Medi-Cal Forms

When I read Shawn Hubler’s Oct. 25 column, I breathed a deep sigh of grateful relief that someone out there understood what I am going through. I’m a psychiatrist in private practice who sees Medi-Cal patients as a service to people I have seen for a long time, who I remain committed to treat, and as a form of community service. The pay, as Hubler accurately described it, is insultingly low, and since the onset of the county’s stewardship, the paperwork is onerous.

As I write this I have a stack of self-evaluations and other nonsense to fill out, including a request for my auto insurance papers. I don’t know if I will fill them out or just continue to see my patients for no fee. I certainly will not take new Medi-Cal patients. Although I do understand the county’s need to be responsible to the taxpayer, there must be some way to be more inviting to those of us willing to provide services for our community’s sickest and most needy for almost no compensation.

IRVIN GODOFSKY MD

Marina del Rey