This ballot may seem chock-full of costly projects, but Proposition 4 is a cause worth supporting.
The ballot measure seeks to improve and upgrade equipment at California nonprofit or public children’s hospitals through bonds totaling $1.5 billion. More than 70 percent of the money would go to eight nonprofit hospitals where there is a high volume of children eligible for government programs. And 18 percent of the bond would go to five of the University of California general acute care hospitals, including the Mattel Children’s Hospital at UCLA.
These hospitals largely serve low-income communities, and are dependent on state funding because donations alone aren’t enough to cover the $30 million to $50 million capital they all need.
Moreover, these hospitals and others are already losing money from state mandates. Low state reimbursement for doctors treating patients with Medi-Cal exerts extra pressure on low-income communities when trying to seek the care of these facilities. Additionally, California has imposed costly requirements that hospitals must meet by 2030. Without financial help, children’s hospitals would either see a decrease in quality of care or in their capacities.
These are the sad truths Proposition 4 attempts to correct for. This board endorses that effort to help California’s most vulnerable.