Healthcare groups turn against Schwarzenegger budget plan for California

Major health groups that had backed California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's effort to extend medical coverage to all state residents have turned against him, saying his proposed budget cuts would swell the number of uninsured people by 1 million. The coalition includes Catholic Healthcare West, the state's largest private hospital chain; the Service Employees International Union; the consumer advocacy groups AARP and Health Access California; and insurers Kaiser Permanente and Health Net. Those groups last year pressed lawmakers to approve a $15-billion insurance expansion plan favored by Schwarzenegger.