Our year-long effort to help patients prevent crushing medical debt is close to the finish line: AB 1312, the Patient Debt Prevention Act, is on Governor Newsom’s desk! The bill received strong support in the legislature thanks to the many organizations, advocates and who shared their stories of facing debt they can’t afford just because they happened to get sick. CPEHN is particularly grateful to bill author Asm. Pilar Schiavo and co-sponsors Health Access California, Blood Cancer United, and Rising Communities
The Governor’s signature on the bill is the last, critical juncture for this legislation and the urgency to prevent medical debt is greater than ever. Federal attacks on our health care are estimated to leave 3.4 million Californians without health coverage, and widen disparities in access to care. That means more people and families – especially communities of color – will be forced to delay needed care or face debt collectors after a hospital stay, unless they have help accessing hospital charity care and financial assistance.
You can make a difference for patients struggling to afford care by urging Governor Newsom to sign the bill. Send a message to the Governor’s office, urging Newsom to stand up to federal cuts by signing AB 1312. Here’s how to make your voice heard:
- Download the template letter here.
- Personalize the letter and save it in PDF format.
- Submit the letter via email to the Governor’s office: leg.unit@gov.ca.gov.
Background
More than one in three Californians reported medical debt in 2023, and the rate is even higher among Black, Latine, and Spanish-speaking Californians and those with low incomes. Many patients say they often struggle to afford basic needs, forcing them to skip or delay doctors’ appointments. According to state estimates, 3.4 million Californians could lose their health care coverage under the federal cuts, meaning even more people putting off care or leaving the hospital with unaffordable debt.
In adopting the Patient Debt Prevention Act, California will require all hospitals to screen patients who are uninsured, enrolled in Medi-Cal with cost-sharing, or enrolled in other means-tested programs, Covered California, or who may be experiencing homelessness. With the Patient Debt Prevention Act, California would also build on past consumer-protection legislation that prevents medical debt from being reported through credit bureaus.
The bill standardizes best practices for financial assistance already underway at more than 100 California hospitals including Adventist, Dignity Health, Kaiser, and Providence Hospitals. Several states including Oregon, Illinois, North Carolina, and Maryland already require hospitals to screen patients for financial assistance eligibility, and some require automatic discounts.
The Patient Debt Prevention Act is co-sponsored by the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network (CPEHN), Health Access California, Blood Cancer United, and Rising Communities.
Resources
Contact
Ronald Coleman Baeza
Managing Policy Director
California Pan-Ethnic Health Network (CPEHN)
rcoleman@cpehn.org