More than 1.8 million Inland Empire residents rely on Medi-Cal for healthcare coverage, highlighting both the region’s growing medical needs and the challenges facing local healthcare systems, according to a new statewide report.
An April report released by the California Health Care Foundation found that Riverside and San Bernardino counties continue to lag slightly behind much of California in overall health outcomes, income levels and access to medical care, even as the region has made progress in expanding physician availability.
The nonprofit foundation, which focuses on improving healthcare access across California, reported that about four in every 10 Inland Empire residents are insured through Medi-Cal, California’s version of the federal Medicaid program serving low-income and disabled residents.
That translates to roughly 1.88 million people — a population large enough to cover more than two-thirds of the city of Chicago.
The report also found that 8% of Inland Empire residents remained uninsured in 2023, compared to the statewide average of 6.4%.
Healthcare officials say the region’s heavy dependence on Medi-Cal leaves local hospitals and healthcare providers especially vulnerable to federal Medicaid funding reductions approved last year.
Researchers warned those cuts could threaten recent gains made in improving healthcare access throughout the Inland Empire.
Health outcomes in the region also continue to trail statewide averages in several categories.
According to the report, approximately 16% of Inland residents described their health as fair or poor, slightly higher than California’s statewide average of 15.5%.
The Inland Empire’s infant mortality rate was also higher than the state average, with 5 infant deaths per 1,000 live births compared to California’s rate of 4.1 per 1,000.
Economic disparities remain another challenge tied closely to healthcare access. The report found the Inland Empire’s median household income sits roughly $10,000 below the statewide average, while fewer local households earn more than $100,000 annually compared to the rest of California.
One area showing improvement is physician availability.
Between 2015 and 2023, the number of primary care doctors per 100,000 Inland residents increased by 20%, while specialty physician numbers climbed 38%.
Even with that growth, the Inland Empire still falls well short of the statewide average when it comes to physician availability. The region currently has about 229 doctors per 100,000 residents, compared to California’s average of 358 physicians per 100,000 people.
The report also highlighted gaps in representation within the medical field itself. While Latinos make up more than half of the population in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, only about 10% of doctors practicing in the Inland Empire are Latino.
UC Riverside School of Medicine has been working to address the physician shortage since opening in 2013. School officials say the strategy has focused heavily on recruiting students with local ties in hopes they will remain in the region long term.
Dr. Daniel Teraguchi, executive associate dean for student affairs at the medical school, said 80% of incoming students have connections to the Inland Empire. He added that 51% of students who match with residency programs are staying in the region to complete their training.
“Because they’re training here, it’s likely those future doctors will stay in the Inland Empire,” Teraguchi said.
The report also examined hospitals throughout the region. Researchers found the Inland Empire’s healthcare market remains relatively competitive compared to other parts of California, with roughly 40 hospitals serving the two-county area.
However, the region still has fewer hospital beds available than the statewide average. The Inland Empire averages about 173 beds per 100,000 residents, compared to California’s statewide average of 198 beds per 100,000.
Researchers noted that while many hospitals remain financially stable, several are facing mounting economic pressure and have already begun reducing services, including maternity care programs.
Public hospitals continue to play a major role in the region’s healthcare safety net, particularly Riverside University Health System Medical Center in Moreno Valley and Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton.
Michelle Decker, president and CEO of the Inland Empire Community Foundation, said the report accurately reflects both the progress and ongoing concerns facing healthcare providers in the region.
“It captures how current federal policies clearly threaten those gains without providing any new ideas or money to improve the health of IE residents,” Decker said in an email statement.
Decker called for increased public investment, stronger collaboration and innovative partnerships between hospitals, businesses, nonprofits, governments and community organizations.
“We won’t weather this moment if we work in silos, and we need innovation to come from all corners,” she said.
She warned that without action, Inland Empire residents could face setbacks in healthcare access at a time when many families are already struggling financially.
“It’s clear from the data that the people who live in the IE cannot afford to see a steep slide backwards in health care,” Decker said.
