High prices at hospitals in Monterey County are “an anomaly even among the most expensive” communities in California. One insurance plan there saves money by paying for members’ travel to other counties for procedures.
Kristen Hwang / CalMatters
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Why ‘crisis pregnancy centers’ will be California’s next abortion battleground
California legislators have passed a slew of laws to protect abortion rights. But after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, many fear attempting to regulate “crisis pregnancy centers” is legally risky.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
More street medicine teams tackle the homeless health care crisis
Homeless people often have sporadic or no access to health care, resulting in costly, chronic conditions. A new statewide effort encourages Medi-Cal insurers to partner with street teams to improve care.
Posted inLatest News
Newsom signs abortion protections into law
As other states restrict or ban abortions, the new California laws aim to improve access and protect patients and clinicians. They will also expand services to accommodate an expected influx from other states.
Posted inLatest News
After Roe: What happens to abortion in California?
Now that the U.S. Supreme Court has overturned the Roe v. Wade decision, here are key takeaways of what to expect for abortion in California. They include the politics, more legislation — including Gov. Gavin Newsom signing a bill Friday to protect California abortion providers from civil liability amid possible influx of out-of-state patients.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
‘Like torture’: For Californians with special needs, getting to see a dentist can take years
Tens of thousands of Californians with disabilities require special accommodations for dental care, but only 14 centers in the state can treat them.
Posted inCOVID Today
Use of outdated data apparently leads CDC to misjudge California’s current COVID risks
The CDC said half of Californians live in high-risk counties. But the agency apparently relied on outdated numbers of COVID infections and patients. Newer data indicates only 19 counties are in the CDC’s riskiest category, where universal masking is advised.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
Did California get its money’s worth from $1.7 billion COVID test contract?
The Valencia lab, a public-private venture between the state and PerkinElmer, processed only 1 to 8% of all Californians’ COVID tests in the first 10 months of the contract. And the lab was riddled with dozens of problems, according to an inspection report.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
Supply chain woes trigger shortages of crucial medical devices
Eying the offshore traffic jams at ports and supply chain problems, California hospitals report delays and shortages in medical supplies. Some patients are forced to reuse medical tubes.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
Hospitals brace for strikes as California workers protest staff shortages
Long-simmering disputes with unions over staffing are reaching crisis points. Almost a third of California hospitals report insufficient numbers of critical workers, including nurses, technicians and janitors.
