Health Care, Community Leaders Announce Submission of Signatures for Ballot Measure to Protect Billions in Federal Matching Funds

for Children, Seniors

Measure Ensures Accountability, Maximizing Health Care Resources Without New Taxes Kevin Riggs (916)448 5802 Cell (916)798-5321 Sponsors of the Medi-Cal Funding and Accountability Act of 2014 will announce the submission of more than 1.3 million voter signatures statewide in order to qualify this initiative for the November 2014 ballot. More than 615,000 people in the in the five-county greater Sacramento region ( Sacramento, San Joaquin, Placer, El Dorado and Yolo Counties) are enrolled in the Medi-Cal program, including approximately 329,000 children. C. Duane Dauner, President/CEO, California Hospital Association Dr. William Gilbert, Regional Medical Director for Womens Services, Sutter Health James Shelby, President/CEO, Greater Sacramento Urban League Patient/family members Sutter Memorial Hospital Third floor nursery 5151 F Street Sacramento Monday, April 21, 2014 11:00 a.m. As a result of a bipartisan legislative agreement struck in 2013, California will receive approximately $3 billion annually in available federal matching funds for health care for children and seniors through 2017. The Medi-Cal Funding and Accountability Act of 2014 ballot initiative makes the legislative agreement permanent and guarantees ongoing federal health care funding without new state taxes. The initiative is needed to ensure that California continues to receive its fair share of federal funds and to ensure the money is spent as intended. At a time of great uncertainty about health care, the initiative ensures new federal matching funds are used for those who truly need it. The initiative holds the Legislature accountable and prohibits government, bureaucrats or other special interests from diverting funds away from health care to unrelated purposes. Any changes to the use of the funds would have to be approved by voters first. # # # Contact:

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