A $57 million budget deficit in the county health department, San Mateo County Health, will be the focus of a Board of Supervisors study session on Tuesday, Jan. 28.

The health department is projecting a $57 million deficit in 2020-21, with $48 million of the gap at the main hospital, San Mateo Medical Center, largely due to reductions in funding for Medicaid and other federal programs, according to San Mateo County Health Chief Louise Rogers.

More funding from the county is a possibility, but Board of Supervisors President Warren Slocum said that it's not the most desirable option.

Although the economy is booming, the county is paying for a number of expensive construction projects that would limit how much it could contribute, he said.

"We have a policy that holds departments accountable for their bottom line," he said. "As you can imagine, $57 million is a big, big number."

The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. at the San Mateo County Hall of Justice and Records, 400 County Center in Redwood City.