KTLA News: "Proposed budget cuts to free medical services for undocumented immigrants" (1980)

[Kenneth Gale] But the new budget before the County Board of Supervisors calls for a cut of nearly five million dollars in services to illegal  immigrants and to certain other indigents the county says do not qualify legally for free health care. They began a two-day hearing on the budget cuts today. And outside the hearing room this morning, various forces opposed to the cuts joined in protest. And the protesters were not only from the poor themselves but also administrators of hospitals. [Interviewee] We foresee, if these changes and if these actions are not taken, the following problems: we see an end, an absolute end, to the only organized program that addresses the problem of delivering acute emergency  care for the poor in all of our communities. It is the law in California that poor people are entitled to the same quality of medical care as those who can afford to pay for it get. The law also says that counties are responsible for providing that care. That law, the Beilenson Act, also says that counties cannot cut the budget for public health services unless they can show that those budget cuts will not affect health care for the indigent or the poor. [Gale] The matter of cutting back on health services could end up in court if the Supervisors stick to the budget cuts as planned now. For "News at 10", I'm Kenneth Gale, at the Hall of Administration, downtown. [Gale] ...looking for here... ...interruption. Our last recommendation is that a rec-, that recognition be given to the physician's role in delivering  emergency health care in this community. The Emergency Aid Program was designed by the County of Los Angeles in 1947. And a key provision... It is the law in California that poor people are entitled to the same quality of medical care that people who can afford to pay for it get. And the law also says that counties are responsible for providing that care. That law, the Beilenson Act, also says that counties cannot cut the budget for care to the indigent unless they can prove that it will not -- ...Council of Southern California this morning will speak to the Board of Supervisors in the Beilenson hearing and urge it to reverse its decision to curtail funding for the 1980-1981 Emergency Aid Plan program. We'll further strongly urge that proposals to restrict the program to those who quote can prove lawful residency in Los Angeles County, be reversed and overturned. Lastly, the hospital council will request that a study be conducted by a recognized and broadly represented  community agency such as the United Way, on the issue of healthcare delivery, emergency health care delivery for the indigents of... ...screening program directed at a single sector of our population, one that is both inhumane and, by the way, in our opinion, the opinion of those... ...ger exists to those health care facilities who are most delivering care to the aged and the poor of this community. As we reduce their payment for the services they're rendered, rendering at this time, we cut into their economic viability, we force them to reduce services, we put them into economically untenable situations. Our recommendations will be fourfold. The first recommendation and the one we feel most strongly about is that there be a thorough study into the emergency healthcare needs of the poor and the indigent in this community, that this study be conducted by an independent third party, a group that has shown itself to be interested in health care and to be representative of the community. We're suggesting the United Way. We secondly are urging that the residency verification requirements not be implemented. And lastly, that the funding of the present level of the EAP program be maintained in order to provide a continuation of care without... [Gale] ...day is for the Board of Supervisors to extend the money, in other words, in these Beilenson hearings not just cut the money off after the hearings have ended? [Interviewee] That is, that is true. To extend the money for the rest of this fiscal year which hopefully will occur at the same time that they will direct this study to be conducted, and that they will follow up on the recommendations of this study. The EAP program was designed in 1947. It's an old vehicle. It's an old car. It does not - it has not been modified. It has not been improved. If anything, its workload has been increased and its fuel's been cut back. [Gale] What you're talking about, [Interviewee] Something needs to be done. [Gale] but what you're talking about too is a small, relatively small program that would extend aid to illegal aliens, is that right? But you've got a whole laundry list of things that account for a lot more money than just the few million dollars. [Interviewee] That's, that's very true. The illegal alien is a part of it. I think we want to remember there are close to 1,300,000 illegal aliens in this, in this community. They're taxpaying neighbors of many of us. There are approximately 800,000 indigents in this community, many of whom, for one reason or another, qualify and need care under a county program. The county program that it was adopted in '47 is EAP. And it allowed the county to meet its obligation under state law to care for the indigent in such far-flung communities as Pomona. Remember in Pomona there is no county facility. An indigent, ill, injured, in Pomona must somehow be transported to downtown Los Angeles, for care. [Gale] Mr. Semaphore[?], you're talking about, about two million people who do not qualify for Medi-Cal or other state or federal funds. Is that it? No. I can't say that. There are 700- to 800,000 indigents according to the data that we're looking at. About 1.3 illegal aliens. Now many of the illegal aliens probably do not need this program. They're, they're holding responsible jobs. They, they qualify for health insurance and whatnot. So no I can't go along with your two million. [Woman] Isn't the main question here illegals?