Coalition Kicks Off “Boots on the Ground” Town Hall Events in Key Republican Districts Across California to Tell Congress: “Don’t Take Away Our Care!!”
Over 200 Organizations Send Letter to Congress Urging Congressional Leaders to Protect Medi-Cal and Covered California
SACRAMENTO, CA – As President Trump and congressional Republicans threaten massive cuts to Medicaid – known as Medi-Cal in California – to fund tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy and corporations, the Fight For Our Health coalition is launching a campaign to tell California Congressmembers to protect health care for millions of Californians.
The House is already beginning this process, with markup starting this week on a federal budget draft that seeks to find $2 trillion in cuts, with plans to cut $800 billion or more from Medicaid, to pay for Trump’s tax cut for billionaires. Cuts of that magnitude would inevitably lead to coverage loss, lives at risk, and gaping holes in state budgets. The Fight For Our Health coalition is made up of health, consumer, labor, children, senior, disability rights, LGBTQ+, small business, and community of color organizations across the state organizing on the ground efforts to stop any federal attempts to cut, cap, or otherwise take health care away from Californians.
“The stakes couldn’t be higher. In every congressional district in California, tens of thousands of consumers would either see their health costs spike or lose coverage all together,” said Amanda McAllister-Wallner, interim executive director of Health Access California. “No Californian will be immune from the chaos and destabilizing effect that these proposals would have on the health care system: Health clinics, hospitals, and nursing homes will shut down – forcing people to travel further for care and overcrowding emergency rooms. At a time when millions of Californians are struggling with the costs of housing, food, and more, our statewide campaign puts the question to congress members – do you want to be the one who raises costs even higher for families in your district to pay for a billionaire tax cut?”
The campaign is focusing its efforts in three key congressional districts across California: David Valadao (CA-22), Young Kim (CA-40), and Ken Calvert (CA-41). The Fight for Our Health campaign will kick off its first major in-person actions next week, organizing town hall events in each of these key districts. Speaking out at each town hall will be constituents who depend on Medi-Cal for survival and local leaders who can speak to the impact Medi-Cal cuts will have on hospitals and life-saving emergency services. Reps. Valadao and Calvert have declined our invitation. Rep. Kim has been invited but has not yet confirmed her attendance.
These in-person town hall events come on the heels of a letter sent to Congressional leaders and California members of Congress last week. The letter garnered more than 200 signatories – including Health Access, SEIU California, CPEHN, Courage California, Disability Rights California, and more – calling on elected leaders to protect Medi-Cal and Covered California. The campaign has also already held meetings with member offices both in-district and on Capitol Hill.
“Medicaid is woven throughout the fabric of California communities. Half the babies born in this state are born into the program and it is the largest payer of mental health services in the country,” said Kiran Savage-Sangwan, Executive Director, California Pan-Ethnic Health Network. “Congressional proposals to cut trillions from Medicaid are cruel and put lives at risk. Cutting health care would hurt babies, children, seniors, and people with disabilities and would hamstring our efforts to respond to the mental health and fentanyl crises, as well as to keep the doors of hospitals and clinics open. California Representatives need to stand up for California workers and families, not do the bidding of billionaires.”
“California Republicans elected to Congress last year ran on a promise: to cut the cost of living for working people. Instead, they’re doing the exact opposite by driving up healthcare costs for millions of us so they can pay for their tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires,” said Luz Rodriguez, a healthcare worker and member of SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West. “CEOs and billionaires won’t feel the pain of higher healthcare costs, but the rest of us will. That’s why the Fight for Our Health coalition is fighting back by telling California Congressmembers to protect workers, children, families, seniors, and people with disabilities in their own districts by rejecting any cuts to Medicaid funding.”
The Fight For Our Health coalition is led by Health Access California, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) California, and California Pan Ethnic Health Network (CPEHN).
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