Sacramento, CA — The California Academy of Family Physicians California voters have overwhelmingly approved Proposition 35. With two-thirds of voters supporting the measure on election night, Californians recognized that the passage of Proposition 35 is a victory for all Californians. The passage of Proposition 35 marks a crucial step forward in ensuring access to care for Californians enrolled in Medi-Cal and improves the health care system for everyone. Chronic Medi-Cal under funding has undermined the foundation of a well-functioning health care system and has led to increased costs for all insured Californians.
The California Academy of Family Physicians (CAFP) was proud to contribute to this important effort to increase funding for health care programs. Proposition 35 is expected to boost health care funding by approximately $2 billion to $5 billion annually and importantly, prevents the state from redirecting these funds to other purposes.
Proposition 35 will directly improve health care access for 15 million residents, including half of all children, seniors, low-income families, and persons with disabilities. By ensuring that a significant portion of new funds is allocated to primary care, Proposition 35 represents a significant investment in the foundation of California's health care system.
The measure will help improve access to the primary and preventive services family physicians provide. It will also help ensure that when needed, family physicians will be able to help their patients access specialty care. In many areas, because of low reimbursement rates, Medi-Cal enrollees have to go to emergency departments to receive timely care or they avoid care until conditions become worse.
“This increased funding will directly support primary care, helping to ensure that family physicians can continue providing essential services to vulnerable populations," said Alex McDonald, MD, CAFP President. "Our members have long advocated for expanded access to care in Medi-Cal. This measure represents a significant step towards valuing the critical work of family physicians in our health care system."
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About California Academy of Family Physicians (CAFP)
With more than 10,000 members, including active practicing family physicians, residents in family medicine, and medical students interested in the specialty, CAFP is the largest primary care medical society in California. Family physicians are trained to treat an entire family's medical needs and address life's medical challenges. Family physicians serve a broad base of patients in urban, suburban and rural areas, often in California’s most underserved areas.
