Universal Community Health says Prop 44 would cut $3 million from its budget

Community health clinics in California serve approximately 7 million patients, a network that relies on consistent funding to provide preventive care and routine checkups.

Universal Community Health Center in Los Angeles has issued a warning that Proposition 44, if passed, would remove $3 million from its budget in the first year of implementation.

Edgar Chavez, the founder and Chief Medical Officer of the clinic, stated that the measure would penalize providers for offering essential services that do not fit strict definitions of patient care.

Chavez founded the center two decades ago to address a local gap in medical access. He noted that without regular care, residents often miss work and school or rely on emergency rooms for non-urgent issues.

The clinic’s analysis projects that the statewide impact of Proposition 44 would amount to a $1.7 billion reduction in funding for community health clinics in the first year, with annual losses continuing thereafter.

According to Chavez, the $3 million cut to Universal Community Health would force the organization to reduce service hours and potentially close certain locations. He identified specific roles that would be at risk under the measure, including healthcare enrollment navigators, translators, and appointment coordinators.

The physician argued that the measure’s legal framework is flawed, specifically citing a provision that allows the state Attorney General to determine what qualifies as patient care. Chavez described the Attorney General as a statewide elected politician without healthcare expertise.

Chavez emphasized that community clinics are non-profit organizations subject to federal and state regulations, including mandatory spending requirements and public audits. He stated that these existing oversight mechanisms make the additional penalties in Proposition 44 unnecessary.

The measure’s proponents are described by Chavez as politically motivated, with language that he calls arbitrary. He warned that if clinics close, patients will not stop needing care but will instead seek treatment in emergency departments, where costs are higher and patients are often sicker.

The clinic is part of a coalition of patients, medical staff, and educators urging voters to reject the proposition. Chavez said the goal is to prevent a shift from preventive care to emergency treatment, which strains both the individual patient and the state budget.