hasc.org
515 S Figueroa Street,
Suite 1300
Los Angeles, CA 90071
June 13, 2022
Long Beach City Council
Long Beach City Hall
411 W Ocean Blvd.
Long Beach, CA 90802
RE: Item#28 (CF# 22-0652)
Recommendation to direct City Manager to work with Economic Development to request an Economic Impact Report and report to Council in 60 days regarding the feasibility and potential benefits and risks of implementing a citywide private health care minimum wage increase in Long Beach.
Dear Members of the Long Beach City Council,
The Hospital Association of Southern California (HASC) represents over 180 member hospitals and 35 health systems, all with a common goal: to improve the operating environment for hospitals and the health of the communities they serve.
HASC strongly urges the City Council to conduct a thorough economic analysis prior to acting on the initiative to create a $25/hour minimum wage for certain health care workers.
The measure would set a new $25/hour minimum wage standard for certain workers at private hospitals, hospital-owned facilities and dialysis clinics. However, it completely excludes workers who do the exact same job at public hospitals, community clinics and health care facilities, including all University of California and county hospitals, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), Planned Parenthood clinics and others. In fact, the vast majority of health care workers throughout the City of Los Angeles are excluded by the measure.
We all agree that health care workers are heroes and deserve our gratitude and support, but this measure is deeply flawed, inequitable and harmful to the workers and patients in our most vulnerable communities.
We ask that the City Council support an economic analysis of this measure that includes:
hasc.org
515 S Figueroa Street,
Suite 1300
Los Angeles, CA 90071
1) Broad review of the potential impact on health care costs and access to care in the City of Long Beach, including the impact on uninsured, disadvantaged and underserved communities.
2) A clear explanation of which health care workers would benefit, and which are excluded, from the measure.
3) A clear explanation of which health care providers are required to meet the new provisions, and which are not, and what the fiscal and staffing impacts would be on both covered and non-covered facilities.
4) A comprehensive analysis of the cost to the City to implement and enforce the provisions of the new requirements.
This measure has many unintended consequences, and it is vital that the City understand the impact for the city, workers, health care providers and people of Long Beach.
On behalf of the hospitals in Long Beach, we ask that you support our request. We appreciate the opportunity for collaboration, and we stand ready to work with the City on any issues impacting our members or the care they provide to the people of Long Beach.
Sincerely,
Adena R. Tessler
Regional Vice President for Los Angeles County
Hospital Association of Southern California
George W. Greene, Esq
President and CEO
Hospital Association of Southern California