ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF PROPOSITION 44
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VOTE YES ON PROP. 44 TO PUT PATIENTS FIRST AND HOLD CLINICS ACCOUNTABLE.
California’s community health clinics receive billions of taxpayer dollars to provide care for people who need it most. Yet some clinics spend less than half of their funding on patient care and services, while large portions of their revenue go to bloated CEO salaries and other wasteful spending. As a result, patients wait months for appointments and healthcare workers struggle with staffing shortages, outdated equipment, and limited resources.
WHY PROP. 44 IS NEEDED
Community health clinics receive taxpayer funding for one purpose: to provide primary care, mental health services, dental care, prenatal care, vaccinations, and other essential services to millions of children, seniors, working families, and Californians with disabilities. Without access to these clinics, many patients would not get the care they urgently need. But some clinic CEOs are misusing taxpayer dollars by diverting millions to inflated executive salaries and other non-essentials.
With massive federal healthcare cuts expected to eliminate billions in funding for California’s healthcare system, community clinics will be among the hardest hit. Clinics may be forced to reduce services, lay off staff, or even close their doors. That means every healthcare dollar matters more than ever. California taxpayers can’t afford to waste resources that should be helping patients receive timely, high-quality care.
PROP. 44 DIRECTS HEALTHCARE DOLLARS TO PATIENT CARE
Proposition 44 is simple. It requires community health clinics to spend at least 90% of their revenue on their non-profit mission—patient care and the services that make care possible. That could include medical visits, mental health care, dental care, medications, medical equipment, transportation, language interpretation, care coordination, outreach, and other services that serve the clinics’ charitable healthcare mission.
What doesn’t count towards the 90%: excessive CEO pay, lavish events, bloated overhead, and other spending that takes resources away from the clinic’s core mission of caring for patients.
PROP. 44 HOLDS CLINICS ACCOUNTABLE
Proposition 44 will increase transparency by requiring clinics to publicly report how healthcare dollars are spent, so patients and taxpayers can hold them accountable. Currently, there are hundreds of millions of dollars in the clinic system that are not being spent on the core mission of patient care. Prop. 44 will make sure those healthcare dollars go where they can do the most good.
This measure does not cut clinic funding or reduce services patients rely on. Clinics that meet the standard keep every dollar, and even clinics that fall short can recover any penalties by coming into compliance. Unrecovered penalties, if any, are redirected to recruiting, training, and retaining the healthcare workers our clinics desperately need. Every dollar stays in the healthcare system—prioritized for patient care instead of excessive overhead.
Join healthcare workers, patients, and Californians who believe accountability strengthens our healthcare system.
VOTE YES ON PROP. 44 TO PUT PATIENTS FIRST.
Shawna Brown , Initiative Proponent Brisa J. Barrera , Community Clinic Worker
PROP. 44 IS A DANGEROUS SPECIAL INTEREST MEASURE THAT THREATENS CARE FOR MILLIONS
Make no mistake: Prop. 44 is not about resources for patient care. Prop. 44 is a dangerous measure written and funded entirely by one special interest that threatens access to care for millions. Prop. 44 imposes unworkable restrictions that actually prevent community clinics from providing the care patients need.
NURSES, DOCTORS AND PATIENT ADVOCATES ALL AGREE: PROP. 44 WILL HURT PATIENTS. Prop. 44 will:
• Cut billions from health clinics every year. • Force clinics to shut down and cut services. • Eliminate care for millions. • Send more patients to hospital ERs—increasing wait times for all families.
PROP. 44 IS UNNECESSARY. COMMUNITY CLINICS ARE STRICTLY REGULATED.
Community clinics are heavily regulated, with strict rules requiring resources be spent on patient care and serving their communities. Federal and state laws require regular audits and public reporting of clinic spending. Every community clinic is not-for-profit—led by a board that includes patients—requiring funds to be spent on patient care and community benefits—not corporate profits.
SPECIAL INTERESTS PUSHING PROP. 44 ARE USING PATIENTS AS PAWNS
Prop. 44 is a shameful power play by one special interest abusing the ballot measure process to gain political leverage over health clinics. This same special interest has spent $140 million pushing dozens of harmful ballot measures against hospitals, clinics and physicians, including three unsuccessful dialysis propositions that voters overwhelmingly rejected.
JOIN PATIENTS, NURSES, DOCTORS, AND COMMUNITY LEADERS: NO ON PROP. 44.
Prop. 44 is opposed by:
• American Academy of Pediatrics CA • California School Nurses Organization • California Medical Association • American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists District IX • Planned Parenthood Affiliates of CA • American College of Emergency Physicians CA • California Academy of Family Physicians
www.NoProp44.com
Signed by
- Brent K Sugimoto, , MD, FAAFP, President-Elect, California Academy of Family Physicians
- Kelly McCue, , MD, Immediate Past Chair, American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists District IX
- Susanne J. Spano, , MD, FACEP, President, American College of Emergency Physicians, California Chapter