Proponents of the Health Care Endangerment Act have submitted signatures to qualify a cynical measure that places arbitrary pay caps on physicians, nurses, and health care leaders – threatening quality care
Sacramento, CA — In response to proponents submitting signatures to counties, organizations representing doctors, hospitals, community health clinics, and patients announced their strong opposition to a measure that would endanger patient care by forcing quality doctors, nurses, and health care leaders out of California by arbitrarily capping the pay of certain health care professionals.
“California’s health care system is being tested like never before,” said Carmela Coyle, President & CEO of the California Hospital Association. “Rather than working together to protect patient care and address significant threats to our health care system, one special interest is pushing a cynical and dangerous measure that will further deteriorate our health care provider network. It’s a shameful exercise at the worst possible time.”
The measure would impact thousands of health care workers in leadership positions at hospitals and physician group practices — many of the doctors, nurses, specialists, and others who provide and support quality care. By imposing arbitrary pay caps — the only one of its kind in the country — the measure will drive California’s best and brightest health care leaders to other states or professions.
“This measure will harm patients by driving physicians and health care leaders out of California and out of practice, reducing access to care and increasing wait times,” said René Bravo M.D., President of the California Medical Association. “At a time of growing demand and workforce shortages, we should be strengthening our health care system, not playing politics with the health of Californians.”
The measure impacts vital health care workers, including:
- Leaders of physician groups and doctors’ practices that provide specialty care like cancer treatment, OB/GYN, maternity services, pediatrics, cardiology, memory care, surgery services, and more
- Chief Nursing Officers at hospitals that oversee quality care initiatives, nurse recruitment, retention and training, and patient care plans
- Chief Medical Officers at hospitals that oversee physicians and patient care
- Leaders in surgery, emergency rooms, oncology, obstetrics, cardiology, pediatrics, and other specialties at hospitals
“California’s health care system is facing unprecedented challenges, including tens of billions of dollars in federal cuts, workforce shortages, lack of access and long wait times to see doctors and specialists. This measure will make a bad problem worse, diminishing quality care and draining talent and leadership when it is needed most,” said Francisco Silva, President & CEO of the California Primary Care Association.
Proponents of this measure have a track record of putting politics over patients. They have pursued dozens of failed and dangerous measures that jeopardize patients and health care worker jobs. The broad coalition of doctors, health care workers, and health care providers pledges to wage a campaign to educate voters about the dangers of this measure, and to ensure voters reject the measure in November.