Healthcare workers at Watsonville (Calif.) Community Hospital filed a ballot initiative Tuesday that would limit how much the hospital can charge patients.
Under the proposed ballot initiative, the hospital could not charge patients "more than 15 percent above a reasonable cost of providing care," according to the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West, which represents the workers. The union said patients or their insurance providers would receive reimbursement from overcharges.
"This initiative will help rein in prices at the hospital and allow area families to more easily access affordable care," stated Chris Gil, a surgical technician at Watsonville Community Hospital. "No one should have to think twice about going to their local hospital just because it costs more than the facility down the road."
The workers hope to get the issue on the November 2018 municipal ballot. A total of 1,782 signatures from registered voters would be necessary to qualify the measure for the election next year.
Watsonville Community Hospital expressed disappointment in the union's proposed ballot initiative, calling it "simply a labor negotiation tactic designed to incite negative opinion of our facility in an effort to manipulate on-going labor negotiations in the union's favor."
"We believe the true catalyst for the union's ballot initiative is its opposition to our newly-instituted policy that SEIU-represented personnel contribute to the health insurance premiums for themselves, and their families, at a cost of $50 a month," the hospital added.
"As a safety-net hospital, 50 percent of the patients at our facility are covered by Medi-Cal, the state's Medicaid program that has helped many of our community's most vulnerable citizens access much-needed medical care. The hospital is paid pre-negotiated rates set by the state of California for Medi-Cal and other insurance providers, respectively.
"We are disappointed in the union's approach and regret the distraction this may cause. Our hospital has been a trusted healthcare resource for 122 years providing quality care when our community members need it most."