Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia addresses legislation update on healthcare bill AB 918  

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - The proposal is near the end of the legislative process addressing the final steps moving forward with the healthcare bill AB 918.   

Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia invited members of the community to the briefing to explain and provide knowledge to the community about the current issues on behalf of Bill 918 and address concerns. 

Access to healthcare in Imperial County is at risk with only two hospitals currently serving the county. 

With the new proposed bill, AB 918, it will help improve healthcare access and cost-saving benefits for the community.

The bill will establish the Imperial Valley Healthcare District in the county as one healthcare district. 

The last amendment on the bill had residents from Pioneers and Heffernan concerned on the increase in taxes.

On Friday, Assemblymember Garcia wanted to lay those concerns to rest.

“This bill will not raise your taxes this bill is not asking the citizens of Brawley to pay more this bill is not asking the citizens of Calexico to pay more This bill is forcing the merger of these two hospitals and I use the word force because it's bringing people together that over the course of the last fifteen years have tried to do this four times unsuccessfully,” says Assemblymember Garcia.