Health Accounting blunders cost California $300 million

The L.A. Times reports:

A series of accounting blunders in a state program that provides mental health services to children has resulted in a $300-million blow to the California budget, the administration of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger acknowledged Monday.

Officials at the Department of Mental Health told a state Senate panel that they thought they had money to cover their bills when in fact it had been appropriated for other uses under a new accounting practice.

The department also drastically underestimated the number of families it would serve this year — leaving it short tens of millions of dollars — and double-billed the federal government for some services and now must repay those funds.

No word yet from the socialists who tell us private insurance companies are "inefficient" and wasteful.This is just a taste of what government control of health means.Also,no word yet from Paul Krugman.