California Medical Association President Peter N. Bretan, Jr., M.D., issued the following statement in response to Gov. Gavin Newsom's proposed budget:

“Gov. Newsom has put forward a balanced budget that protects access to health care – particularly for low-income Californians – by maintaining key tobacco funding for Medi-Cal programs and earmarks billions to fast-track the distribution of vaccines and reopen schools safely. As we continue to wrestle with this pandemic, California must ensure that our health care infrastructure, including physician practices, have the financial supports they need to weather the current financial storm that has hit so many practices across the state, to ensure that coverage networks remain strong and that all Californians have access to a physician if and when they need one.”