Opinion: Measure A would help keep Santa Clara County hospitals open

"Federal budget cuts in HR1, passed by Congress and signed by President Trump, have taken billions from Medi-Cal and left a hole in our county health system that's projected to grow to $1.3 billion annually by fiscal year 2029-30. Medi-Cal covers more than 450,000 county residents. When funding is cut, patients do not disappear. They turn to emergency rooms, the only places where they can still get care. That crowds hospitals and drives up costs for everyone."

"Our public health system serves one in four residents and cares for more Medi-Cal and Medicare patients than any other provider in the county. It operates two of our three trauma centers, and nearly half of all ER visits end up at a county hospital. Without Measure A, a five-eighths-cent sales tax increase on the Nov. 4 ballot, beds will close, services will be cut, and some hospitals may not survive."

"When hospitals close or when thousands lose insurance, patients still need care. They flood the nearest emergency room, creating overcrowding that means longer waits, delayed treatment for heart attacks, strokes and injuries, and worse outcomes for everyone, even those with private insurance. We saw ERs overwhelmed during COVID. Without Measure A, the next fire, earthquake or pandemic would be even harder to manage."

Federal HR1 budget cuts have removed billions from Medi-Cal and are projected to create a $1.3 billion annual shortfall in the county health system by fiscal year 2029–30. Medi-Cal covers over 450,000 county residents, and the public health system serves one in four residents while operating two of three trauma centers and receiving nearly half of ER visits. Funding reductions would force bed closures, service cuts, and potential hospital failures, driving patients to overcrowded emergency rooms, delaying critical care, and worsening outcomes. Measure A, a five-eighths-cent sales tax, would raise about $330 million annually for five years to bridge funding while longer-term solutions are pursued.

Read at The Mercury News