Local Issues
Welcome to the "Local Issues" section of Children's Hospital's CAN website. Below is summary of some of the local and regional issues important to Children's Hospital Central California.
Tri-County Regional Medi-Cal Managed Care Program
In January 2005, Governor Schwarzenegger released a Medi-Cal Managed Care proposal that included the expansion of Medi-Cal managed care into Kings, Madera, and Merced counties. Since that time, Kings and Madera counties have partnered with Fresno County to develop and implement a Medi-Cal Managed Care Program that includes a commercial health plan and a locally governed health plan.
The local health plan, or Regional Health Authority, is governed by a 17-member Commission, including 4 at- large appointments made by the Fresno County Board of Supervisors, and one at-large appointment from both the Kings and Madera County Boards of Supervisors. The Commission has been meeting since late June 2009 in hopes of beginning operations in Fall 2010.
For more information on the Commission, including meeting calendar and meeting agendas, visit http://www.co.fresno.ca.us/DivisionPage.aspx?id=38471
The outcome of the February 19th meeting was the Coalition's unanimous approval of a resolution asking the UC President and the UC Board of Regents to do the following.
1. Begin enrolling students into an independent medical school at UC Merced by as late as 2015 (not 2020 as proposed in the WAG report).
2. Incorporate medical education and clinical education at UCSF Fresno and other Central Valley locations during Phase II of the program, as opposed to concentrating clinical rotations at UC Davis affiliated sites in the Sacramento / Stockton region.
3. Ensure that research is a key component of the medical school.
4. Provide funding for the development of the three phase program as outlined in the WAG report, with the modified timeline mentioned in item one.
More recently, the Coalition, through funding provided by The California Endowment, completed a series of "Listening Tours" in which Coalition members conducted presentations and engaged in conversation with a large number of public and private organizations throughout the Central Valley to raise awareness and support for the Medical School. Using feedback received during the tours, the Coalition recently completed a report for the UC President's Office and the Board of Regents demonstrating the compelling need and support for a Medical School in the Central Valley. For a copy of the report, contact The Rios Company at (559) 485-1320.