A youngster getting a dental exam. (Photo: Shutterstock)OPINION: The increase in reimbursement rates for Denti-Cal providers – the first in 18 years – sent a clear signal that we may finally be within striking distance of increasing access to care for the state’s most vulnerable and underserved populations. For this, California’s elected leaders should be commended. But this is only the first step.
An elderly couple in front of their home. (Photo: Andy Dean, via Shutterstock)OPINION: By 2030, California’s over-65 population is expected to be 87 percent higher than it was in 2012 – an increase of more than four million people. According to a 2014 AARP survey, nearly 90 percent of senior households say they would like to stay in their current residences and communities for as long as possible.
DMV Director Jean Shiomoto on the job. (Photos: Scott Duncan, Capitol Weekly)Jean Shiomoto, who grew up on a pear farm in the Delta, has one of the toughest jobs in California – she runs the Department of Motor Vehicles. In this car-happy state – by one estimate, L.A. County alone has 5.9 million registered automobiles, more than all but five states – anything do with with automobiles is a big deal.