Washington, D.C. — A new report from Defend Forgotten America states that California’s pediatric healthcare crisis is not just due to market pressures but also results from years of policy choices under Governor Gavin Newsom. These policies expanded Medi-Cal enrollment without adequately improving the hospital infrastructure needed to care for children. The report, titled “The Collapse Of Pediatric Inpatient Care In California,” argues that reimbursement rates, pediatric stabilization funding and rural preservation strategies have not kept up, leaving hospitals serving large Medi-Cal populations under increasing financial pressure and speeding up the closure of pediatric units.
Defend Forgotten America is calling on Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass to explain how California intends to prevent further losses in pediatric hospital capacity after years of healthcare expansion policies failed to keep pace with the infrastructure needed to care for children.
Jenn Pellegrino, Founder and CEO of Defend Forgotten America, released the following statement:
“Governor Gavin Newsom spent years expanding government healthcare programs without ensuring hospitals had the resources necessary to care for children. Families were promised coverage, but coverage means little if pediatric units continue disappearing.”
“Los Angeles is home to some of the nation’s largest healthcare systems, yet families across California increasingly face longer travel times, overcrowded emergency departments and reduced access to pediatric specialists. Mayor Karen Bass should explain what steps she is taking to protect pediatric healthcare capacity for children in Los Angeles and whether city leaders are prepared if these trends worsen.”
“Healthcare infrastructure for children should never become collateral damage of political priorities. California leaders have found billions for other initiatives while pediatric care continues to erode. Parents deserve answers.”
The report highlights several policy recommendations, including pediatric-specific Medi-Cal reimbursement reform, stabilization funding for hospitals serving vulnerable communities, workforce incentives for pediatric specialists, and statewide transparency requirements before pediatric units are closed.
Read the full report here.
