The Kaiser Permanente hospital in San Diego, a 617,000-square foot facility. (Photo: Roaming Panda Photos)OPINION: In giving private health care giant Kaiser Permanente a broad, no-bid Medi-Cal contract that is light on detail, the state could unwind over 40 years of locally driven health care coordination and collaboration for the most vulnerable among us.
Personnel at the Sacramento Native American Health Center. (Photo: SNAHC)OPINION: Amid the ongoing health crisis, California’s Medi-Cal Rx transition threatens the stability of over 1,300 community health centers that serve more than 7.2 million people throughout the state. In a noble attempt to discount rising prescription drug prices, a huge gap in savings is created for community health centers. Ironically, the transition disproportionately impacts the very same people it aims to help: California’s diverse population.
Headquarters of the Department of Health Care Services in Sacramento. (Photo: Matthew Corley, via Shutterstock)OPINION: Anyone who has tried to access health care has likely run into hurdles. From difficulty getting appointments, to barriers to specialty care, to obtaining authorization for appropriate treatments or medications, it can feel like a Herculean task for many to receive the care they need.
Photo illustration of a card identifying the recipient of Medi-Cal services. (Image: California Healthline)When Denise Williams’ baby boy was 2 months old, she became alarmed by a rattling sound in his lungs and took him to the emergency room. While undergoing treatment, he spiraled into a disabling neurological disorder.
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.
A physician uses his cell phone for a medical discussion. (Photo: apr.org)OPINION: The mother on the other end of the phone call was worried about her newborn’s increased fussiness and stomach issues. After taking a thorough history, the problem became clear: The mother had switched from breastmilk to a formula that triggered symptoms related to the baby’s known history of milk protein allergy. I advised a switch to a hydrolyzed formula.
A pharmacist with a digital tablet checks prescription drugs. (Photo: i viewfinder)OPINION: Millions of low-income Californians are about to have their prescription drug benefit change on January 1, 2021. Yet, you probably have not heard much about it. On his first day in office, Gov. Newsom proposed several bold initiatives to contain the cost of prescription drug prices, including “Medi-Cal Rx”, a change in how the state administers the prescription drug benefit for the nearly 11 million Medi-Cal enrollees who get their coverage through a health plan.
This week we posted four special editions of the Capitol Weekly Podcast, broadcasting the content from our September 17 conference on health care in the Golden State. We focused this year on the unprecedented public health emergency: COVID-19. Exactly six months and one day after the first Shelter-in-Place order, we examined the response to the crisis and looked at what comes next.
A photo illustration of a doctor using telehealth to provide care to a patient via the internet. (Image: Agenturfotografin, via Shutterstock)OPINION: The need for infection prevention opened the door for telehealth, and we cannot let that door slam shut after the pandemic. Telehealth is essential to expanding people’s access to health care and the health system’s capacity.
A medical practitioner checks the blood pressure on an older patient. (Photo: Alexander Raths, via Shutterstock)As California contends with a shortage of primary care doctors, some legislators are pushing to have nurse practitioners fill in the gaps. Assembly Bill 890, which is now headed to the Senate, would remove the requirement that nurse practitioners practice under a physician’s supervision.