More Money Sought for County Health Services : Spending plan: At a hearing on ‘93-94 budget, which includes a 14% cut in care, supervisors are told that county is failing to keep pace with a growing crisis.

SANTA ANA —  Health care advocates called on county supervisors Tuesday to reorder their spending priorities and place funding for critical public medical services on par with law enforcement.

Citing longstanding budget inequities, officials said Orange County, by proposing a $6.2-million reduction in health services for the coming year, has indicated an unwillingness to keep pace with what they described as a growing county health crisis.

“In the health care field, there are no police blotters that provide television stations with their nightly fare,” said Chancy Alexander, representing the United Way’s Health Care Council. “You are not seeing the true picture. Men, women and children die daily as a result of not having adequate health care.”

Alexander’s plea came during the first day of public hearings on the county’s $3.5-billion budget for 1993-94. With the exception of law enforcement, fire and prosecution services, the final spending plan calls for significant cuts in a variety of local programs, including a 14% overall reduction in health care.

The most severe cutbacks--totaling $33.8 million--have been recommended for the county library system and flood control projects. The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to approve a final budget by Sept. 28.

On Tuesday, however, discussion was dominated by those who wanted more money for health care.

According to the county budget plan, the Sheriff’s Department could actually reap a $17-million budget increase should voters approve a permanent extension of the state half-cent sales tax in November. As proposed, the statewide ballot measure would dedicate all future proceeds from the tax extension to local public safety departments.

Edward J. Foley, Orange County vice president for the Hospital Council of Southern California, took particular exception to a planned $1.6-million reduction for indigent medical services.

“Please do not expect your partners (Orange County hospitals) to . . . continue to accept more workload, absorb more costs while suffering annual decreases in payments,” Foley told supervisors Tuesday.

Foley said county funding for indigent medical services helps offset costs for more than 23,000 low-income residents who seek medical care in local hospitals or through private physicians.

“Hospital leaders and thousands of Orange County residents and voters employed in the hospitals share your laudable concern for public safety issues,” Foley said. “But they view much of the work they do . . . in partnership with the county as an adjunct to your public safety program.”

Board Chairwoman Harriett M. Wieder defended the county’s commitment to health care, citing recent approval for a new health care authority that will radically change how medical care is delivered to poor residents.

Structured as a public health maintenance organization, the new authority is expected to begin operation by January, 1995, and promises cheaper and more efficient care for at least 250,000 Medi-Cal patients.

“I think we are on our way to putting health care in proper perspective,” Wieder said.

Should the half-cent sales tax extension be approved in November, Gaddi H. Vasquez said it also might be possible for the county Health Care Agency to redirect about $11 million it now spends on providing medical services to jail inmates. That money, Vasquez said, could be used to fund other needy programs.

The suggestion drew applause from the Hall of Administration gathering, but Supervisor Roger R. Stanton said later in an interview that it is too soon to discuss how that tax money might be spent.

He also said he expected Sheriff Brad Gates to oppose diversion of the new tax money to the jail hospital.