Yolo supervisors reluctant to cut care for immigrants
By Hudson Sangree
hsangree@sacbee.com

Published: Wednesday, May. 6, 2009 - 12:00 am | Page 3B

Yolo County supervisors said they weren't ready Tuesday to follow the lead of Sacramento County by eliminating medical care for undocumented immigrants.

Instead, they decided to postpone a vote on the issue for two weeks while county officials negotiate with area hospitals to help finance community clinics.

The issue came before a reluctant Yolo Board of Supervisors after county health officials said the cuts were necessary to trim $1.5 million from the county's health budget.

The county is facing a $24 million budget shortfall next year and is considering laying off more than 100 workers.

Speaking to the Yolo supervisors Tuesday, physicians and health officials said that when low-income residents can't be treated at clinics, they will wind up in hospital emergency rooms.

"They're going to wait until they're too sick," said Robin Affrime, head of CommuniCare Health Centers, which provide treatment to low-income residents of Woodland, Davis and West Sacramento.

Hospitals absorb the costs when patients can't pay, she said.

Sacramento County supervisors voted in February to cut health benefits for those unable to show proof of legal immigration status.

Scott Seamons, regional vice president for the Hospital Council of Northern and Central California, said Sacramento hospitals has seen a sharp spike in emergency room visits since the vote.

Where a visit to a primary care physician might cost $150, a visit to an emergency room could cost $700, he said.

In Yolo, one of the fears is that undocumented immigrants from Sacramento County will come to Yolo seeking treatment.

But supervisors said they worried cutting care for undocumented immigrants would endanger public health.

Infectious diseases could spread undetected, "thus increasing the risk for the community and individuals," said Supervisor Jim Provenza.

Supervisors said postponing treatment could end up costing more in the long run.

They said they didn't want to make the cuts. But board Chairman Mike McGowan warned that if no agreement with the hospitals is reached, supervisors would enact the cuts May 19.


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