Why Does The California Primary Care Association Oppose Proposition 40 Funding For California Primary Care?

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A damning new report commissioned by the California Primary Care Association (CPCA) reveals the grave threat federal healthcare cuts pose to patients and community health centers across the state. It also raises serious questions about why CPCA’s President is actively opposing the only viable funding solution that would fix the looming crisis, and save his own members.

According to CPCA’s findings, an estimated 2.3 million to 3 million Californians are expected to lose access to Medi-Cal in the coming years as a result of HR 1. And as its report makes clear, that would have a devastating impact on the 2,300 community health clinics that CPCA claims to represent:

• Medi-Cal enrollment declines could result in community health centers losing $1.1 billion to $1.4 billion in revenue.
• On average, community health center revenue could decline by as much as 89% per patient per year from $1,718 to $191.

“As CPCA’s own findings make clear, without revenue from the billionaire tax, California’s community health centers will almost certainly be forced to close,” said Debru Carthan, Vice President of SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West. “Their findings raise questions about why CPCA’s President is actively opposing the only viable funding solution on the table that would keep community health centers open and save CPCA’s 2,300 members.”

Prop 40, known as the Billionaire Tax, is a one-time emergency 5% tax on the wealth of roughly 250 billionaires. It would generate $100 billion in revenue to keep hospitals and ERs open. It would also save the 2,300 community health centers across the state that CPCA claims to represent.

Despite that, CPCA’s President is actively opposing Prop 40 — seemingly more concerned with playing politics and trying to curry favor in Sacramento than saving his own members and protecting care for millions of California families.

Impact of federal healthcare cuts

• Hospitals, ERs, and clinics will close. Without revenue from Prop 40, federal healthcare cuts are expected to put an estimated 83 California hospitals and clinics at risk of closure. Cuts and closures have already started, impacting communities from Los Angeles, to Oakland, to Glenn County. The patient care crisis will worsen as patients are forced to wait longer and drive further for medical care.
• Up to 3.4 million Californians could lose their healthcare coverage under Medicaid, including many seniors, children, veterans, and people with disabilities
• The state could lose about $20 billion in federal healthcare funding every year — destabilizing the health care system and driving up health care costs for everyone.
• Insurance premiums for Californians who purchase Affordable Care Act plans could rise as much as 97%, and an estimated 400,000 Californians could be priced out of healthcare altogether.

Impact of food assistance cuts

• Currently, 5.5 million Californians benefit from food aid. 3.5 million are senior citizens and children.
• At least 754,000 people could lose their entire monthly benefit, with over 3 million households facing reductions.
• The estimated funding loss is $2.5 to $4.5 billion annually.
• The SNAP/Cal-Fresh cuts, if not backfilled by other funding mechanisms, are expected to cost California approximately 400,000 jobs over the next nine years.

About Prop 40, the California Billionaire Tax Act

Trump’s “Big, Ugly Bill” slashed funding for healthcare in California to pay for more billionaire tax breaks. These cuts eliminate healthcare coverage for up to 3.4 million Californians and double health insurance premiums for millions more. Prop 40, the California Billionaire Tax Act, will make billionaires finally pay their fair share in taxes to keep local hospitals and ERs open and healthcare affordable for millions of Californians.

Vote YES on Prop 40 to save lives, tax billionaires.