SACRAMENTO, CA – Today, Governor Newsom signed AB 112, the Distressed Hospital Loan Program, into law. This program aims to help Madera Community Hospital reopen with the assistance of an emergency loan.
Since being notified of Madera Community Hospital’s closure in December, Assemblywoman Soria’s top legislative priority this session has been ensuring the hospital reopens so that her constituents have access to essential healthcare.
The Distressed Hospital Loan Program will provide loans to public and non-profit hospitals facing financial distress in order to prevent closure or facilitate reopening. The program will be run by the Department of Health Care Access and Information, which will develop an application and approval process for hospitals like Madera Community Hospital to apply for loans. Hospitals that apply will be evaluated on their need for assistance due to financial hardship.
Assemblywoman Soria was joined by Senator Caballero (D-Merced), Assemblymember Jim Wood (D-Healdsburg), and Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella), for the Governor Newsom’s AB 112 signing ceremony this morning.
“I am grateful to the Governor for prioritizing state assistance so Madera Community Hospital, and other struggling hospitals, have access to emergency funding,” said Assemblywoman Soria. “Reopening Madera Community Hospital has been my top priority this year and today’s action gives me hope towards restoring emergency health care, labor and delivery services, and preventative care access that is critical to the community.”
Assemblywoman Soria looks forward to seeing how the Distressed Hospital Loan Program can help Madera Community Hospital reopen, and will continue working alongside her colleagues in Sacramento to find long-term solutions to the statewide hospital closure crisis.
For questions or comments, please contact Assemblywoman Soria.
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Assemblywoman Esmeralda Soria represents the 27th Assembly District which includes communities in Fresno, Madera, and Merced counties.