Thousands attend a Jan. 17 rally in San Francisco to demonstrate for affordable health care. (Photo: Kim Wilson Photography, Shutterstock)With the Affordable Care Act facing an uncertain future, could California set up its own universal health care system as an alternative?
A depressed man sits alone on a park bench. (Photo: Mikael Damkier)OPINION: Nearly two decades ago, California raised the bar for our state’s wellness by requiring insurers to equally cover services for both physical and mental health conditions. Now a national standard, California’s groundbreaking Mental Health Parity law was among the first to recognize how grave inequities in the form of higher co-pays or fewer allowable visits diminish wellness and productivity.
A young cancer patient sits by a hospital window. (Photo: Sasa Prudkov)OPINION: It’s pretty rare nowadays to meet someone whose life hasn’t been affected by some variety of cancer. Whether you’ve been diagnosed yourself or know someone who has, the impacts can be devastating.
A young boy taking a vision exam. (Photo: GWImages, via Shutterstock)OPINION: California’s optometrists have a prescription for our members of Congress this year: Don’t lose sight of our children’s vision. As discussions about the Affordable Care Act take center stage with a new President and new Congress in January, children’s vision is a prime example of the comprehensive and economically sound approach to health that is at risk if the ACA is repealed without a replacement.
A physician prepares a syringe for use. (Photo: Shutterstock)The results of a presidential election won by Republican Donald Trump has some in a panic. And with GOP majorities in both houses of Congress, Trump presumably can do just about anything. But California health advocates are not talking about abandoning the state’s healthcare system. They’re preparing for a fight.
Illustration: Quentin Lueninghoener, FairWarningFairWarning: The formula has turned the firm, now named Exponent, Inc., into a publicly traded giant in litigation defense and regulatory science. It’s a go-to destination for major industries with liability problems – even as it is derided by critics as a hired gun whose findings are for sale.
Oil rigs in a Kern County oil field. (Photo: Christopher Halloran)OPINION: As a father, there is nothing that I wouldn’t do to protect my children. That’s why last year, I filed a suit against the state of California and Governor Brown for discriminating against Latino youth by permitting fracking wells disproportionately close to their schools.
Capturing energy from the air in the Tehachapi Pass, California. (Photo: Patrick Poendl)OPINION: Programs established through AB 32 have helped us implement several key projects, and have given a leg up to advanced energy companies across the state. Benefits from these programs extend to sustainable buildings, advanced energy businesses, clean energy schools and sustainable transportation, and reflect the growing importance of clean energy investments to California’s economy.
Downtown Los Angeles, as traffic zips along. (Photo: Sean Pavone)OPINION: California is the most diverse state in our nation, making local decision-making authority imperative to economic growth and good governance. However, a handful of Sacramento’s legislators are attempting to revoke local control in Southern California through the recently proposed SB 1387, a proposal to unnecessarily alter the local control of the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD).
Patients waiting to see the doctor. (Photo: Monkey Business Images)Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) – of which there are nearly 130 in the state — have long served as the safety net for California’s most vulnerable residents living in both urban and rural communities. Yet, as we look into the future, that net is fraying.