Jul 2, 2026 · 40 min · 11 segments
As part of the 2026 Developmental Disabilities Conference, California State Senator Scott Wiener discusses healthcare access. Series: "Developmental Disabilities Update" [Health and Medicine] [Show…
Clarissa KripkeGuest
Scott WienerGuestMaxGuestConference ModeratorHost
This talk is entitled, Keeping the Promise, Healthcare Access for People with Developmental Disabilities in California.
And the promise we're talking about is the promise in the Lanterman Act, which was first enacted in 1969.
It establishes California's entitlement to services and supports for people with disabilities and when I was first becoming a parent with a developmental disabilities, I read the act and it starts with the state of California accepts a responsibility for people with developmental disabilities, which it must discharge the complexities of providing services and supports to persons with developmental disabilities requires coordination of services of many state departments and community agencies to ensure that there's no gaps in communication or provision of services and supports.
So the first thing that I wanted to ask is with all of the challenges and struggles that we as a nation and a state are facing, do you think California is still committed to this vision for people with disabilities that's outlined in the Lanterman Act?
The budget challenges have been significant over time, and they've gotten now much worse because of what Trump and his administration are doing in terms of slashing and burning everything.
in terms of supporting our regional centers, supporting and funding various needs for folks with developmental disabilities.
Yes, I think with HR one where California could lose $30 billion a year in funding from medical every year.
What do you think the impact of HR one is going to be on access to health care for people with developmental disabilities?
It's devastating for anyone on Medicaid, what we call Medi-Cal in California, and 40% of Californians are on Medi-Cal.
And we know that many are going to lose their coverage because of hr1 which specifically targeted uh medicaid nationally um and that of course hits folks with developmentally both developmental disabilities particularly hard uh because uh so many are do rely on medical uh for their health care um and because it one of the really evil things that hr1 did was to put all sorts of administrative and paperwork obstacles in front of people just to be able to stay on.
And so for folks who are already have challenges in their lives and so many things to deal with, this is one more thing.
In addition, they targeted the Affordable Care Act, what we call Covered California in California.
And so for folks who are not on Medi-Cal, they may rely on the Affordable Care Act.
With the Affordable Care Act, the premiums are exploding because Trump and his administration and HR1, they got rid of the subsidies.
This talk is entitled, Keeping the Promise, Healthcare Access for People with Developmental Disabilities in California.
And the promise we're talking about is the promise in the Lanterman Act, which was first enacted in 1969.
It establishes California's entitlement to services and supports for people with disabilities and when I was first becoming a parent with a developmental disabilities, I read the act and it starts with the state of California accepts a responsibility for people with developmental disabilities, which it must discharge the complexities of providing services and supports to persons with developmental disabilities requires coordination of services of many state departments and community agencies to ensure that there's no gaps in communication or provision of services and supports.
So the first thing that I wanted to ask is with all of the challenges and struggles that we as a nation and a state are facing, do you think California is still committed to this vision for people with disabilities that's outlined in the Lanterman Act?
The budget challenges have been significant over time, and they've gotten now much worse because of what Trump and his administration are doing in terms of slashing and burning everything.
in terms of supporting our regional centers, supporting and funding various needs for folks with developmental disabilities.
Yes, I think with HR one where California could lose $30 billion a year in funding from medical every year.
What do you think the impact of HR one is going to be on access to health care for people with developmental disabilities?
It's devastating for anyone on Medicaid, what we call Medi-Cal in California, and 40% of Californians are on Medi-Cal.
And we know that many are going to lose their coverage because of hr1 which specifically targeted uh medicaid nationally um and that of course hits folks with developmentally both developmental disabilities particularly hard uh because uh so many are do rely on medical uh for their health care um and because it one of the really evil things that hr1 did was to put all sorts of administrative and paperwork obstacles in front of people just to be able to stay on.
And so for folks who are already have challenges in their lives and so many things to deal with, this is one more thing.
In addition, they targeted the Affordable Care Act, what we call Covered California in California.
And so for folks who are not on Medi-Cal, they may rely on the Affordable Care Act.
With the Affordable Care Act, the premiums are exploding because Trump and his administration and HR1, they got rid of the subsidies.
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