Latest Morning Briefing Stories
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.
Coping With (Power) Loss: California’s Hospitals, Clinics, Patients Face New Reality
How are critical medical services interrupted by the loss of power and what can hospitals and clinics do to minimize the impact? This Q&A will give you some answers.
California’s Working Mothers Get Stronger Support For Workplace Lactation
A new state law that takes effect Jan. 1 requires employers to provide spaces where women can pump their breast milk comfortably and privately, with access to electricity, running water and refrigeration.
Medi-Cal To Expand Eligibility To Young Undocumented Adults. But Will They Enroll?
California will become the first state to allow unauthorized immigrant adults to receive full Medicaid coverage when it expands eligibility to people ages 19 to 25 in January. But health officials and immigrant rights advocates wonder whether fear of federal immigration policy combined with a youthful sense of not needing health insurance will keep those young adults from joining.
New California Law May Expand Use Of HIV Prevention Drugs, With Caveats
Legislation that takes effect next July will let people buy the medications without a prescription for a limited period. Medical professionals say it’s a step in the right direction but will not significantly increase the use of the medicine without additional efforts.
Startup Seeks To Hold Doctors, Hospitals Accountable On Patient Record Requests
Despite laws requiring that health care providers hand over copies of patient records in a timely fashion, many people have trouble getting theirs. Ciitizen, a Palo Alto, Calif., company that helps cancer patients with the task, recently published a scorecard that rates hospitals, doctors and clinics on their compliance with records requests.
Nursing Home Safety Violations Put Residents At Risk, Report Finds
A federal audit of 19 California nursing homes released today found hundreds of violations of safety and emergency standards, putting vulnerable nursing home residents at increased risk of injury or death during a wildfire or other disaster.
Más adolescentes buscan atención médica para sus problemas de salud mental
En 2018, los servicios de urgencias de California trataron a 84,584 pacientes jóvenes, de 13 a 21 años, con un diagnóstico primario relacionado con la salud mental.
More Adolescents Seek Medical Care For Mental Health Issues
Hospital emergency rooms throughout California are reporting a sharp increase in adolescents and young adults seeking care for a mental health crisis.
Flavor Bans Multiply, But Menthol Continues to Divide
As states and communities ban the sale of flavored tobacco products linked to vaping, anti-smoking activists are piggybacking on the momentum to target menthol cigarettes. But some African Americans say menthol cigarette bans will lead to discrimination.
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.
For Young People With Psychosis, Early Intervention Is Crucial
California budget provides $20 million to expand early psychosis treatment around the state.
If Power Outages Are California’s New Normal, What About Home Medical Needs?
Those who rely on plug-in health devices or medicine that requires refrigeration are scrambling to find ways to avoid potentially life-threatening disruptions now and in future fire season shutdowns.
California Nursing Home Residents Told To Find New Homes
Dozens of frail nursing home residents have been informed by their Medi-Cal managed care plans that they are no longer eligible for long-term care. Some health care advocates and legal aid attorneys fear that such terminations will increase as the state implements mandatory managed care for nursing home residents.
California: trabajadores agrícolas enfrentan riesgos de salud por incendios forestales
En el condado de Sonoma, la nación vitivinícola de California, trabajadores enfrentan la cosecha de la uva con el riesgo de inhalar partículas peligrosas que genera el humo.
Farmworkers Face Daunting Health Risks In California’s Wildfires
October marks not only fire season in California, but also the peak of the grape harvest. In areas not imminently threatened by the explosive Kincade Fire in Sonoma County’s fabled vineyards, workers labored through heat and smoke, or faced lost wages.
Snooze You Can Use: California Legislates More Sleep For Better Health
Other states may follow California’s new law requiring later start times for middle and high school students. The new law highlights the importance of better sleep, which will once again be on people’s minds as most of America — but not all — sets the clock back an hour early next month.
Los Angeles Vape District A Black-Market Gateway
A seedy section of downtown Los Angeles has become the go-to place for those who trade in wholesale — and sometimes counterfeit — vaping products. As more people fall ill with a mysterious lung disease linked to e-cigarette use, the manufacture and distribution of vaping products face increased scrutiny.
California To Provide Financial Boost To Help Buy Health Coverage
Come Jan. 1, California will be the first state to offer financial aid to middle-class people who make too much money to qualify for federal Obamacare tax credits. And Californians will once again owe a penalty if they are uninsured.
No More Tater Tots? California Schools Put Healthier Lunches To The Test
In the Golden State and elsewhere, school lunches include less meat, fewer processed foods and more fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains. One of the challenges nutrition advocates face is a new directive from the Trump administration that cuts the other way.
