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Earlier this week, both the California Democratic and California Republican parties — at their respective conventions — endorsed an upcoming ballot measure to strengthen Medi-Cal. This underscores two important facts: First, that health care access is critical to all, regardless of political affiliation, and second, that there is universal recognition that reliability and predictability are essential to support a strong health care delivery system in California.
The measure, known as the Protect Access to Healthcare initiative, would make permanent an existing fee on managed care organizations (MCOs) that enables the state to draw on federal matching funds to improve Medi-Cal. It will appear on this November’s ballot and, if successful, would enshrine a historic investment in health care for millions of Californians.
The ballot initiative — led by the Coalition to Protect Access to Care (of which CHA is a founding member) would create a stable stream of resources for much-needed investments in Medi-Cal, bringing as much as $4.4 billion annually to Medi-Cal providers to enhance resources for health care. As much as $1.7 billion would be used to bolster hospital care, including for:
- Emergency department services
- Outpatient services
- Public hospitals
- Graduate medical education
Californians of all political stripes recognize that health care is a basic human need, and that need is nonpartisan.
Having this — and a solution to make sure it can be met in the future — recognized and endorsed by the state’s leading political parties is a testament to the hard work of the coalition, the commitment of hospitals to care for Californians, and the values we all share.
