"Today only a small percentage of San Diego physicians accept Medi-Cal -- even before Gov. Jerry Brown (D) and the Legislature chose to balance the budget by implementing major new Medi-Cal reimbursement reductions," Robert Wailes -- president of the San Diego County Medical Society -- writes in a San Diego Union-Tribune opinion piece. Medi-Cal is California's Medicaid program. Wailes writes, "When payments for services rendered are further reduced to a preposterous level, the departure of the few providers willing to see Medi-Cal patients will accelerate." According to Wailes, data from the society "already indicate a near total exodus from Medi-Cal by individual doctors, particularly specialists." He concludes, "Cutting Medi-Cal's already abysmal rates will harm the health of Medi-Cal recipients and our state, will cost all of our citizenry more money and affect their health care -- making a mockery of the principal goal of health care reform, i.e., reducing the 'uninsured.'"