California Trifecta

Just about every day something stupendously insane that one state or another has done will come to my attention, but those jokers in California managed a trifecta.  They double-dipped into healthcare and still managed to bungle some inmate legislation.

First let's look at the more ridiculous of the two health care fiascos.  They have decided that since the single-payer plan will not pass for the entire country it will still suffice for the good people of California.  Were they not paying attention to the failures that similar plans have become in Tn and Ma?  Even better yet, they seem to have lost sight of their current budget crisis and are looking to spend even more money that they do not have.  Perhaps they figure that their deficit is just not big enough yet to deserve a bailout.  Well, I guarantee that they have found the vehicle to permanent financial destruction.  This legislation would triple the size of their current budget. Couple this with item number two and the repercussions are staggering.

Second on the list of WTF items for California is patient wait time.  California has already passed legislation that will reduce the time someone will wait to see a doctor.  That is correct; apparently the whole issue here was that a rule needed to be established.  The doctors have plenty of openings to see you, but since there was not rule in place limiting the wait time, they just hung out in their offices doing sudoku puzzles and playing solitaire.  Of course, since they were wasting all that time instead of seeing patients it likely saved them money in payments to administrative staff to file the insurance claims over and over again.  The new law, which goes into effect in 2011, is a huge step towards... what?  If I practiced medicine in California, I would be asking all my friends to save boxes.  I would need them for the move.

Last but not least, it looks like California is going to make good on its promise to release inmates early as a means to reduce their budget deficit.  This idea is perfect.  If you take some vocational classes while in prison you can get out early.  But the deal does not end there, there is also a reduction in parole that goes along with your early release.  By reduction I mean that many prisoners will not be monitored at all after release.  Minor infractors will no longer be monitored for two reasons.  First, if they are not monitored, then they will not violate parole and therefore, not be subject to a return to prison (logical, if you don't think of the other implications here).  Second, it will allow the more dangerous prisoners to be monitored more closely.  California is really rolling the dice on this one.  I sure am glad I live on the other side of the country.  This is just one more reason to pack your bags and move (as if you needed it).