TONI IN YOUR TOWN: Atkins Hosts Health Care Roundtable in Riverside

Aug

2025

PRESS RELEASE

TONI IN YOUR TOWN: Atkins Hosts Health Care Roundtable in Riverside

Riverside, CA — Today, Democratic leader and gubernatorial candidate Toni Atkins brought her campaign to the heart of the Inland Empire, hosting a health care roundtable in Riverside with Chair of the Riverside County Board of Supervisors V. Manuel Perez. Joined by local health care providers, and medical professionals, Atkins heard firsthand how the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” threatens access to care in communities like Riverside — where nearly half the population depends on Medi-Cal for essential health services.

“I grew up with no health care — we always had a hospital bill overdue,” Atkins said. “We had to make choices — are you going to pay rent, are you going to pay a little of this hospital bill off or are you getting groceries? I know that that safety net is critical because that fear never leaves you. This bill pulls the rug from under our feet, and we know we already have access issues.”

“When I was in the legislature, [I knew] Toni was very special,” Perez said. “[The governor] is a position that needs strong leadership because our democracy and everything we hold dear, unfortunately, is being taken away from us. And we have to fight back.”

Atkins and Perez were joined by Jennifer Cruikshank, CEO of Riverside University Health System; Tim Fraser, Vice President of Health Care Partners; Claudia Galvez, Vice President and Chief Officer of Government and Community Relations at Innercare; Dr. Basant Sandhu of Neighborhood Health Care; and Nancy Gonzalez, Health Navigator.

A full recording of the roundtable is available upon request.

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To learn more about Toni Atkins and her historic run for Governor, visit: www.toniatkins.org.