Essential Access Health Joins Reproductive Health Organizations in Support of Prop 35

The measure will provide funding for Medi-Cal, including family planning and preventative health care

Los Angeles, CA – Essential Access Health today announced that it has joined other leading reproductive health organizations, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists District IX, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, Reproductive Freedom for All California, and Women’s Health Specialists in support of California Prop 35.

This initiative will help to address California’s health care crisis by securing dedicated resources, including funding for family planning and primary care, and will ensure that providers across the state have resources needed to give patients the care they deserve.

“California has made important advancements to expand access to sexual and reproductive health care, but profound inequities remain that are disproportionately experienced among people with lower-incomes, communities of color, and individuals living in rural regions,” said Amy Moy, Co-CEO, Essential Access Health. “Addressing these inequities requires the stable and consistent investments in California’s Medi-Cal program that Prop 35 will establish in order to protect and expand pathways to care for people insured through Medi-Cal, and ensure that everyone, everywhere can access the sexual and reproductive health care they want and need – when and where they need it.”

Essential Access joins a strong coalition of nearly 350 organizations in support of Prop 35, which will establish dedicated funding to support California’s Medi-Cal program by extending an existing levy on health insurance companies set to expire next year. Critically, Prop 35 prevents the state from redirecting these funds out of health care programs, as it has historically done for 30 years. Prop 35 also contains strong accountability requirements, including mandating that 99% of revenues go to patient care and requiring annual independent performance audits to ensure funds are spent effectively and as intended. 

In addition to backing Prop 35 in November’s general election, Essential Access has also announced official support of other local, state, and neighboring state ballot measures. In California, Essential Access is also supporting Prop 3 to protect the fundamental right to marry regardless of gender or race, as well as San Francisco’s Prop O – the Reproductive Freedom Act.

Beyond California, Essential Access is supporting the Right to Abortion ballot measures in the neighboring states of Arizona and Nevada – recognizing the urgent need to secure reproductive freedom regionally – and Hawai`i’s marriage equality measure, given our work on the ground in Hawai`i.

###

Essential Access Health advances reproductive equity and champions quality sexual and reproductive health care for all through funding, advocacy, research, training for providers and healthcare professionals, and youth and community empowerment and education. We work to ensure that everyone, everywhere can get the care they want and need, where and how they need it, with dignity and respect.