Jerry Brown landed a last-minute jab at California House Republicans who backed the GOP bill to replace Obamacare, which narrowly passed the House on Thursday. Valadao and Denham swiftly responded with a counter-punch, accusing Brown of caring more about the healthcare of urban and coastal residents than that of their Central Valley districts. They continued: "Governor Brown worsened the problem when he went against the wish of California voters and stole the $1.2 billion from [Proposition 56]," the tobacco tax passed by voters last year. Brown is currently engaged in a budget battle with the tobacco tax's proponents, who wanted that money to go toward increasing reimbursement rates for healthcare providers. Doctors groups have argued low reimbursement rates have led to few physicians taking on new Medi-Cal clients, making it harder for patients to access care.

Source: Los Angeles Times May 04, 2017 19:18 UTC