OAKLAND, CA, January 10, 2019 – The California Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems (CAPH) applauds Governor Gavin Newsom’s FY 2019–2020 Budget proposal, which demonstrates his strong commitment to expanding health care coverage and making care more affordable and accessible for Californians.
To improve access to care for young adults, the Governor proposed extending Medi-Cal eligibility until 26 years of age regardless of immigration status, taking a bold step to close the coverage gap in California. Governor Newsom also included state subsidies for middle-class families who receive health insurance through Covered California. Individuals and families with an income that falls between 400 and 600 percent of the federal poverty level, will now be eligible for financial assistance.
“As core safety net providers, public health care systems’ mission is to serve everyone, regardless of insurance status or ability to pay, so we are thrilled to see Governor Newsom’s proposal to expand Medi-Cal to include young undocumented adults and improve affordability,” said Erica Murray, CEO and President of CAPH.
The Governor also proposed funding several new initiatives to address housing and mental health, including $100 million for housing services for Whole Person Care – local pilots, often led by public health care systems, that provide comprehensive, tailored care to California’s most vulnerable patients.
“We are encouraged that Governor Newsom has allocated funds to provide more housing services in Whole Person Care and are eager to hear more details on how this can be implemented,” said Murray.
Through an executive order, the Governor also established a new Surgeon General position in the Governor’s office, which will focus on the root causes of serious health conditions, including social determinants of health and adverse childhood experiences – issues that resonate deeply with public health care systems.
“Achieving health equity and reducing disparities has been a key part of public health care systems’ work. As these efforts continue, we anticipate many opportunities to partner with California’s Surgeon General to address these issues.”
“CAPH looks forward to working with Governor Newsom, his team, and our county partners to improve the health of low-income patients across California,” said Murray.
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About California’s Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems (CAPH)
The California Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems (CAPH) represents California’s 21 public health care systems, which include county-affiliated systems and the five University of California academic medical centers. Together, these systems form the core of the state’s health care safety net. Though accounting for just 6% of hospitals in the state, the public health care systems operate in 15 counties where more than 80% of the state’s population lives. They provide 40% of all hospital care to California’s remaining uninsured and 35% of all hospital care to Medi-Cal beneficiaries in the communities they serve. These 21 health care systems serve 2.85 million patients annually, operate more than 200 outpatient clinic facilities, and provide more than 11.5 million outpatient visits each year. They operate more than half of California’s top-level burn and trauma centers, and train more than half of all new doctors in the state. For more information, visit www.caph.org.
Media Contact:
Megan Renfrew
CAPH Director of Communications
510-874-7116
mrenfrew@caph.org