Shalala

OPINION AND ORDER FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

Plaintiffs, a group of California doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists, and other health care providers, bring this action under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against defendants the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) and the Director of the California Department of Health Services (“DHS”). Plaintiffs contend that California’s policy of “capping” reimbursements at the Medi-Cal limits violates federal law because health care providers receive less than the amount required by the federal Medicare statutes.

Defendants move for summary judgment that California’s system for reimbursing health care providers does not. violate the Medicare or Medicaid statutes. Plaintiffs cross-move for summary judgment that California may not “cap” its payments to health care providers at levels below those established by the Medicare system. The parties filed briefs in support of their motions, oppositions to the opposing parties’ motions, and reply briefs in support of their own motions. This court heard oral argument on these motions and took them under submission. The issues in these cross-motions present only issue of law, and…