Both hospitals served by the company belong to Prime Health Care. This is the second lawsuit I have posted today with the other in San Diego with a balance billing suit. We were also just informed due to the economy in California that we would be receiving IOUs for any state income tax returns. It is already almost impossible to find a pediatric physician who will take Medi-Cal too, and Medi-Cal is at the bottom of the list as far as compensation goes, lower than Medicare. This has been a growing problem too for years in California finding physicians who will honor Medi-Cal. BD 
A group of emergency room doctors sued the state Tuesday, saying rates paid by Medi-Cal are too low and ultimately mean longer waits and diminished care for everyone. The suit comes at a time when doctors are facing fewer options for reimbursement and California has a massive budget deficit. According to the report, uncompensated emergency care in the county totaled $240 million for the year. That figure does not include low reimbursements from Medi-Cal or Medicare. Federal law requires emergency rooms to treat anyone, regardless of ability to pay.
The class action lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, names the California Department of Health Care Services, which oversees Medi-Cal, the insurance program for low-income families. It alleges that ER doctors subsidized state Medi-Cal with more than $100 million in care in 2007.
"We treat the uninsured and collect nothing and we treat Medi-Cal patients and collect what little we can, which doesn't cover the cost of services," said Dr. Irv Edwards, founder of Emergent Medical Associates, which staffs emergency departments at Huntington Beach Hospital and La Palma Intercommunity. "We are truly struggling or sinking in our efforts to provide quality emergency services to our patients."
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