SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

STATEMENT FROM OUR SALUD COMMUNITY ADVOCATES NESTOR VALENCIA AND ELBA ROMO:

Advocates for the Latino community of East Los Angeles have sent the following letter to Attorney General Kamala D. Harris, requesting a full investigation into HealthCare Partners (HCP) alleged illegal operation.

HealthCare Partners is a Torrance-based medical group who currently manages care for more than half a million Los Angeles area residents. In October 2012, HealthCare Partners merged with DaVita, Inc., a Denver-based, publicly-traded dialysis company with no previous ties to California. The $4.4 billion merger was the largest consolidation in healthcare history. This merger was completed with no requirements pursued by the Department of Managed Health Care to force licensure by HCP.

Normal protocol requires consumers to take up issues of health care delivery with the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC). Our SALUD sent their request for investigation directly to the Attorney Generals office.

The DMHCs abandonment of oversight responsibility of this medical group has forced Our SALUD to take this issue to the states top counsel, said advocate Elba Romo, Our SALUD community. We hope that AG Harris considers the gravity of this issue and conducts a full investigation of this renegade medical group.

It is a time of change in California and all over the nation as states begin to prepare for the implementation of provisions under the Affordable Care Act. HCP has been deemed a pioneer Accountable Care Organization (ACO) under this new health care reform, allowing them to lead the way in this new venture.

This is a business model that clearly puts profits before patients and certainly should not be the benchmark for such significant reform, said Nestor Valencia, Our SALUD community advocate. Patient lives have already been affected by HCPs unlawful operation. California state officials have the duty to ensure more patients arent impacted and that HCP is held accountable for its actions. Standing idle will only propel HCP as a health care leader and set a dangerous precedent among all medical groups that wrongful actions will not be penalized but actually prove profitable.

Nestor Valencia and Elba Romo, Our SALUD community advocates, are available for interviews and further comment.

Our SALUD letter to the Attorney General:

Read more:

Health Care Advocates Our SALUD Request Attorney General to Take Action in Alleged Unlawful Operation