More than three million Californians face loss of health coverage in coming years because of federal Medicaid cuts. Over half of Californians have skipped or delayed care due to rising costs, and nearly half of those report worsened health. Health organizations identify financial uncertainty and reduced access as the largest post-pandemic challenges. Providers expect to do more with less while pursuing funding and internal solutions. Improved health data exchange can increase efficiency, lower costs, ensure needed services, and improve outcomes. California requires stronger governance to scale data sharing and reduce time wasted chasing records, repeat visits, and unnecessary tests.
More than three million Californians are expected to lose health coverage in the next several years due to federal Medicaid cuts. At the same time, over half of Californians say they have skipped or delayed care because of rising costs -with nearly half in that group saying their health got worse as a result. As leaders of health organizations serving Alameda County, Santa Cruz and the Central Coast, we can say unequivocally that these are the two greatest health challenges we've faced since the pandemic:
One obvious option is improving the exchange of data to enhance patient care. Evidence shows data sharing can make care more efficient and affordable, while ensuring people receive needed services and delivering better health outcomes. To get there, California needs governance strong enough to match the scale of these new challenges. More than two decades into the 21st century, far too many health workers still spend hours tracking down health records, chasing charts and faxing information,
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