December 11, 2019 | Sammy Caiola
Californians must carry health insurance in 2020, or face a state-imposed penalty. Covered California is encouraging the state’s uninsured to enroll in a plan by Dec. 15, the deadline for coverage that kicks in Jan. 1.
December 10, 2019
An investigation by The Fresno Bee for the California Divide has found that some dentists are pressuring patients to take out high-interest credit cards to pay for thousands of dollars of dental care.
December 9, 2019 | Sammy Caiola
California health officials want children and adults on Medi-Cal get screened for traumatic childhood events that can cause negative health effects down the line. The state has begun giving doctors and nurses tools to do the screenings.
December 2, 2019
By 2030, the state will be short some 4,000 physicians, according to a study from the HealthForce Center at UC San Francisco.
November 29, 2019
Under Proposition 65, California has designated more than 900 substances as toxic. Now the state’s expert panel plans to weigh whether to add acetaminophen, an active ingredient in over-the-counter drugs like Tylenol, Midol and DayQuil, to the list.
November 26, 2019 | Sammy Caiola
This election cycle, a handful of Democratic presidential candidates are talking about disability issues. This is an unprecedented amount of attention, and it’s motivating voters with disabilities to get politically active, California advocates say.
November 20, 2019 | Sammy Caiola
There’s limited research on the long-term effects of secondhand marijuana smoke, but some advocates want to see more health warnings as public cannabis use becomes more common.
November 15, 2019 | Sammy Caiola
The 2014 suit alleges Sutter Health illegally paid a Sacramento cardiovascular group in exchange for physicians referring patients to its hospitals. The health system settled the suit for more than $30 million.
November 14, 2019
Amador County has historically had two problems: lack of access to higher education and gaps in mental health services. A partnership with Coastline Community College aims to address both issues.
November 11, 2019 | Sammy Caiola
State pesticide officials are trying to get an average measure of how much cannabis Californians use, so they can better determine safe levels of chemicals for farmers growing the crop.
Health Care NEWS
December 13, 2019
Under the new rules, most adults who quality for Medicaid coverage will be required to prove they work at least 80 hours a month, or are doing other activities like volunteering or hunting for a job.
December 12, 2019
The House of Representatives is expected to approve a bill Thursday that aims to lower prescription drug prices. Some elements have Republican support. But the bill faces an uncertain Senate future.
December 12, 2019
New York Times investigative reporter Sarah Kliff talks about the costs and challenges of switching to a universal healthcare system — and what it might mean to eliminate private insurance entirely.
December 12, 2019
Speaker Pelosi's landmark prescription drug legislation is slated to get a vote in the House Thursday. It's a sweeping bill on an issue voters care about, but it's unlikely to become law.
December 11, 2019
Democratic presidential candidates are debating Medicare For All, but that term isn't a good descriptor of the plans being put forth. Clarifying this health care vocabulary helps the debate.
