ITUP Statement on the May Revision of California’s FY 2024-25 Budget
ITUP Releases Statement on the May Revision of California’s FY 2024-25 Budget
Last Friday, Governor Gavin Newsom announced the details of the May Revision of California’s FY 2024-25 budget. The California Department of Finance issued an alarming new fiscal outlook estimating a budget deficit of $27.6 billion, representing California’s current problem statement for FY 2024-25. Due to the budget shortfall, the State is facing multiple reductions and unfunded programs slated to be funded in the upcoming fiscal year.
Insure the Uninsured Project (ITUP)’s top priority has always been to advocate for sufficient public investment in our communities of care, envisioning a future state where all Californians have access to equitable opportunities to live their healthiest lives.
ITUP recognizes that the end of the COVID-19 pandemic does not equate to the end of the impact of COVID-19. California families continue to face empty chairs at the dining table, loss of income, loss of health coverage, learning loss, and symptoms due to long COVID. The pandemic highlighted the need to invest in an equitable and accessible health care system, including adequate health care workforce, public health, broadband access, and continuous Medi-Cal coverage.
ITUP is concerned about the exclusion of continuous Medi-Cal coverage for kids ages 0 to 4 and the reductions in broadband benefits, the Children, Youth, and Behavioral Health Initiative, public health infrastructure, health care workforce, and equity and practice transformation payments to providers. We are concerned that policy gains that were made in building equitable systems for Californians, particularly communities of color, will not be realized due to the budget shortfall. Equity in health care aligns with our shared California values and must continue to be at the forefront of our budget decisions. We stand ready to partner with our sister organizations, legislators, and government officials to mitigate the effects of the budget shortfall on our communities of care.