California Isn’t Testing Enough Children For Lead, Prompting Legislation
A recent report by the California state auditor faults two state health departments for failing to ensure that children receive required blood lead tests and for not doing enough to reduce childhood lead exposure in high-risk areas. Lawmakers are proposing several measures to increase testing.
California’s health insurance program for low-income people grew 78% between 2010 and 2019 to 12.8 million enrollees. The federal Affordable Care Act spurred the increase, aided by state policies broadening eligibility.
Hospital Known For Glamorous Patients Opens New Doors To Its Neediest
For years, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, one of California’s largest nonprofit hospitals, has been spending less on charity care than other nonprofit hospitals in the state. Now it is expanding eligibility for free and discounted medical care.
Valley Fever Cases Climb In California’s Central Valley — And Beyond
California and nearby Southwestern states are seeing a sustained rise in cases of valley fever, a potentially serious lung illness caused by a fungus found in desert-type soil. As a result of global warming, the areas where the fungus can thrive are expanding, researchers say.
Anthem Blue Cross Gets Flagged And Fined More Than Other Insurers
Anthem Blue Cross has received a disproportionate share of violations and fines from California’s largest health insurance regulator, mostly related to its mishandling of patient grievances.
California Air Quality: Mapping The Progress
The Trump administration has revoked California’s unique authority to set its own standards for vehicle tailpipe emissions, a move the state is fighting in court. A historical analysis of air quality data shows that the state’s strict standards have made a difference for counties across California.
California’s New Transparency Law Reveals Steep Rise In Wholesale Drug Prices
Pharmaceutical companies raised the wholesale cost of their drugs by a median of nearly 26% from 2017 to early 2019, according to California’s first-ever report stemming from a new drug price transparency law. Prices for generic drugs rose nearly 38% during that time.
Invasive Mosquitoes Plunge Deeper Into California
Invasive mosquito species capable of carrying dangerous viruses such as Zika, dengue and yellow fever have been detected in 16 California counties. There’s no evidence the mosquitoes have transmitted these diseases within the state, but health officials urge residents to take steps to slow their spread.
Más del 20% de los estudiantes de secundaria informaron haber “vapeado” en 2018, casi el doble de la tasa de 2017, según los CDC. Son 3 millones de alumnos.
The explosive rise in a serious lung illness linked to vaping spotlights the popularity of e-cigarettes among teens and young adults. Vaping is now so pervasive among young people that federal health officials say its use has fueled a sharp reversal in what had been a celebrated two-decade decline in overall tobacco use by teenagers.
Dialysis Industry Spends Big To Protect Profits
Dialysis companies are fighting a bill in the California legislature that could disrupt their business model. Their weapons: campaign cash and a sophisticated public relations campaign.
Charity Care Spending By Hospitals Plunges
The proportion of money that California hospitals spent on free and discounted care for low-income people dropped by more than half from 2013 to 2017 — even for nonprofit hospitals. Hospitals say there’s less demand for charity care because more people now have health insurance, but consumer advocates counter that people still need help.
Un millón de californianos no tienen agua potable. ¿En dónde viven?
A casi un millón de personas en el estado se les recomienda no beber agua del grifo porque las autoridades locales no cumplen con los estándares para mantenerla limpia.
A Million Californians Don’t Have Clean Drinking Water. Where Do They Live?
More than 10% of residents in 12 California counties don’t have safe drinking water, according to a California Healthline analysis of state water data. State lawmakers have pledged $130 million a year to help bring clean drinking water to Californians who need it.
Vaccine Drama On Display In California’s Capitol
Hundreds of protesters descended on the state Capitol on Thursday, warning against government tyranny and corporate greed. Their target: not taxes, not high-tech surveillance, but a bill that would determine which kids must get their routine shots.
Use Of Buprenorphine To Treat Opioid Addiction Proliferates In California
Buprenorphine is becoming an increasingly popular choice among doctors in California for treating opioid addiction. Use of methadone, while still more common, has not gained ground in recent years.
Aumentan las muertes de personas sin hogar en las calles de Los Ángeles
Un análisis de Kaiser Health News de datos oficiales muestra que las muertes han aumentado un 76% en los últimos cinco años, superando el crecimiento de la población sin hogar.
The Homeless Are Dying In Record Numbers On The Streets Of L.A.
Deaths of homeless people in Los Angeles County have jumped 76% in the past five years, outpacing the growth of the homeless population, according to a Kaiser Health News analysis of the coroner’s data. Experts say drug and alcohol abuse are significant factors.
Heavy Rains, End Of Drought Could Help Keep West Nile Virus Subdued — For Now
Scientists say drought can spur transmission of the disease and that wetter winters since 2015 have helped reduce the number of infections in California. In the long term, however, climate change could mean more drought — and more infections.
The Measles Success Story In California Shows Signs Of Fading
California’s highly touted gains in vaccinating schoolchildren against measles stalled last year, possibly related to an increase in the number of students who have been exempted from vaccinations on medical grounds.
