After Gavin Newsom requested a $6.2 billion emergency bailout of Medi-Cal, Assembly Republicans are calling for an audit of the program to determine why costs are rising rapidly.
In a letter to the chair of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee, Republican lawmakers requested an investigation to explain why Medi-Cal’s cost overruns are so severe, how the Newsom administration failed to accurately estimate the program’s budget, what steps have been taken to stabilize the program, and to what extent did the governor’s expansion of benefits to illegal immigrants contributed to the program’s fiscal crisis.
“Medi-Cal is billions of dollars over budget with no clear explanation or accountability from the Governor’s office,” said Assemblyman Carl DeMaio (R-San Diego). “Taxpayers deserve transparency — and a full audit to determine how this happened and how we can fix this vital program Californians rely on for health care.”
General Fund spending on Medi-Cal has nearly doubled to $42.1 billion in six years, and total spending on Medi-Cal has grown by 84% to $188.1 billion. Republicans cited the expansion of Medi-Cal benefits to illegal immigrants as a major reason for the increase, with current-year costs at $9.5 billion, including $2.8 billion in unanticipated costs.
Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher (East Nicolaus) voiced his support for the audit request:
“Democrats’ bad accounting has brought Medi-Cal to the breaking point, making it harder for patients to get in to see a doctor,” said Gallagher. “We owe it to Californians — and to the vulnerable people who depend on this program — to make sure Medi-Cal is meeting their needs.”
