The governor is calling for cuts in several areas including
home care services, kids' health insurance and the welfare-to-work
program for poor families. But if California can't get almost seven
billion dollars from the federal government - five billion of that
specifically for health and social services - these programs could
be eliminated.
Herb Meyer is 78-years-old and from Larkspur in the Bay area.
He says he couldn't live independently if he didn't get assistance
at home.
"If I can't get my worker I would then have to go to a
skilled nursing facility, I'm a quadriplegic, I'm in my wheelchair
or I'm in bed 24-7 and I just need this service."
About half a million people are in the home care services
program. Last year the Legislature and the governor approved cuts
to this program but the courts have suspended many of those
changes.