Today's Fresh Meat

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

For some Californians, no budget may mean no care in a matter of weeks. This Thursday, hospitals, clinics and nursinghomes throughout the state will not receive the $212.6 million inearned medical reimbursements and Medi-Cal was shortchanged $227million last week, the Sacramento Bee reports.

The late budget is also resulting in deferred progress on a new SanQuentin death chamber, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. This shouldbe of concern to our law and order friends on the other side, but Senator George Runner of Lancaster (above) shrugged the concerns off as "ridiculous." If only he held the same sentiment about the death penalty itself.

California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner announced that thestate's six largest preferred provider organizations—Aetna, HealthNet,Cigna, Blue Shield, Well Point and United—have agreed to provide dataon patient satisfaction and quality of care for a new consumer report card, according to the Bee. It's a step in the right direction, as long as bad grades are handed out when they are deserved.

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Photo courtesy of the Los Angeles Times.