Effective community health clinics need more than physicians and exam rooms. They need scheduling teams, reliable medical records, language services, safe facilities, and the staff who keep care accessible. Proposition 44 could make it harder to sustain that essential infrastructure.
The measure would require nonprofit community health clinics to spend at least 90% of their annual revenue on healthcare services, limiting spending on administrative and operational needs. The CAFP Board voted last year to formally oppose Proposition 44 because these rigid requirements could undermine clinic operations, workforce capacity, and patient access.
Behind-the-scenes support is part of delivering care. Recruiting and retaining healthcare professionals, coordinating referrals, maintaining technology, and helping patients navigate appointments all require investment. Restricting those resources could leave clinics struggling to meet their communities’ needs.
The stakes are especially high in rural and medically underserved areas, where community clinics are a critical source of care. Proposition 44 could cut $1.7 billion from community health clinics in its first year and cause 88% of clinics statewide to operate at a loss. Reduced services or closures could jeopardize access for more than 11 million Californians and put additional pressure on hospital emergency rooms.
Community clinics already operate under extensive state and federal oversight. CAFP’s position is clear: supporting patient care means protecting the infrastructure and workforce that make it possible, not imposing a rigid spending formula.
Learn more at noprop44.com.
