Exclusive: Rep. Raul Ruiz Holds Closed-Door Meeting With Physicians on Healthcare concerns, Medi-Cal funding takes center stage
INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Major concerns were expressed tonight from local doctors about potential Medi-Cal cuts and threats to healthcare access. Congressman Raul Ruiz met behind closed doors with every major healthcare provider in Riverside County in Indio to hear their concerns. News Channel 3’s Garrett Hottle spoke exclusively with Ruiz about these issues, as well as the Trump administration’s possible removal of national monument status at Chuckwalla and new legislation aimed at helping disabled veterans.
“I talked about my deep concern for our health care system and our patients—the single mom of two worried about losing health insurance."
Physicians echoed those concerns, emphasizing how easily people can lose health coverage.
“One of the things we talked about is how health insurance is something people often don’t think about until they lose it,” said Dr. Geoffrey Leung of the Riverside County Health System. “About 30% of Americans will become disabled for at least 90 days, and 40% will lose their job unexpectedly.”
The discussion comes amid broader efforts by the Trump administration to reduce the size of the federal government, with the Pentagon recently announcing plans to cut 60,000 civilian positions. Ruiz warned that Medicaid could be next on the chopping block.
During the closed-door roundtable, doctors voiced frustration over funding cuts and restrictions on critical healthcare information, which they say are impacting patient care.
“They've ordered different committees to cut up to $1.5 trillion,” Ruiz said. “The math doesn’t add up. There will be a deficit in addition to this tax cut. But as part of that, they’re looking at making drastic cuts to Medicaid.”
In California, Medicaid operates under the Medi-Cal program, a state and federally funded insurance plan that provides medical services to low-income individuals and families.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has requested billions in additional state funding to help support Medi-Cal. However, the Newsom administration recently acknowledged that costs, particularly from program expansions covering immigrants without legal status, have exceeded expectations.
Republican Congressman Ken Calvert pointed to this expansion as a primary threat to Medi-Cal’s financial stability.
“The biggest threat to Medi-Cal currently is the decision by Democrats in Sacramento to provide free healthcare benefits to illegal immigrants. That decision has caused Gov. Newsom to ask for more than $6 billion in emergency loans in just the past few days to address the deficit in Medi-Cal funding."
Statement from Republican Rep. Ken Calvert’s office.
In his statement, Rep. Calvert added that Republicans in Congress are committed to protecting Medicaid benefits.
"Republicans in Congress are committed to protecting Medicaid benefits for the Californians and other Americans who rely on the program, including children, mothers, and the disabled. One of the best ways to safeguard Medicaid and taxpayers is to root out waste, fraud and abuse wherever it exists in the program.”
Ruiz pushed back on the administration’s budget strategy, arguing that the proposed Medicaid reductions are unrealistic and could have severe consequences for health care access in California.
“They've told the Energy and Commerce Committee, of which I sit on, that Republicans need to cut $880 billion from programs under the committee’s jurisdiction,” Ruiz explained. “If you zero out every program other than Medicaid, then they will only be able to cut $200 billion. So they’re going to need another $600 billion to find in Medicaid to cut.”
FOR NOW, DOCTORS AND FOLKS HERE AT HOME, DONT KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT.
For now, doctors at home, don't know what to expect next.
Coming up in our 6pm, and 6:30pm broadcast on News Channel 3, hear more in our exclusive interview with Democratic Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz.
