Депутат призывает к срочному продлению льготной программы для трех больниц в пустынной зоне Калифорнии

SACRAMENTO — Repayment deadlines are fast approaching for California’s Distressed Hospital Loan Program, prompting Assemblyman Jeff Gonzalez to call for urgent statutory relief to protect three critical healthcare facilities in his desert district. The Indio Republican warned that upcoming loan obligations could plunge Palo Verde Hospital, El Centro Regional Medical Center, and Pioneers Memorial Hospital back into financial peril, threatening access to emergency care for rural and underserved residents across the 36th District. “Rural hospitals are lifelines in our communities, and we cannot take them for granted,” Gonzalez said. “For families in the 36th District, these hospitals mean having emergency care close to home instead of facing a long drive when every minute matters.” Together, the three facilities have secured $36.5 million in interest-free assistance since the state established the emergency fund in 2023: - El Centro Regional Medical Center & Pioneers Memorial Hospital: $28 million combined - Palo Verde Hospital: $8.5 million Balancing the books against bedside care Created to keep struggling healthcare systems from shuttering their doors, the program successfully stabilized critical staffing levels and preserved vital services across the state. However, as general operational costs remain high, lawmakers argue that enforcing rigid repayment schedules risks undoing those gains. A recent legislative proposal requests statutory modifications that would offer greater flexibility to current program participants. Proponents emphasize that the proposed relief fits within the existing budget framework and would not require new state revenue but would give rural providers the runway needed to achieve long-term solvency. For residents in California’s southeastern desert communities, losing local hospital capacity means facing lengthy travel times for basic emergency treatment. “We must make sure these hospitals have the flexibility and resources they need to stay open, keep their doors open, and continue serving our communities,” Gonzalez said. “This is about making sure rural Californians have access to health care close to home, no matter where they live.”