Our nation’s health care system is financially inaccessible for too many people — especially in California where the cost of living is second-highest in the country. Hospitals, a pillar of the system and often the largest employer in their communities, understand the challenges and have been working for years to slow the rate of growth in health care spending. But making a real difference for Californians will take an equal effort from others: insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, doctors, government agencies, labor unions, and more. California’s hospitals stand ready to do our part and are eager to work with other stakeholders to tackle this challenge.
About Affordability
Making Care More Affordable Will Take Collective Effort from Every Corner of CA’s Health Care System
Fixing health care’s affordability problem will require a team effort. In this issue brief, we outline several practical, achievable steps that can directly reduce the rate of growth in health care spending for consumers.
How Hospitals Are Paid
This infographic shows hospitals’ primary sources of payment — Medicare and Medi-Cal, which chronically underfund hospital services, and commercial insurers, which make up the difference.
Hospitals at the Forefront
This infographic shows how hospitals are doing their part to make health care more affordable. Now, it’s time for others (like commercial insurers) to step up.
Hospitals Ready to Help Make Health Care More Affordable, Accessible for Californians
CHA has developed the attached key messaging document to share the principles that guide our strategy related to health care affordability.