MODESTO BEE
ORIGINAL ARTICLE

By TIM MORAN
BEE STAFF WRITER
Last Updated: September 13, 2006, 03:55:35 AM PDT

Stanislaus County's strategy to put the Health Services Agency on sound financial footing is on track and doesn't need many of the recommendations the county civil grand jury made.

That's the gist of the county's proposed response to the 2005-06 civil grand jury's report on the fiscal crisis in the county health care system.

The Board of Supervisors will consider the response at this morning's meeting.

In late June, the jury made a series of recommendations designed to stabilize the HSA's financial situation. The county has racked up deficits of more than $23 million on HSA operations since 1997 due to rising medical costs and inadequate reimbursement from state and federal government.

The county's response says several recommendations are being put in place, but others are impractical or expensive.

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