BILLIONS IN HEALTH CUTBACKS, STATE SAYS

Despite efforts to fill federal fund gaps, millions of residents will be affected.

- BY KATIE KING

GENARO MOLINA Los Angeles Times

RACHEL DORAME worries about nutrition aid, another target of federal policy.

The state does not have the fiscal capacity to make up for the massive, oncoming federal cuts to healthcare programs used by millions of vulnerable Californians, a stark reality that will force state lawmakers to consider reducing benefits and eligibility and swell the number of residents without medical insurance.

That blunt assessment, released by the state’s Legislative Analyst’s Office, comes at a time when California faces ongoing budget deficits — with a $17-billion shortfall estimated for the next fiscal year — and imminent cuts to food support programs, such as SNAP, caused by the federal government shutdown.

On Tuesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom said the combined fallout from the shutdown and the Republican-backed “Big, Beautiful Bill” has left states in the lurch.

We're looking at “the largest cuts to Medicaid in American history,” Newsom said at a news conference. “They supported the largest cuts to food stamps and SNAP in American history —$186 billion over the next 10 years — before this manufactured crisis, this decision they are making not to provide the contingency funds to mitigate the impacts.”

The governor said that he’s working with state legislators to identify additional resources to help offset the cuts, but that there’s only so much states can do.

Top California health officials on Monday also warned that the federal cuts will deliver a devastating blow to public health and affect all Californians, including those with private health insurance, as the state struggles to mitigate the damage.