L.A. Care Health Plan’s CEO, Martha Santana-Chin, spoke to a coalition of community health centers, health leaders, organizations that provide support for HIV and AIDS, and community health advocates about the crucial role Medicaid plays in the lives of working-class families by providing them not only access to affordable, quality healthcare but also economic stability. The event, organized by Wesley Health Centers, in coordination with the California Primary Care Association and El Proyecto del Barrio, took place on Wednesday, May 14, and drew more than 300 participants, including patients, physicians, and healthcare workers.
During the event, Martha shared her personal Medicaid story, and how growing up, she and her family felt a sense of security knowing that they had access to essential health services. She also discussed how proposed changes to Medicaid – including work requirements, co-pays and tougher eligibility requirements – would likely make it harder for eligible individuals to enroll or even cause them to give up on the process altogether.
Martha also discussed how the proposed cuts would force the state to dramatically reduce coverage, benefits, and funding for health services. This would not only impact patients who receive their care at community health centers, in fact, it would negatively impact the state’s entire healthcare system, including the ability of hospitals, clinics, and physicians to provide care.
Medi-Cal, California's Medicaid program, is a lifeline for 15 million Californians, including children, pregnant women, working families, seniors, and people with disabilities. In Los Angeles County alone, 41% of its residents are covered by Medi-Cal. And as the country’s largest publicly operated health plan, L.A. Care serves more than 2.3 million of these individuals.
Martha reaffirmed L.A. Care’s commitment to continue educating the public about Medicaid, support policies that strengthen access to care for all Californians, and work with cross-sector community partners to help safeguard our health care system. She closed by saying, “Healthcare is not a partisan issue – it’s a human one. Therefore, balancing the budget should not come at the expense of working families, seniors, and children.”
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