The Hidden Toll: Medi Cal Cuts and Public Health Clinic Closures

Editorial by Eli C. Owens | August 29, 2025 Tags: #Healthcare, #PublicHealth, #Access, #Prevention, #Equity

Budgets reflect priorities. When tax breaks for the wealthy remain untouched while health programs for families are cut, something is fundamentally out of balance.

Cuts to Medi-Cal do not reduce waste. They reduce access to care. Rural clinics close. Vaccinations are delayed. Seniors go without dental treatment. Pregnant mothers wait longer for vital appointments. Leaders call these decisions responsible budgeting, but the impact tells a different story. Families suffer, and the burden falls on those least able to afford it. Prevention is always less costly than emergency treatment. Early screenings save lives. Routine vaccinations prevent hospital stays. Community clinics reduce strain on emergency rooms. Cutting these services does not save money. It simply shifts the cost into the future in more expensive and more painful ways.

Healthcare is not a political issue. It is a basic part of stable and dignified living. Families need care so they can work, raise children, stay healthy, and move forward with confidence.

California must protect Medi-Cal and invest in clinics that serve vulnerable communities. A strong society is measured not by how well it treats the powerful, but by how well it supports those who need the most help.