On Aug. 11, Kaiser Permanente committed $25 million in grants and a loan of $7 million in modular building space to assist the hospital in expanding its emergency department and capacity.Â
Greg A. Adams, chair and chief executive officer of Kaiser Permanente, said, “This is about more than expanding an emergency department. It’s about strengthening the health care infrastructure that Los Angeles families depend on today and will continue to rely on for generations to come.”
He continued, “Our mission is not only to care for our members – it’s to improve the health of the communities we serve. By investing in trusted community institutions like Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital, Kaiser Permanente is helping build a stronger, more resilient health care system that helps people get the high-quality care they need.”
Last month, Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital in Westbrook faced the possibility of shutting down due to a severe financial crisis. This occurred due to a projected annual funding gap of $80 million to $100 million, slated to begin in 2027, resulting from a cut to federal Medicaid.
Other current operational pressures include overcrowding, patients heavily relying on Medicaid, and Measure B tax funds needing to be re-examined.
The hospital was initially built to sustain only 25,000 people but currently sees over 135,00 patients annually. Almost 80 percent of the hospital’s patients utilize and rely on Medicaid (Medi-Cal), which essentially leaves the hospital vulnerable to federal funding cuts.
The Los Angeles Board of Supervisors, most notably Supervisor Holly Mitchell, voted to re-examine how local Measure B tax funds are distributed in order for the hospital to have more equitable support for their emergency facilities.
“We are profoundly grateful to Kaiser Permanente for its extraordinary generosity,” said Elaine Batchlor, chief executive officer of MLK Community Healthcare. “This gift – the largest in MLK’s history – strengthens our ability to offer care in the safe, dignified setting our community deserves. As our partner and champion, Kaiser Permanente is expanding its history of commitment to the South LA community with support that is as timely as it is impactful.”
The surrounding South Los Angeles neighborhoods the hospital supports face some of the toughest disparities. According to its low ranking on the California Healthy Places Index, the disparities include lack of access to health care, transportation, economic opportunity, housing, and factors that can impact one’s health.
Residents of these neighborhoods face multiple barriers to accessing equitable healthcare and tend to have high rates of chronic diseases and preventable hospitalizations in comparison to other neighborhoods in the greater Los Angeles area. According to the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, “Researchers discovered that South Los Angeles has the highest rate of preventable hospitalizations (1,252 per 100,000 adults), closely followed by Antelope Valley (888). The South Los Angeles rate is 1.4 times the rate for Antelope Valley and 1.7 times the rate for West Los Angeles, which has the lowest rate (735).
John Yamamoto, vice president of Community Health and Government Relations for Kaiser Permanente in Southern California, said: “Kaiser Permanente has a long history of collaboration with our medical safety net partners to improve quality care, expand access, and reduce health disparities across our communities.”
He continued, “We recognize the vital role Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital plays in advancing health equity and addressing the needs of South Los Angeles. Our 2 organizations have a long and shared commitment to the people of South Los Angeles, and we are pleased to expand vital emergency care services to the community.”
