Global medical networking, image by PopTikaOPINION – Homelessness is more than just the lack of stable housing; it is a complex issue that affects nearly every facet of a person’s life, such as their ability to access healthy foods, gain employment, and effectively manage health conditions. The result of these traumas can reduce life expectancy by more than 20 years.
A physician checks the medical history of a hospital patient. (Photo: L.O.N. DsIr Cameravia Shutterstock)OPINION: In working closely with our main partner, Health Net, I was both disappointed and disheartened to hear that the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) recently announced their intent to drop Health Net as an option for Medi-Cal patients in Sacramento County — a decision that is sure to affect the physical and mental health needs of the unhoused patients we serve.
An active older couple hikes to an outlook over a California forest. (Photo: Ulza, via Shutterstock)OPINION: Rome wasn’t built in a day, but the Romans laid bricks every hour. The same might be said about California’s Master Plan for Aging, which has laid the groundwork for this precise moment in time.
An Illustration of prescription pain killers spilled on a table. (Image: Kimberly Boyles, via Shutterstock)OPINION: Amid an opioid and alcohol use disorder crisis exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, California health advocates are calling for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid to expand coverage of Medication Assisted Treatment and behavioral health care for Medi-Cal recipients.