Latest California Healthline Stories
Most Adolescents Not Getting Preventive Care, UCSF Study Shows
Almost two-thirds of adolescents in the United States don’t get the minimum recommended level of preventive health care services, according to researchers at UC-San Francisco. The authors of the study hope it will boost support for addressing preventive care in health care reform efforts in Washington, D.C., and California.
Primary Care Drives Jump in Patients for Planned Parenthood Clinics
Like most community clinics in California, Planned Parenthood clinics are seeing more patients during these economic hard times. And the handful of Planned Parenthood clinics offering primary care services are seeing more new patients seeking care for more than reproductive health issues.
Republican Sen. Aanestad Puts Forward Market-Based Plan To Rework Health Care in California
Linda Halderman, senior policy adviser for Sen. Sam Aanestad, John Graham of the Pacific Research Institute, Assembly member Dave Jones and Anthony Wright of Health Access discussed the legislation with California Healthline.
Advocates Lobby Against Eliminating Adult Denti-Cal Coverage
Adult dental coverage will be one of nine benefits that Medi-Cal will eliminate if the state does not receive at least $10 billion in federal stimulus money for budget relief over the next 16 months. Advocates say that cut would have long-term consequences for the oral health of Californians of all ages.
New Law in California Raises the Bar for Interpretation Services in Medical Settings
Lisa Diamond of Palo Alto Medical Foundation Research Institute; Alicia Fernandez of UC-San Francisco; Gloria Garcia-Orme of S.F. General; Anmol Mahal, a past president of CMA; Lynne Randolph of the state DMHC; and Ben Singer of Anthem BlueCross discussed the law with California Healthline.
California Public Hospitals See Major Influx of Patients as Recession, Job Losses Continue
William Jensen of Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, Melissa Stafford Jones of the California Association of Public Hospitals, Kim Roberts of Santa Clara Valley Health and Hospital System and Anthony Wright of Health Access discussed the trend with California Healthline.
Gender Rating in Health Insurance Under Review in California
Two bills banning gender rating in health insurance are before the Legislature, and two state government agencies face a lawsuit claiming that the state constitution prohibits the practice.
Advocates for Uninsured See Opportunity in Bleak Economy
The economic crisis sending the national economy into a tailspin and putting a stranglehold on California is seen by many health advocates as an opportunity to make significant progress toward providing health coverage for millions of uninsured and underinsured.
Spending on Kids Is Right Financial Thing To Do, Advocates Argue
An annual report card from children’s advocates urges state lawmakers to spend money on children’s health care and education not necessarily because it’s the right thing to do, but because it’s the right financial thing to do.
Kuehl Hands Off California’s Single-Payer Torch to Leno
The legislative campaign for a single-payer health care system is moving into its second decade in California with newly elected state Sen. Mark Leno ready to deal with same governor who opposes the plan and a weakening economy.