Fresno supervisors to decide future of medical care for the undocumented

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A noisy rally was held outside Fresno's Community Regional Medical Center on Tuesday by a group who wants Fresno County to make sure the undocumented poor continue to get the medical treatment they need.

Protestor Maria Chavez told Action News, "I would like the Board of Supervisors to take a look at their community the people they support and the people that support them and help us to stay healthy."

Fresno County has been paying CRMC about $20 million a year for the care. But the new Federal Health Care law shifted those funds and does not allow the money to be used to treat undocumented people. The county's deal with CRMC is set to end on December 1st.

Some but not all of the care now offered through the Medically Indigent Services Program or MISP, will shift to Clinica Sierra Vista and other Federally Qualified providers. But Clinica Sierra Vista's Deputy Chief Kevin Hamilton says the MISP program is still needed.

Hamilton explained, "We think this is a necessary service for the community we think the medically indigent services program serves a huge community here that would otherwise go without health care or spend all their time in the emergency room."

The undocumented would still have to be treated in emergency rooms, or receive basic primary care at providers like Clinica Sierra Vista. But treatment for common illnesses like diabetes, or heart disease called specialty care, would not be available unless Fresno County extends its coverage. Supervisor Henry Perea says the state has given Fresno County an option.

Perea explained, "The legislation has been passed and signed by the Governor the $5.5 million for the undocumented in the specialty arena."

But the state isn't giving Fresno County the money. It's a debt the county owes the state for road repairs. The state would give the county another five years to pay it back, if the county uses it for health care. But Perea acknowledges it's not clear how many the money would help and for how long.

"So it could three months, it could go a year," said Perea. "I think the whole point is we are going to provide care to the extent we can, until the money runs out, but hopefully in the meantime we are figuring out a long term solution."

The Supervisors will decide what to do with the money, use it for health care, or pay its debt to the state at their meeting on November 4th.