Quick take:
A coalition of patient, labor, health and small business advocates have organized a statewide series of town halls focused on health care affordability, with a kickoff event in Salinas on Thursday.
A coalition of patient, labor, health and small business advocates have organized a statewide series of town halls focused on health care affordability, with a kickoff event in Salinas on Thursday.
The town hall in Salinas will focus on local community concerns, the high cost of care in Monterey County and current policy solutions. Speakers will include representatives from Health Access California, the California Federation of Teachers and National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
A leading organizer of the town halls, Health Access is an advocacy organization that campaigns at the local, state and federal levels for health care affordability. It recently published a report that found the Central Coast has some of the highest health care costs in the state.
“Exorbitant health care costs are driving more and more families and workers into medical debt or to delay or skip care altogether,” reads a press release from Health Access, adding that Monterey County residents pay nearly two times the state average for childbirth.
Health Access said it will discuss policy solutions such as the state’s new Office of Health Care Affordability setting a statewide cost growth target of 3%, down from the current rate of 6%.
Health Access has not yet published a list of town hall dates and locations to follow the first event in Monterey County.
Monterey County town hall details
When: July 9, Thursday, at 10:30 a.m.
Where: 168 West Alisal Street, 1st floor, Salinas, California, 93901
