2016 California Proposition 52

Proposition 52 is a California ballot proposition that passed on the November 8, 2016 ballot, regarding indefinitely extending an existing charge on hospitals to fund Medi-Cal health care services. The charge, called the "Hospital Quality Assurance Fee", has been collected since 2009 with temporary renewals and was scheduled to expire on January 1, 2018.^[2]

Proposition 52

Medi-Cal Hospital Fee Program
Results
Choice Votes % Yes 9,427,714 70.07% No 4,026,710 29.93% Valid votes 13,454,424 92.09% Invalid or blank votes 1,156,085 7.91% Total votes 14,610,509 100.00% Registered voters/turnout 19,411,771 75.27%
Results by county Yes   50–60%   60–70%   70–80%
Source: California Secretary of State[1]

Arguments for the measure stated that the charge helps to secure more than $4 billion in federal matching funds annually. Additionally, the measure would help curtail the diversion of some of the funds to things other than Medi-Cal.^[3] Arguments against the measure stated that it lacks oversight and that there would still be no guarantee that funds would be spent on healthcare.^[4][5]