Letter to editor by Muriel E. Frederick, Hollister
Published in Mercury News, June 20, 2010

With our state and local governments still reeling from the depressed revenues caused by Wall Street, the last thing we need is for the federal government to stop making payments to the states.

Yet that may happen if the Federal Medical Assistance Program, which was wisely increased in the stimulus package last year, is not extended. 

In California, FMAP means $2.5 billion. Without it, states will have to slash jobs to try to balance their budget. The jobs in danger include those who provide child welfare services; help the elderly and disabled; and treat victims of domestic abuse. Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer should keep fighting for this essential funding that will help California get back on its feet.

Muriel E. Frederick
Hollister

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Mercury News Editorial

Posted: 05/01/2010 08:00:00 PM PDT

The destructive battle over the crown jewel of Santa Clara County's health and hospital system, Valley Medical Center, continued last week with an eye-popping report from the New York consulting firm of Alvarez & Marsal.

The report once again put VMC's staff and advocates on the defensive by proclaiming, after a quick analysis, that the hospital is overstaffed by (gasp) 20 to 25 percent. Now questions are swirling about the assumptions used by the consultants — details that usually are hashed out with the subjects of an audit before a report goes public so that the underlying facts are not in dispute. That didn't happen in this case.