Berkeley Research Group: SEIU 90% Spending Mandate Would Redirect $1.7B from FQHCs, Push Two-Thirds into Deficits

A Berkeley Research Group study commissioned by Protect Patients CA finds the SEIU-UHW 90% mission-spend ballot measure would redirect $1.7 billion from community health centers and push two-thirds of state health centers into operating deficits. The 90% threshold would exclude spending on nurse/physician managers, translation services, enrollment navigators, transportation, community outreach, and new clinic construction.

CPCA, CCALAC, CMA, AltaMed, and FHCSD are top funders of the opposition. SEIU counters that FQHCs like United Health Centers had a $25M surplus on $180M revenue in 2023.