Urges Governor Newsom to Sign a Final Budget That Adopts Fair Share Contribution to Protect Californians’ Health Care SACRAMENTO, CA – The Fight For Our Health coalition, led by SEIU California, Health Access California, and the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, is encouraged by the Legislature’s budget proposal released yesterday, which delays or rejects cruel Medi-Cal […] The post Fight For Our Health Coalition Applauds Legislature’s Budget Proposal as a Critical Step Forward to Protect Medi-Cal appeared first on Health Access.
Urges Governor Newsom to Sign a Final Budget That Adopts Fair Share Contribution to Protect Californians’ Health Care
SACRAMENTO, CA – The Fight For Our Health coalition, led by SEIU California, Health Access California, and the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, is encouraged by the Legislature’s budget proposal released yesterday, which delays or rejects cruel Medi-Cal cuts proposed by Governor Newsom and requires the state to identify steps to hold the biggest corporations responsible when they shift onto Medi-Cal the cost of providing healthcare to their workers. The Fight for Our Health campaign has led the fight for sustainable revenues to protect Californians from devastating health care cuts under H.R. 1, what President Trump calls the “Big, Beautiful Bill.” Yesterday’s agreement, which still must be signed by Governor Newsom, represents a meaningful step forward to ensure corporations pay their fair share.
“As Californians continue to face federal attacks to our care, our State Legislature is stepping up. The budget announced by State Senate and Assembly leaders puts patients first – taking key steps to ensuring that ultra-wealthy corporations pay their fair share to keep Medi-Cal strong,” said Rachel Linn Gish, interim deputy director at Health Access California. “California is showing the way forward in a Trump era that wants to take us backward. We thank our legislators for their hard work and hope that together with Governor Newsom, our elected leaders will deliver a budget this year that prevents harmful cuts, keeps Californians covered, and maintains vital access to life-saving care while we continue the fight to preserve these services.”
The joint legislative budget proposal:
- Establishes the Fair Share from Big Corporation program to combat the harm to health programs caused by H.R. 1.
- Under the program, the Administration will be required to present fully viable options to the Legislature for holding big corporations accountable for their employees’ health care costs by April 1, 2027.
- Beginning the process to adopt the Fair Share from Big Corporations Act, which will also include data from EDD, DHCS, and elsewhere on how many workers at these corporations are enrolled in Medi-Cal.
“We appreciate the Legislature’s commitment to pursuing revenues from the largest corporations to maintain essential health care that benefits all Californians,” said Kiran Savage-Sangwan, executive director of California Pan-Ethnic Health Network. “Large corporations who profit off the hard work of Californians should pay back into our health care system, particularly when many will reap billions in new tax cuts under Trump and Congressional Republicans’ H.R. 1. We’ll keep fighting to hold California leaders to our state’s values and generate the revenues necessary to protect vital care for all Californians.”
The stakes remain urgent. Without a full and immediate revenue solution, nearly 2 million Californians are still projected to lose Medi-Cal by 2028 as a direct result of H.R. 1 cuts. A new UC Berkeley Labor Center study found that 3.6 million California workers already rely on Medi-Cal at a projected cost of $36 billion in state and federal dollars — because large corporations have failed to provide affordable coverage for the workers they depend on. A recent statewide poll found 76% of California voters support requiring large corporations to contribute to Medi-Cal by a 4-to-1 margin.
“Holding corporations accountable to protect health care for low-wage workers and vulnerable Californians, the Legislature’s budget shows that it’s possible to unrig California when working people and communities stand up to fight for what’s right,” said David Green, SEIU 721 President and Executive Director. “With millions of families’ health care in the balance, we call for Governor Newsom to sign a budget that advances a Fair Share Contribution, joining the 76 percent of voters who say they’re tired of corporations sticking ordinary taxpayers with a $36 billion annual health care bill while their CEOs buy bigger jets.”
A summary of the Legislature’s joint budget plan from the State Senate can be found here. We are calling on Governor Newsom to sign a final budget that protects Medi-Cal, holds corporations accountable, and ensures that the people of California are not saddled with the costs of tax breaks for corporations, paid for by their health care. The coalition plans to continue to fight to ensure these dollars are raised and utilized as quickly as possible.
###
Contact:
Mike Roth; [email protected]; 916-813-1554
The post Fight For Our Health Coalition Applauds Legislature’s Budget Proposal as a Critical Step Forward to Protect Medi-Cal appeared first on Health Access.
