Forum on Health Costs, Access to Coverage, and Well-Being Will Be Livestreamed
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 25, 2025
Los Angeles, CA — On Friday, November 7, 2025, candidates in California’s 2026 governor’s race will gather in the Inland Empire for Health Matters: A Conversation with Our Next Governor. This nonpartisan forum will focus on the health and well-being of Californians. Confirmed participants include former U.S. Secretary of Health & Human Services Xavier Becerra, California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, former Speaker of California State Assembly and 41st Mayor of Los Angeles Antonio Villaraigosa, and former California State Controller Betty T. Yee.
The event is organized by eleven of California’s leading health-focused foundations and will be held in person in the Inland Empire, bringing together more than 300 community leaders, nonprofit partners, local residents, and elected officials.
By hosting the forum in the Inland Empire, the foundations are centering a region that reflects both California’s diversity and the challenges many communities face in accessing affordable, high-quality care and the foundational conditions needed for long-term health. In 2023, more than half of Californians (53%) reported skipping or delaying care because of cost, a number that jumps to 74% for those with low incomes. And 1 in 8 Californians with Medicare, mostly people of color, are just over income eligibility for Medi-Cal but cannot afford private care at home.
This conversation comes at a pivotal moment for California, where nearly 15 million residents rely on Medi-Cal, including over 40% of the population in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. As health care costs rise and disparities deepen, voters are looking to the next governor for bold, actionable solutions that can deliver meaningful change.
“Everyone in California deserves to enjoy good health and experience wellness,” said Richard Tate, President & Chief Executive Officer of The California Wellness Foundation. “We need a state leader with a vision and plan to bridge divides and engage partners in government, business, and philanthropy to protect and improve everyone's access to care and our collective well-being.”
Candidates will address community-driven questions about the most pressing health and equity issues facing Californians today including access to care, housing, aging well, climate, safety and economic opportunity.
"As a regional host of the Health Matters Gubernatorial Forum, we are proud to lift up the Inland Empire—California’s fastest-growing yet too often overlooked region,” said Michelle Decker, Chief Executive Officer of the Inland Empire Community Foundation. “Forums like these matter because they bring our priorities into dialogue with state leaders. We are grateful to our partners for recognizing the importance of placing a community foundation at the center—bridging philanthropy, policy, and community voice."
To ensure broad access, NBC4 and Telemundo 52 will be the livestream media partners for the forum, offering millions of Californians a unique opportunity to hear directly from gubernatorial candidates on the issues most vital to their well-being.
The live event will stream on NBCLA.com, Telemundo52.com, on the free NBCLA and Telemundo 52 mobile apps, on the stations’ YouTube channels @NBCLA and @Telemundo52, and on the stations’ 24/7 local news streaming channels NBC Los Angeles News and Noticias Telemundo California which are accessible on the stations’ digital platforms and across leading streaming services and connect-TV devices. The event is also supported by our additional media partners, CalMatters and the Inland Empire Journalism Hub.
The forum will begin at 1:00 p.m. PT, with the livestream starting at 1:30 p.m. Journalists can request press credentials here. Spanish-language access will be available for attendees and via livestream. For any on-site press needs, please contact [email protected].
Health Matters is organized by 11 foundations committed to advancing health and equity across California, including Archstone Foundation, Blue Shield of California Foundation, California Health Care Foundation, Inland Empire Community Foundation, Inland Empire Health Plan Foundation, LA84 Foundation, Metta Fund, Sierra Health Foundation, The California Endowment, The California Wellness Foundation, and The SCAN Foundation. Collectively, these organizations invest billions in communities across the state each year to improve health outcomes and expand opportunity.
Contact:
Jon Koriel
[email protected]