California's Senate Budget Committee unanimously voted May 24 to restore adult dental services to its Medi-Cal Medicaid program.
California has benefited from an unexpected $4.5 billion windfall in personal income tax receipts this year. But when Gov. Jerry Brown announced his revised 2013-2014 state budget on May 15, it did not include adult dental services -- despite 100% matching federal funds that will be available for people who will be newly eligible for Medi-Cal under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
State legislators had hoped to use an anticipated surplus to restore the adult dental benefits and other programs that were cut from Medi-Cal in 2009 due to a budget crisis.
While Brown maintains that actions by the federal government -- including automatic spending cuts and increases in the payroll tax -- eliminated any surplus, other lawmakers insist there is enough money in the state's coffers. In addition, the independent Legislative Analyst Office is projecting more tax revenue than the governor, according to a report by KABC-TV.
As a result, the budget committee has now voted to restore $130 million to the Medi-Cal program for adult dental services; however, Gov. Brown could still veto any spending the legislators approve, KABC noted.
