is actually considering eliminating basic necessities of life such as dental, optometry and hearing care. As we age, we need these services more than ever!
Is it fair that after paying into the system for 50-plus years we be denied our home and basic care because we are a drain on the budget? Many of us haven’t chosen to be poor and on welfare nor are we proud of it, but due to multiple medical problems and the high cost of health care in this state and country, we have been pushed into poverty, even after working hard all of our lives.
These may be “considerations” but they show the callous way the present Administration plans on treating not only the poor and elderly, but also the children and AIDS victims.
HELEN MILLS
Granada Hills
Get the L.A. Times Politics newsletter
Deeply reported insights into legislation, politics and policy from Sacramento, Washington and beyond. In your inbox three times per week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
