With hospitals operating on margins as low as 1 percent, new federal policy changes could undercut care access in rural communities.
As medicine quickly adapted to ensure that millions of Americans could still receive care during the coronavirus pandemic, some of the innovations made health-care accessibility more difficult for those with disabilities.
A California case involving local sugary-drink taxes demonstrates the value of taking to the courts to push against industry-backed laws that block city and county policies that promote health and equity.
A recent report estimated that the state used an average of 70 days to process typical Medicaid applications, 25 days longer than allowed by federal law. An expansion in the state’s Medicaid took effect in summer 2021.
The governor’s budget and a bill by a Democratic lawmaker would stop the state from charging more than 500,000 Californians a monthly premium for their Medi-Cal health coverage.
A bill would connect the state’s emergency response system to the national suicide prevention hotline system and provide several other response services for mental health emergencies.
As 2022 begins, the omicron variant is proof that the pandemic is still far from over and remains politicized. More than 90 percent of Democratic adults have received at least one vaccination, compared with 60 percent of Republicans.
Democrats are skeptical of the plan and it lacks the support of Gov. Newsom. It would require the largest state tax increase in history, estimated at $163 billion. The tax hike would need to be approved by voters.
Gov. Gavin Newsom has suggested using the extra money on pension debt, budget reserves and, possibly, another round of stimulus checks. The Legislature has until June 15 to pass the final budget.
COVID-19 has helped to highlight the racial disparities in health-care services that stem from implicit bias from doctors and medical algorithms. But for many Black patients, the discrimination goes beyond negative attitudes.
Before the pandemic, Marin County had the lowest vaccination rates in California. Now, more than 90 percent of its adults are protected against COVID-19.
Establishing a union amongst home health-care workers could ensure access to necessary supplies and better wages, but there are challenges, ranging from employees who typically work alone to high turnover rates.
Years of budget cuts and lack of political support left public health officials without the resources to rapidly contain COVID-19. Brian Castrucci, CEO of the de Beaumont Foundation, discusses what needs to happen now.
The law, which ensured employees two weeks of COVID-related paid leave, has expired, forcing many low-wage workers, especially those in agriculture, to choose between their health or their salary.
Approximately 37 percent of state residents live in a region that has a shortage of mental health providers; only 12 percent live in an area where they could expect their mental health needs to be met.
Medi-Cal covers more than one-third of the state’s population, but many say it has failed to hold managed care plans accountable. The state now hopes to provide better health care thanks to updated and better-enforced contracts.
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