Another Four Bite the Dust

The dismal record of the Schwarzenegger Administration in court continues.

The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued four decisions Wednesday against Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger that continue to block past budget cuts to Medi-Cal reimbursement rates for hospitals and pharmacists and In-Home Supportive Services wages.

The Ninth Circuit agreed with lower court decisions that granted preliminary injunctions against the cuts because California did not comply with the federal Medicaid Act. The cuts were contained in budget agreements over the past two years.

Four more clear legal warnings that the governor’s draconian cuts to Medi-Cal and IHSS homecare violate the federal Medicaid Act  and probably the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Olmstead decision mandating community based care, and other laws and regulations.

Of course, the Terminator remains undeterred.

“We strongly disagree with the court’s decisions, which interfere with the state’s ability to manage its finances and reduce its spending to match its revenue,” said Schwarzenegger spokeswoman Rachel Arrezola. “We are confident the U.S. Supreme Court will overrule the Ninth Circuit’s rulings and reaffirm the state’s ability to make tough decisions to balance its budget.”

Translation: “Laws? We don’t need to obey no stinking laws! We’re conservatives!”