Good healthcare can be tough to find in California. The cheaper the insurance, the less likely the patient will get the resources, medical supplies and prescription drugs they need to live their best life.
Proponents of Proposition 34 say the statewide ballot measure could help.
It would limit how certain healthcare providers spend money from a federally-funded prescription drug program and specifically, would require them to spend this money on “direct patient care.” This applies to major nonprofit organizations like the AIDS Healthcare Foundation and requires all state agencies to negotiate for cheaper prices for their medications.
Supporters of this measure say that the government gives funding and tax breaks to huge nonprofit healthcare providers and taxpayers deserve to know that the money is being used to assist patients that are in need. An investigation by UT Community News and Knock LA documented safety and other hazards at AHF buildings — even as it continued spending money purchasing more properties and donating to campaigns.
An AHF representative could not be reached for comment.
The full story will be on the Boyle Heights Beat website and will be cross-published here in mid-October.