The California Medical Association (CMA)-led initiative to expand access to and improve health care for all Californians took another significant step forward this week. The “Protect Access to Care” initiative officially became eligible for the November 2024 ballot after counties throughout the state finished counting the signatures submitted by the campaign coalition.

The initiative will bring billions of dollars in federal funding to California to improve care for patients across the state, particularly the more than 15 million Californians, including half of the state’s children, who depend on Medi-Cal for health insurance.

The initiative has garnered substantial support from a wide and diverse coalition of statewide and community organizations, physicians, other healthcare providers, community health centers, hospitals, labor unions, first responders, and elected officials. The California Democratic Party and the California Republican Party back it. CMA is chairing the ballot initiative committee.

“This initiative will help ensure that the remarkable gains we’ve had expanding health care coverage in California actually translate to improved access to care for patients,” said CMA President Tanya W. Spirtos, M.D. “The Protect Access to Care Initiative will ensure that our health care system has the tools and resources needed to provide meaningful access to care for all Californians.”

The initiative will increase reimbursement rates for Medi-Cal providers, some of which have not increased in decades. It will expand California’s education and training programs to create a pipeline of new healthcare providers, including physicians, nurses, dentists, physician assistants, and medical assistants. Funding for graduate medical education and loan repayment are also priorities in the initiative.

The Protect Access to Care Initiative will:

• Expand access to preventive health care for Medi-Cal patients, reducing costly emergency room visits and decreasing wait times for everyone.
• Protect existing healthcare funds to keep hospitals, clinics, and doctors' offices open and expand access to care.
• Help California manufacture its insulin and other prescription drugs at significantly lower prices.

This initiative makes a permanent investment in our healthcare system, laying the groundwork for a more resilient and equitable system that can meet the needs of future generations.