Push to save health care for the undocumented poor in Fresno County

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The Affordable Care Act has largely made Fresno County's $20 million a year contract with Community Regional Medical Centers to treat the poor, less necessary. The trouble is the program and state Medi Cal exclude the undocumented. Health care advocates want Fresno County to keep helping, but much of the county's funding has been cut and board members are wondering what help if any they should maintain.

"My willingness to act in support of undocumented persons ends at our ability to pay and the philosophical expectations of citizenship," said Andreas Borgeas, Board of Supervisors Chairman.

Supervisor Henry Perea who wants to maintain health care for the undocumented mocked Board Chairman Andreas Borgeas view. "Yeah, pick our crops, build our houses, clean our hotel rooms, and mow our lawns -- so we can enjoy the fruit of your work but when you get sick, now we are going to play and high and mighty and say your undocumented you are illegal, you are this and that, that is so un-American."

Several speakers, including emergency room Doctor Joaquin Arambula of Selma, told the board keeping the 5,000 undocumented who need continuing medical care covered is a matter of life and death. "I am an advocate for my patients. Cutting indigent care as proposed will likely endanger many lives."

The county has been offered a possible temporary fix. The legislature is considering letting the county delay paying back a more than $5 million in road debt, if it uses the money for health care. But Supervisor Debbie Poochigian argued, it's better to pay that debt now. "Now we have the money and we owe the road fund and there's no way of getting around that. We owe the road fund. "

For the next week, county officials and medical providers will try to find a way to keep some form of health care for the undocumented going. But if they don't, the county will give Community Regional Medical Center 90 days notice that their contract will be terminated, and the health program for the undocumented will end on December first, leaving crowded emergency rooms and Federally funded clinics to provide the undocumented only limited care.