March 19, 2026
What you need to know: CMA is strongly opposing a proposed statewide ballot initiative that would strip billions of dollars from vital health centers and clinics, inevitably leading to widespread clinic closures and jeopardizing care for millions of vulnerable Californians.
The California Medical Association (CMA) is firmly opposing a misguided statewide ballot initiative – currently gathering signatures to qualify for the November 2026 election – that would destabilize the state’s health care safety net. While the proposal – being pushed by SEIU-UHW – is being presented to voters as an accountability and transparency measure, its stringent spending regulations risk financially crippling the very facilities that millions of vulnerable, low-income Californians rely on for essential medical services.
A devastating impact on safety-net clinics
Community health centers and clinics are the backbone of California’s health care system. They are the primary providers of comprehensive, preventative care for low-income, underserved and rural populations across the state. According to a recent analysis conducted by the Berkeley Research Group and the state’s former Legislative Analyst, this initiative would divert an estimated $1.7 billion annually away from clinics through crippling financial penalties. This staggering loss of funding would put two-thirds of the state’s community health centers and Federally Qualified Health Centers at severe risk of permanent closure.
“In many rural and underserved regions where I care for patients, community health centers and clinics are often the only source of care,” said CMA President René Bravo, M.D. “This measure will force clinics to cut services or even close. Patients will lose access to care, and the health of entire communities will be put at risk. The California Medical Association is proud to stand up for patients and community health centers in opposition to this reckless ballot measure.”
The loss of this funding would be catastrophic for California’s patients, including families, seniors and individuals who rely heavily on these centers as their primary source of care.
Worsening the health care crisis and overcrowding ERs
California’s health care infrastructure is already grappling with workforce shortages, and the devastating fallout from H.R. 1’s historic cuts to health care programs that the state relies on. If passed, this ballot measure would compound these existing challenges, forcing clinics to drastically reduce their services, lay off staff or shut their doors entirely.
The measure would not allow clinics to keep funding in reserves or to make capital investments, thereby limiting their ability to purchase new equipment or technologies, open new clinics, or make any upgrades or expansions to health centers and clinics throughout the state.
When vulnerable patients lose access to local community health centers, they do not stop needing care; instead, they are forced to seek basic medical attention in already overburdened emergency departments. This shift inevitably leads to crowded waiting rooms with longer wait times, delayed treatments and increased health care costs for everyone.
As California works to build a more resilient health care workforce and expand equity in medicine, this proposal would drastically pull the state backward. CMA is proud to join a broad coalition of civil rights organizations, social justice advocates and fellow health care leaders in opposing this dangerous measure. We will continue to champion policies that protect patients and support our essential care delivery systems.
