California wants to pay doctors more money to see Medicaid patients

By ADAM BEAM
Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California wants to pay doctors more money to convince them to see more Medicaid patients. Medicaid is the government-funded health insurance program for people with low incomes or disabilities. Democrats have greatly increased the number of people eligible for Medicaid in California. But the rates Medicaid pays doctors have not kept up. Last year, California increased a tax on managed care providers. California took the money from this tax and used it to get more money from the federal government. California plans to use this money to increase rates for doctors. But the tax is not a permanent fix.