Tuesday, June 10, 2003

Health cuts up for debate (California)
Orange County Register story - "Advocates for the poor, the homeless and the mentally ill plan to pack the Hall of Administration Building on Tuesday to speak out against proposed cuts to medical programs for the county’s most vulnerable populations."  
  

State Senate panel balks at cuts, restores 538 jobs (Missouri)
Southeast Missourian story - "A Senate committee will likely reinstate some, if not most, of the 538 state jobs the House of Representatives endorsed eliminating last week. Several members of the Senate Appropriations Committee said Monday that the scope of job cuts at three departments -- mental health, health and senior services, and social services -- would impede the ability of those agencies to efficiently and effectively deliver programs."  
  

Mental health bill sparks debate (New York)
Democrat & Chronicle story - "...state lawmakers are considering approving a sweeping expansion of mental health services that health insurance policies have to cover. ... To its supporters, the passage of the bill would end what they see as discrimination against those with mental illness. Treatment of emotional and behavior disorders, as well as drug addiction and alcoholism, would be covered to the same extent as physical problems such as heart attacks and cancer. But to its detractors, passage of the measure would mean fewer New Yorkers would be able to afford health insurance and thousands would be added to the rolls of the state’s uninsured. That’s because the mandate would drive up premiums."