Since the beginning of the pandemic, public health care systems have been integral to the state’s COVID-19 response. Without hesitancy, public health care systems have maintained ongoing access to testing and ramped up vaccination efforts, all the while responding to the unprecedented surges in COVID-19 cases across the state.
During this critical response effort, public health care systems experienced a dramatic increase in the number of Medi-Cal patients requiring COVID-19 hospitalization, particularly those who required care in intensive care units, leading to hundreds of millions of dollars of unreimbursed costs for public health care systems.
To preserve our vital safety net infrastructure and ensure ongoing COVID-19 services, public health care systems are requesting $300 million in State General Fund as a one-time investment to offset these costs.
Governor Newsom’s May Revision to the proposed 2021-22 State Budget included this funding to support critical care delivery needs during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic at public health care systems. Thirty-three legislators have also signed on in support of this request, in a letter authored by Senator Kamlager.
We commend the Governor and our partners in the Legislature for their support and we look forward to working with the Administration and the legislative leaders to ensure this funding is included in the final 2021-22 State Budget so that public health care systems can continue to serve low-income communities on a daily basis, and in times of crisis.
Read our press statement.