California Governor and senators speak out against GOP health care bill

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Planned Parenthood would be removed from the Federal Medicaid system under the senate healthcare proposal. Facilities in Fresno, Madera, and Merced serve 31,000 patients a year. Services include everything from family planning to cancer screening.

"We do cervical cancer screening, yes absolutely. Breast health exams," said Pedro Elias, Planned Parenthood.

Elias said Planned Parenthood stands to lose 73-persent of its funding if the bill passes. Most of the patients they see in Fresno rely on Medi-Cal.

"For many, this is their primary care site or this is the first or only trusted site that they come to."

Governor Jerry Brown and Senators Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris all spoke out against the GOP led senate bill.

Feinstein said under the plan California would pay more for less.

"Medicaid covers 1 in 3 of all Californians. That means 14 million people would be at risk of losing coverage. Three in five nursing home beds could be jeopardized."

Feinstein adds hospitals could face over a billion dollars of uncompensated care next year.

Governor Brown called the senate proposal toxic.

"This bill would be the most divisive maneuver, cutting right into the heart of what is already a divided nation."

Elias hopes the postponed vote will allow more time for groups to try to convince more republican senators not to support the bill.