Assemblywoman Soria Announces New Select Committee on Distressed Hospitals

SACRAMENTO, CA— Today, Assemblywoman Esmeralda Soria announced the establishment of a new Select Committee on Distressed Hospitals. Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas appointed Assemblywoman Soria as Chair of the Select Committee.

Madera Community Hospital closed its doors in January 2023, leaving residents in Madera County and surrounding communities without access to emergency and vital healthcare services. Re-opening Madera Community Hospital has and continues to be the top priority for Assemblywoman Soria.

“The closure of Madera Community Hospital is not an isolated incident, hospitals across the state have been experiencing financial challenges, which were aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Hospitals that are struggling financially serve a high percentage of Medi-Cal patients and many are located in rural areas of the state,” said Assemblywoman Soria.

“We must explore why hospitals are struggling to stay afloat and develop solutions to prevent more hospitals from closing and eliminating vital services to our communities. This Select Committee is committed to identifying both short-term and long-term solutions to this health security issue,” Assemblywoman Soria said.

The Select Committee on Distressed Hospitals will provide a public forum to examine issues impacting distressed hospitals and their ability to remain open and provide essential healthcare services to the community.  The Select Committee will focus on distressed hospitals in both rural and urban settings serving a disproportionate share of Medi-Cal and Medicaid patients.

The Select Committee’s committee membership reflects the unique perspectives and experiences of the communities most impacted by distressed hospitals.

The following are the Select Committee members:

• Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
• Assemblymember Juan Alanis
• Assemblymember Jasmeet Kaur Bains
• Assemblymember Vince Fong
• Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia
• Assemblymember Mike Gipson
• Assemblymember Blanca Pacheco
• Assemblymember Jim Wood

The committee plans to hold two informational hearings in areas of the state with the highest concentration of distressed hospitals.

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Assemblywoman Esmeralda Soria represents the 27th Assembly District which includes communities in Fresno, Madera, and Merced counties