{"id":26393,"date":"2026-08-03T19:12:40","date_gmt":"2026-08-03T14:12:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=26393"},"modified":"2026-08-03T19:12:40","modified_gmt":"2026-08-03T14:12:40","slug":"struggling-to-survive-south-l-a-s-mlk-hospital-seeks-greater-share-of-county-funds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=26393","title":{"rendered":"Struggling to survive, South L.A.&#8217;s MLK hospital seeks greater share of county funds"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div data-element=\"story-body\" data-subscriber-content=\"\">\n<p>Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital in Willowbrook is the main emergency medical care option for hundreds of thousands of South Los Angeles residents, but space is so tight that many patients are treated in large metal-frame tents on the pavement outside.<\/p>\n<p>On a recent summer day, loud air conditioners blew cool air as nurses drew blood and tended wounds, calling to mind the makeshift spaces used during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n<p>The tents are a stark indication of the dire financial state of the hospital, whose leaders say it could be forced to close if it doesn\u2019t find a way to consistently bring in more money. The hospital recently reported $14 million in net income for its most recent fiscal year, but operated in the red each of three prior years. <\/p>\n<p>Next year, it anticipates losing $80 million to $100 million in annual funding as a result of 2025\u2019s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, or HR1, which mandated changes to Medicaid eligibility and financing.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOne of the wealthiest cities in one of the wealthiest states in the country, in the wealthiest country in the world, in modern-day America, and we\u2019re caring for patients in four white tents on black concrete,\u201d said Dr. Atul Nakhasi, vice president of government and community relations at MLK Community Healthcare, during a tour of the hectic emergency department. \u201cThat\u2019s crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"enhancement\" data-click=\"enhancement\" data-align-center-expanded=\"\">\n<figure class=\"figure m-0\"> <picture><source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/aff3ac7\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5651x3767+0+0\/resize\/320x213!\/format\/webp\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb2%2F04%2Fd4236ae2410facccaa7ba7e32ac7%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-151.jpg 320w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/24af9ad\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5651x3767+0+0\/resize\/568x379!\/format\/webp\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb2%2F04%2Fd4236ae2410facccaa7ba7e32ac7%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-151.jpg 568w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/5f7bc61\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5651x3767+0+0\/resize\/768x512!\/format\/webp\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb2%2F04%2Fd4236ae2410facccaa7ba7e32ac7%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-151.jpg 768w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/781c99e\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5651x3767+0+0\/resize\/1080x720!\/format\/webp\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb2%2F04%2Fd4236ae2410facccaa7ba7e32ac7%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-151.jpg 1080w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/44f6201\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5651x3767+0+0\/resize\/1240x826!\/format\/webp\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb2%2F04%2Fd4236ae2410facccaa7ba7e32ac7%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-151.jpg 1240w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/16ea564\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5651x3767+0+0\/resize\/1440x960!\/format\/webp\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb2%2F04%2Fd4236ae2410facccaa7ba7e32ac7%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-151.jpg 1440w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/9d58f3b\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5651x3767+0+0\/resize\/2160x1440!\/format\/webp\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb2%2F04%2Fd4236ae2410facccaa7ba7e32ac7%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-151.jpg 2160w\" sizes=\"100vw\"\/><img class=\"image\" alt=\"MLK Hospital CEO Dr. Elaine Batchlor near a tent used for emergency room intake.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/dd2d531\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5651x3767+0+0\/resize\/320x213!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb2%2F04%2Fd4236ae2410facccaa7ba7e32ac7%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-151.jpg 320w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/e4d43d2\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5651x3767+0+0\/resize\/568x379!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb2%2F04%2Fd4236ae2410facccaa7ba7e32ac7%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-151.jpg 568w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/2ae44ee\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5651x3767+0+0\/resize\/768x512!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb2%2F04%2Fd4236ae2410facccaa7ba7e32ac7%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-151.jpg 768w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/e8bf7b4\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5651x3767+0+0\/resize\/1080x720!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb2%2F04%2Fd4236ae2410facccaa7ba7e32ac7%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-151.jpg 1080w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/74d2195\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5651x3767+0+0\/resize\/1240x826!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb2%2F04%2Fd4236ae2410facccaa7ba7e32ac7%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-151.jpg 1240w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/2ca3018\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5651x3767+0+0\/resize\/1440x960!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb2%2F04%2Fd4236ae2410facccaa7ba7e32ac7%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-151.jpg 1440w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/44432f7\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5651x3767+0+0\/resize\/2160x1440!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb2%2F04%2Fd4236ae2410facccaa7ba7e32ac7%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-151.jpg 2160w\" sizes=\"auto, 100vw\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/0608dba\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5651x3767+0+0\/resize\/2000x1333!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb2%2F04%2Fd4236ae2410facccaa7ba7e32ac7%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-151.jpg\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>   <\/picture>\n<div class=\"figure-content\">\n<p>Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital CEO Dr. Elaine Batchlor near a tent used for emergency room intake.<\/p>\n<p>(Robert Gauthier \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<p>As MLK hospital struggles against severe financial headwinds, its leaders are calling on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to reevaluate how it awards the funds the county collects via Measure B, which levies a form of property tax. In fiscal year 2025, funds brought in via the measure totaled approximately $427 million, according to the county.<\/p>\n<p>The ballot initiative, which was approved by county voters in 2002, described \u201can annual special tax to raise revenue to support the Countywide System of Trauma Centers, Emergency Medical Services, and Bioterrorism Response.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Despite that,  \u201congoing\u201d or recurring funds collected via the measure are allocated to  county hospitals and private hospitals with trauma centers. Private hospitals without trauma centers, such as MLK hospital, are left to vie for a cut of a pool of any  \u201cleftover\u201d funds that exceed the amount the county projected raising via the measure.<\/p>\n<p>Between 2023 and 2025, MLK hospital  had to be bailed out by the state and county four times for a total of $68 million, $29 million of which was provided via two, one-time disbursements of \u201cleftover\u201d Measure B funds. <\/p>\n<p>The hospital \u2014 which opened as a private nonprofit in 2015 after county-operated Martin Luther King Jr.\/Drew Medical Center closed in 2007 amid a crisis over substandard medical care \u2014 has never received any \u201congoing\u201d Measure B funds.<\/p>\n<p>All told, $126 million of Measure B funds were awarded to 13 private hospitals with trauma centers in L.A. County last fiscal year, including Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Beverly Grove. With nearly 900 beds and 2,100 doctors, Cedars-Sinai is one of the biggest and most capable hospitals in the U.S. <\/p>\n<p>Cedars-Sinai reported net income of about $1.1 billion on more than $5.8 billion in revenue last fiscal year on its federal 990 tax form in May. It reported net assets of $9.9 billion, an increase of $1 billion over the previous fiscal year. <\/p>\n<p>Cedars-Sinai, which received about $9.4 million in Measure B funds last year, has  opposed significant changes in how the money is awarded.<\/p>\n<div class=\"enhancement\" data-click=\"enhancement\" data-align-center-expanded=\"\">\n<figure class=\"figure m-0\"> <picture><source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/e2a7fe3\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5461x3641+0+0\/resize\/320x213!\/format\/webp\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F81%2Fd0%2Fcb887d304f0daafb0621f9ddc207%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-227.jpg 320w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/a0a2975\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5461x3641+0+0\/resize\/568x379!\/format\/webp\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F81%2Fd0%2Fcb887d304f0daafb0621f9ddc207%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-227.jpg 568w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/3f40184\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5461x3641+0+0\/resize\/768x512!\/format\/webp\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F81%2Fd0%2Fcb887d304f0daafb0621f9ddc207%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-227.jpg 768w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/1e56af7\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5461x3641+0+0\/resize\/1080x720!\/format\/webp\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F81%2Fd0%2Fcb887d304f0daafb0621f9ddc207%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-227.jpg 1080w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/420822f\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5461x3641+0+0\/resize\/1240x826!\/format\/webp\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F81%2Fd0%2Fcb887d304f0daafb0621f9ddc207%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-227.jpg 1240w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/93a85d8\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5461x3641+0+0\/resize\/1440x960!\/format\/webp\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F81%2Fd0%2Fcb887d304f0daafb0621f9ddc207%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-227.jpg 1440w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/64b793e\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5461x3641+0+0\/resize\/2160x1440!\/format\/webp\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F81%2Fd0%2Fcb887d304f0daafb0621f9ddc207%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-227.jpg 2160w\" sizes=\"100vw\"\/><img class=\"image\" alt=\"Hallways are used as treatment space as the emergency department operates beyond capacity.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/0a53daa\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5461x3641+0+0\/resize\/320x213!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F81%2Fd0%2Fcb887d304f0daafb0621f9ddc207%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-227.jpg 320w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/23b9a0e\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5461x3641+0+0\/resize\/568x379!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F81%2Fd0%2Fcb887d304f0daafb0621f9ddc207%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-227.jpg 568w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/f609bfe\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5461x3641+0+0\/resize\/768x512!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F81%2Fd0%2Fcb887d304f0daafb0621f9ddc207%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-227.jpg 768w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/5f64a27\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5461x3641+0+0\/resize\/1080x720!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F81%2Fd0%2Fcb887d304f0daafb0621f9ddc207%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-227.jpg 1080w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/442a9fb\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5461x3641+0+0\/resize\/1240x826!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F81%2Fd0%2Fcb887d304f0daafb0621f9ddc207%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-227.jpg 1240w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/0eb1800\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5461x3641+0+0\/resize\/1440x960!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F81%2Fd0%2Fcb887d304f0daafb0621f9ddc207%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-227.jpg 1440w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/7377353\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5461x3641+0+0\/resize\/2160x1440!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F81%2Fd0%2Fcb887d304f0daafb0621f9ddc207%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-227.jpg 2160w\" sizes=\"auto, 100vw\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/8e0a220\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5461x3641+0+0\/resize\/2000x1333!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F81%2Fd0%2Fcb887d304f0daafb0621f9ddc207%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-227.jpg\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>   <\/picture>\n<div class=\"figure-content\">\n<p>Hallways are used as treatment space as the emergency department operates beyond capacity at Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital in Willowbrook.<\/p>\n<p>(Robert Gauthier \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<p>Changes to how the funds are allocated  \u201ccould shift Measure B away from its intended purpose,\u201d Stephanie Cohen, Cedars-Sinai\u2019s vice president of government and industry relations, said in a July 8 letter to L.A. County officials. \u201cExisting funding is already insufficient to sustain these services.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Cedars-Sinai spokeswoman Sally Stewart added in an emailed statement that \u201cchanging the allocation formula risks undermining the system that Measure B was designed to protect and sustain.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Tony Weiss, director of media relations at MLK Community Healthcare, described the stark gap in the two medical providers\u2019 financial pictures as \u201ca tale of two hospitals.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>On a recent weekday, dozens of emergency department patients were lying on gurneys next to a nursing station, waiting on hard plastic chairs lined up in hallways, and undergoing treatment in rows of tiny spaces separated only by low, cubicle-style walls. The hospital has also doubled up many of its single-occupancy hospital rooms, converted its gift shop to a procedure room and resorted to treating patients in what were once meditation and waiting rooms.<\/p>\n<p>For years, MLK hospital\u2019s leaders have wanted to renovate under-utilized interior spaces at its Willowbrook campus to expand the emergency department. But it hasn\u2019t been able to afford to do so, so it has relied on the tents in recent years to help manage the severe overcrowding in its emergency department, which has 29 beds and was built for 25,000 patient visits a year, but now sees more than 120,000 patient visits annually. <\/p>\n<p>The hospital has already taken a series of major steps to make ends meet, according to Dr. Elaine Batchlor, its  chief executive. <\/p>\n<p>The disparity in \u201congoing\u201d Measure B funds awarded is even more concerning, she said during an interview in her office at MLK hospital, because of the different populations served by the facility as opposed to other facilities that receive millions of such dollars each year.<\/p>\n<p>Rethinking how Measure B funds are allocated, Batchlor said, is a way of helping to ensure that hospitals that serve communities with the most financial needs and fewest healthcare options receive more financial assistance. Like many of the patients it serves, MLK hospital\u2019s very survival is on the line.<\/p>\n<div class=\"enhancement\" data-click=\"enhancement\" data-align-center-expanded=\"\">\n<figure class=\"figure m-0\"> <picture><source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/029996c\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/320x213!\/format\/webp\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F9c%2F23%2F7d88449c46f4a58cafdf9fd481d2%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-205.jpg 320w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/1a22378\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/568x379!\/format\/webp\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F9c%2F23%2F7d88449c46f4a58cafdf9fd481d2%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-205.jpg 568w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/0cd66be\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/768x512!\/format\/webp\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F9c%2F23%2F7d88449c46f4a58cafdf9fd481d2%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-205.jpg 768w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/86378c0\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/1080x720!\/format\/webp\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F9c%2F23%2F7d88449c46f4a58cafdf9fd481d2%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-205.jpg 1080w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/6da2f2b\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/1240x826!\/format\/webp\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F9c%2F23%2F7d88449c46f4a58cafdf9fd481d2%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-205.jpg 1240w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/d31c5a1\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/1440x960!\/format\/webp\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F9c%2F23%2F7d88449c46f4a58cafdf9fd481d2%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-205.jpg 1440w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/f9906f9\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/2160x1440!\/format\/webp\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F9c%2F23%2F7d88449c46f4a58cafdf9fd481d2%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-205.jpg 2160w\" sizes=\"100vw\"\/><img class=\"image\" alt=\"Beds are stored outside a tent used for emergency room intake and triage at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Hospital.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/918b08b\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/320x213!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F9c%2F23%2F7d88449c46f4a58cafdf9fd481d2%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-205.jpg 320w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/7699806\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/568x379!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F9c%2F23%2F7d88449c46f4a58cafdf9fd481d2%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-205.jpg 568w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/0620dda\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/768x512!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F9c%2F23%2F7d88449c46f4a58cafdf9fd481d2%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-205.jpg 768w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/25bb00a\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/1080x720!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F9c%2F23%2F7d88449c46f4a58cafdf9fd481d2%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-205.jpg 1080w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/76f5389\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/1240x826!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F9c%2F23%2F7d88449c46f4a58cafdf9fd481d2%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-205.jpg 1240w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/9489a54\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/1440x960!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F9c%2F23%2F7d88449c46f4a58cafdf9fd481d2%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-205.jpg 1440w,https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/376d20b\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/2160x1440!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F9c%2F23%2F7d88449c46f4a58cafdf9fd481d2%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-205.jpg 2160w\" sizes=\"auto, 100vw\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/2987116\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/2000x1333!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F9c%2F23%2F7d88449c46f4a58cafdf9fd481d2%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-205.jpg\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>   <\/picture>\n<div class=\"figure-content\">\n<p>Hospital beds sit  outside a tent used for emergency department  intake  at Martin Luther King Jr.  Community Hospital in Willowbrook  on  July 16.<\/p>\n<p>(Robert Gauthier \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<p>\u201cWhy is it considered appropriate to only give this money to these 13 trauma centers when some of them clearly are doing well financially?\u201d she added. \u201cThere are communities that are much more in need and under-served than Beverly Hills and West L.A.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Dr. Naman Shah, director of the L.A. County Department of Public Health\u2019s Division of Medical and Dental Affairs, said that the way Measure B funds have been doled out in the past \u201cdidn\u2019t really reflect the economics of healthcare in the county in terms of which hospitals needed more support.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>If MLK hospital closed, he said, \u201cit would be devastating, and we would have untold misery from lack of access to care.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The population MLK hospital serves in South Los Angeles is among the least financially secure in the region. In 2023, MLK hospital had nearly 85,000 Medicaid\/Medi-Cal patient visits to its emergency department, the most in the state, while Cedars-Sinai had nearly 17,000, according to the California Department of Health Care Access and Information.<\/p>\n<p>In 95% of the visits to MLK hospital\u2019s emergency department in fiscal year 2025, the patients were either on Medicaid\/Medi-Cal or Medicare, or uninsured. Because of that, billed patient revenue makes up just 44% of the hospital\u2019s fiscal-year 2026 budget; the remainder comes from state and county funding.<\/p>\n<p>Pastor Robert Taylor of Beulah Baptist Church in Watts has advocated for greater resources for MLK hospital in his role as president of Watts Area Ministers. Measure B funds, he said, should be \u201cdistributed in a way that best meets the needs of the community\u201d instead of going to \u201chospitals who don\u2019t really need it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf that hospital shuts down in our community, it\u2019s going to be devastating,\u201d he said, noting that the next closest emergency department is St. Francis Medical Center, several miles away in Lynwood. \u201cIt could be deadly to have to travel that far to get to an emergency department.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell, whose district includes Willowbrook, wants the Board of Supervisors to take steps to reconsider how Measure B funds are allocated. She plans to introduce a measure at Tuesday\u2019s board meeting to hire a consultant to examine the issue and make recommendations for the best use of the money. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cHospitals like Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital, which serves some of the highest volumes of emergency room patients despite having less financial stability, underscore the reality that not all hospitals face the same challenges in keeping their doors open,\u201d Mitchell said in an emailed statement.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYet every hospital plays a critical role in our emergency care system,\u201d she said. \u201cWe owe it to the public to ensure \u2014 through an independent review \u2014 that Measure B funds continue to fulfill its intended purpose of supporting and stabilizing a strong, countywide trauma and emergency care system.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital in Willowbrook is the main emergency medical care option for hundreds of thousands of South Los Angeles residents, but space is so tight that many patients are treated in large metal-frame tents on the pavement outside. On a recent summer day, loud air conditioners blew cool air as nurses&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":26394,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/ca-times.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/69cff6a\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6000x3150+0+425\/resize\/1200x630!\/quality\/75\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fc3%2Fe1%2F8b89936947558748752a61927baa%2F1562860-me-mlk-hospital-funding-rcg-559.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26393","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-hub"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26393","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=26393"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26393\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/26394"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=26393"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=26393"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=26393"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}