Hospital leaders urge YES vote on Prop. 52

This November, a diverse group of nearly 1,000 health care providers, businesses, taxpayer groups, labor organizations and children’s advocates from across the state are voting yes on Proposition 52, the Medi-Cal funding and Accountability Act.

Here’s why:

A 2009 partnership between the state and California hospitals has provided about $18 billion in federal funds to help pay for health care services for the state’s approximately 13.5 million Medi-Cal patients. Proposition 52 will continue this partnership, with no new costs to California taxpayers. Without Proposition 52, children, low-income families and seniors could be at risk of losing access to critical health care services.

The measure ensures the funds are spent on Medi-Cal, as intended. Proposition 52 prevents the Legislature from diverting these funds and using them for any other purposes. There is strict oversight at both the state and federal levels on how these funds can be spent.

The Board of Trustees chairman, medical staff president and I, as the chief executive officer of Madera Community Hospital, encourage everyone to vote YES on Prop. 52.

— Evan J. Rayner, CEO, Madera Community Hospital — Stell Manfredi, chair, Madera Community Hospital Board of Trustees — Charles Ugwu-Oju, M.D., Medical staff president