AB 975 would dramatically change state law governing hospital non-profit status and unfairly constrict how “charity care” and “community benefit” are defined, calculated and credited. This proposed legislation would massively curtail the range of effective, community-based initiatives to improve health and ultimately reducing healthcare costs in communities across California, especially in those that are most at risk for poor health outcomes. We can’t let this happen.
Currently, California law allows hospital community benefit funding to focus on strategies that prevent disease, save lives, and control healthcare costs. The changes proposed in AB 975 would bar funding for community-based prevention, instead directing resources solely toward disease management and treatment through charity care. While charity care fills a vital need in our health system, charity care is not the only health need California communities face. AB 975 would harm millions of low-income families by shifting funding away from proven strategies for keeping communities healthy in the first place.
Join us: Prevention Institute has submitted a letter voicing our opposition to AB 975, and we hope you will, too. Send a letter opposing the bill to the Revenue and Tax Committee ahead of the April 29th hearing to help ensure that we maintain this vital source of prevention funding in our communities.
Thank you for sending a letter and standing up for California's health.
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