Catalina Island Hospital on the Brink | Los Angeles News

Catalina Island Health, the sole medical provider for the island’s residents and millions of tourists, teetered on collapse last year with just six days of cash—saved by a county bailout—highlighting a crisis plaguing LA County hospitals amid inflation, underpayment, and insurance delays. Federal Medicaid cuts loom for 2027, while local efforts like Measure ER offer partial relief, sparking debate over fairer funding for emergency-only hospitals. A Catalina closure would devastate the community, forcing chronic patients to endure costly mainland trips, risking workforce loss and tourism collapse, while emergency transport becomes chaotic and unaffordable. The hospital must rebuild by 2032 to meet earthquake codes, needing $18 million more in 18 months—though a recent $5 million fundraiser offers hope, long-term survival remains precarious. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/c75d1aa255102856 Presented by The Plant Daddies — rare specimen trees, living art, and hand-carved limestone vessels and fountains for extraordinary spaces. Showrooms in Los Angeles and Irvine. Listeners of Los Angeles News Today receive 10% off with code LANEWS10. theplantdaddies.com/lanews