Western Center released a report showing that under the Governor’s proposal to cut Medi-Cal eligibility to the federal minimum more than 1.7 million poor children, parents, seniors, and people with disabilities would lose their Medi-Cal health coverage.

Sacramento County must let indigent residents know that they are not responsible for paying ambulance companies which transport them to emergency rooms, a Superior Court judge ruled January 15th in Fuchino v. Frank.  At the same time, the court decided that Sacramento County is not responsible for payment when one of its residents falls ill in another county; the other county must pay.   An appeal of that ruling is likely.  Western Center is co-counseling with Legal Services of Northern California.

Western Center Director of Litigation, Dick Rothschild, revised the chapter on attorneys’ fees for the online Federal Practice Manual for Legal Aid Attorneys.  The chapter takes on added significance, as Legal Services Corporation-funded local programs are now permitted, for the first time in 14 years, to seek fee awards in all cases.

Western Center on Law & Poverty is now accepting nominations for the 2010 Fair Shake "Rock Stars" who will be honored and celebrated at the 7th Annual Fair Shake on June 16, 2010. The Fair Shake: A Party with a Purpose is a celebration attended and supported by young professionals and advocates from throughout the region and the state. 
 

If you live in California and have problems related to a hospital bill, or need to find a hospital where you can find a fair price, HospitalBillHelp.org can help you understand your rights and options.

The Governor signed AB 191, AB 1142, SB 290 and SB 120, the four bills sponsored by Western Center.

California’s next 1115 Medicaid waiver presents a unique opportunity to improve health outcomes for poor state residents through expanded coverage and delivery system advancements and innovations. Advocates for low-income consumers have developed some proposals we hope the state will pursue in this waiver. We believe that the lives and health of poor Californians can be improved through a better and more cost-effective Medi-Cal program.

 The Western Center on Law & Poverty, along with other legal advocates, filed a lawsuit challenging state Medi-Cal policies that deny necessary medical care to individuals who have other health care coverage (OHC) when the other coverage does not provide the health care services the person needs.

Western Center's bill to make permanent the requirement that landlords give tenants 60 days' notice of a no-fault eviction passed the Assembly on 3rd September. It now moves to the Governor's office for approval. The bill, SB 290 (Leno, D-San Francisco), gives tenants more time to move when they are evicted through no fault of their own (e.g., a sale, owner move-in, or major rehab). The current law is set to sunset (expire) this year. SB 290 makes permanent longer notice, which is vital in helping low-income tenants secure replacement housing they can afford, keeping children in schools without disruptive mid-year changes, and allows disabled renters a better chance at obtaining affordable, accessible housing.

AB 171 (Jones, D-Sacramento) passed the Assembly 64-0 on 31st August and now goes to the Governor's office for signature. Sponsored by WCLP, the bill protects low-income consumers from predatory marketing of 3rd-party dental credit and loans. Among other things, it would prohibit dentists from arranging for credit while a consumer is under the influence of anesthesia.