Sergio Romo Flubs Pitch For Medi-Cal For Illegal Aliens

Romo Pitching SB 4, a Bill That Would Cost Working Class Taxpayers Hundreds of Millions of Dollars and Decrease Number of Doctors Per Medi-Cal Participant

SAN FRANCISCO, April 30, 2015 — After recently signing a $15 million dollar contract to pitch for the San Francisco Giants, Sergio Romo has taken on the pitching responsibilities for a group of California legislators, too.  Romo is appearing in TV commercials pitching SB 4, a bill currently winding its way through the California legislature that could provide Medi-Cal benefits to up to four million illegal aliens residing in the state.  A similar bill was proposed last year but stalled in the Senate due to concerns about the cost to taxpayers.  Costs were projected to be between $700 million and $1.3 billion per year.

“It’s easy for Sergio Romo to say those who entered this country illegally should get healthcare benefits paid for by California taxpayers.  He’s a multi-millionaire whose lifestyle won’t be remotely impacted by higher taxes,” commented Jo Wideman, Executive Director of Californians for Population Stabilization.  “Sergio Romo will still be able to dine out at trendy restaurants, pay for his kid’s private schools along with the best doctors and ride around town in fancy cars.  But working-class Californians’ ability to make ends meet and get quality healthcare will be affected, and Romo shows little empathy for them.  Sergio Romo is a great baseball pitcher.  He should stick to what he’s good at.” 

Access to good healthcare for the poor in California will likely get worse if SB 4 passes. Only a limited number of primary care physicians currently participate in Medi-Cal.  According to the California Healthcare Foundation, about 42 primary care doctors participate in the Medi-Cal program for every 100,000 enrollees.  The ratio should be 60 to 80 doctors per 100,000.  Adding up to four million more people to the Medi-Cal program will throw the doctor-to-patient ratios off further, making it even more difficult for poor Californians to see a physician and get good healthcare. 

“This bill’s implications go well beyond taxpayer cost.  It could cost the most vulnerable Californians access to good healthcare.  It might even cost lives,” concluded Wideman.  

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