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 as 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 already garnered substantial support from a wide and diverse coalition of statewide and community organizations, physicians, other health care providers, community health centers, hospitals, labor unions, first responders, and elected officials, and is backed by both the California Democratic Party and the California Republican Party. 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 been increased in decades, and will expand California’s education and training programs to create a pipeline of new health care 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 health care funds to keep hospitals, clinics, and doctors' offices open and expand access to care. 

• Help California manufacture its own insulin and other prescription drugs at significantly lower prices. 

By making a permanent investment in our health care system, this initiative lays the groundwork for a more resilient and equitable health care system that can meet the needs of generations to come. 

For more information, visit AccessToHealthcareCA.com.