North State Health Care Leaders Urge ‘Yes’ Vote on Proposition 35

For Immediate Release
October 1, 2024

CONTACT: Press@VoteYes35.com

Prop 35 Will Help Address the North State’s Most Urgent Health Care Priorities

North State, CA — As Northern California counties face a deepening health care crisis, local physicians, business leaders, hospitals, community health centers, emergency responders, and more than 300 hundred organizations are calling on voters to support Proposition 35 on the November ballot. The initiative will address the region’s most urgent health care problems by significantly expanding access to quality care.

Nearly half a million people across the counties of Siskiyou, Humboldt, Del Norte, Shasta, Mendocino, Butte, Lake, Lassen, Modoc, Trinity, Glenn, Tehama, Sutter, Colusa, and Yuba rely on Medi-Cal for their health insurance. However, due to chronic underfunding in the Medi-Cal program, patients in these rural areas face significant delays, often waiting months to access primary and specialty care providers.
 
“As a family medicine physician in Humboldt and Del Norte counties, I see daily how our health care system is stretched to its limits. Patients in our rural communities are facing longer wait times and a shortage of health care providers and this crisis will only worsen without action,” said Dr. May Hong, M.D., President of the Humboldt-Del Norte County Medical Society. “I am urging voters to vote yes on Prop 35 to ensure patients can access the timely and quality care they need to stay healthy.” 
 
The measure secures ongoing revenue by extending an existing levy on health insurance companies—without raising taxes—and dedicates these funds to protect and expand access to care at community health clinics, dentists, hospitals, emergency rooms, and with primary care, family planning, mental health providers, OB/GYNs, and specialty care providers like cancer and cardiology.
 
“For over 35 years, Shasta Community Health Center has been dedicated to providing high-quality, compassionate care to the residents of Shasta County and surrounding areas,” said J. Brandon Thornock, MBA, MHA, FACHE, CEO of Shasta Community Health Center. “Each year, we see nearly 40,000 patients, with over 140,000 clinical encounters, but our region faces a severe physician shortage that puts patients at risk. Prop 35 is essential for expanding our services, recruiting and retaining more providers, and addressing the urgent health care needs of the region’s most vulnerable populations.”  
 
Nearly 15 million vulnerable Californians rely on Medi-Cal for health insurance coverage, including more than 50% of all children in the state, as well as low-income families, seniors, and persons with disabilities. However, the lack of adequate and ongoing funding means Medi-Cal patients must often wait months to see primary care doctors, cardiologists, pediatric specialists, or orthopedists. Prop 35 will expand access to care for low-income families, the elderly, and children on Medi-Cal who currently have difficulty getting the care they need.
 
“From managing chronic conditions to providing urgent and preventive care, our 11,500 patients rely on us for essential medical, dental, and behavioral health services,” said Shannon Gerig, CEO of Mountain Valley Health Centers. “Prop 35 is critical to our mission, allowing us to expand access, bring in more providers, and ensure timely, high-quality care to support the health and well-being of our communities.” 
 
In addition to providing funding to protect and expand access to health care, Prop 35 also prevents the state from redirecting these funds for non-health care purposes. The measure contains strong accountability requirements, including mandating that 99% of revenues must go to patient care and requiring annual independent performance audits to ensure funds are spent effectively and as intended.
 
For more information, visit https://voteyes35.com/.
 
About the Yes on Prop 35 Coalition
The Yes on Prop 35 Coalition is a group of physicians, hospitals, health care workers, community health centers, Planned Parenthood, dentists, and emergency responders dedicated to increasing access to health care.