Health

Gov. Newsom Changes Course on Plan to Pay for Immigrant Health Coverage

Published

5 years ago

May 21, 2019

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration reversed course on his plan to divert public health dollars from several counties to help provide health coverage to young adults who are in the country illegally.

On May 10, the administration heeded the alarm sounded by Sacramento, Placer, Santa Barbara and Stanislaus counties, which had warned that the governor’s plan would compromise their ability to cope with surging rates of sexually transmitted diseases and, in some cases, measles outbreaks.

“The Administration has subsequently reevaluated this proposal due to the potential negative impacts to public health activities in these counties,” Vivek Viswanathan, chief deputy director of the state Department of Finance, wrote in a letter Friday to the chairs of the state Assembly and Senate Budget Committees.

Sacramento County, for example, estimates it would have lost roughly $7.5 million that goes toward operating its STD clinic and paying communicable disease investigators. It warned that without the money, it would have to close the STD clinic and cut its own health services for undocumented immigrants of all ages.

“The public health dollars being restored make a big difference particularly at a time when we have measles,” Dr. Peter Beilenson, Sacramento County Health Services Director, told California Healthline. “We’re thrilled. It’s a great thing for the patients that we’re serving.”

This year, there have been 44 confirmed cases of measles in California as of May 8, three of them in Sacramento County. Public health officials also are struggling to address record rates of sexually transmitted diseases, with more than 300,000 cases of gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis reported in California in 2017.

On Thursday, when Newsom unveiled his revised budget — one that still included the plan to divert money from the four counties — he announced it would cost less to cover young adult unauthorized immigrants next year than previously estimated.

Because the state would have to delay the implementation date by six months to address IT issues, he said, it would cost $98 million to cover them in 2019-20, a significant drop from his original forecast of $260 million. The number of people expected to enroll also has dropped from 138,000 to 106,000.

The lower cost estimate means the administration won’t need to divert money from those four counties. What it does need, it will take from a special state budget reserve fund, said Department of Finance spokesman H.D. Palmer.

Newsom still plans to divert state money from 35 mostly small and rural counties, funds that currently pay for health services for uninsured residents, including undocumented immigrants, Palmer said.

Those counties participate in something called the County Medical Services Program, which has a $300 million budget surplus, Newsom noted at his budget briefing Thursday.

“That’s more than enough to address their issues,” Newsom said.

He also noted that his budget includes $40 million to combat infectious diseases.

Legislators are crafting their own budget proposals and have held dozens of hearings examining Newsom’s plan. The governor and lawmakers have until June 15 to negotiate a final budget, so it’s not yet clear which proposals will be included.

Placer County, which has reported three measles cases this year, praised Newsom’s change of heart.

“I appreciate the governor listening to some of the potential impacts it could have on public health and realizing that, in this time in California, we need to be making investments,” said Jeff Brown, director of Placer County’s Health and Human Services Department.

Samantha Young, Kaiser Health News

Posts by Samantha Young, Kaiser Health News

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Community

Report: Black Women Doctors are Underrepresented in Health Care Sector

Physician retention in California has decreased over the years for women doctors of color, a report by the Physicians for a Healthy California stated. According to the report, women physicians are more likely to experience burnout than their male counterparts, a trend that worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Published

8 hours ago

May 3, 2024

Oakland Post

The report states that Black and Latino physicians are underrepresented in the healthcare industry. Only 2.8% of physicians are Black and 5.5% are Latino across the state of California.

By California Black Media

Physician retention in California has decreased over the years for women doctors of color, a report by the Physicians for a Healthy California stated.

According to the report, women physicians are more likely to experience burnout than their male counterparts, a trend that worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The report states that Black and Latino physicians are underrepresented in the healthcare industry. Only 2.8% of physicians are Black and 5.5% are Latino across the state of California.

It also noted that women doctors of color are often assigned to serve in vulnerable and under-resourced communities.

“It is critical for health care organizations to implement effective strategies focused on the retention of this important group of clinicians,” the report stated.

Women doctors of color face career dissatisfaction, contributing to the low retention rates in California’s healthcare industry. The burnout particularly experienced by female doctors of color stems from workplace harassment and perceived lack of value at work.

Additionally, moral injury was another key factor driving women physicians of color away from the workforce. Unlike burnout, moral injury is defined as “the betrayal of what’s right by someone who holds legitimate authority in a high-stakes situation.”

Currently, two of the nine California regions used in the framework of the report — the Inland Empire and San Joaquin Valley — have less than 50 primary care doctors. Physician shortages are projected to get worse over the next few years.

By 2030, the report indicates, the demand for physicians will exceed the supply by at least 12%.

Oakland Post

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Community

Gov. Newsom, Attorney General Bonta Back Bill to Allow California to Host Arizona Abortion Care

Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta announced last week that they are backing a bill introduced by the state legislative women’s caucus that would allow Arizona-based doctors to provide abortion care in California to patients from Arizona. Senate Bill (SB) 233 was authored in response to the Arizona Supreme Court’s decision on April 9 that an 1864 ban on abortion in the state is enforceable.

Published

9 hours ago

May 3, 2024

Oakland Post

Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta.

By California Black Media

Senate Bill (SB) 233 was authored in response to the Arizona Supreme Court’s decision on April 9 that an 1864 ban on abortion in the state is enforceable. The bill also aims to counter growing support for anti-abortion legislation in states with Republican-majority legislatures since Roe v. Wade was overturned, according to supporters.

“California will not sit idly by. We’re urgently moving legislation to allow Arizona doctors to provide safe and reliable reproductive care to Arizonans here in California,” Newsom said.

Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), chair of the California Legislative Women’s Caucus said that abortion bans are based on laws that set women back to a time when they had limited human rights.

“Anti-abortion forces have resurrected a dead law passed at a time when women couldn’t vote and husbands beating their wives was lawful,” Skinner said.

On April 24, the Arizona House of Representatives voted to repeal the 1864 abortion ban. It now moves to the Arizona Senate for deliberation.

Oakland Post

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Bay Area

Mind, Body, and Spiritual Well-Being for Women Addressed in NAACP Forum in Oakland

The Women In The NAACP Oakland Branch is proud to announce the upcoming “Total You – Mind, Body, and Spirit Women’s Health Forum” scheduled for April 27 at Acts Full Gospel Church. Running from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at 1034 66th Ave., this forum aims to provide an empowering platform for women to engage in discussions, gain knowledge, and access resources pertaining to their health and well-being.

Published

2 weeks ago

April 20, 2024

Oakland Post

The panel will address various aspects of women’s health, including physical, mental and emotional well-being and relationships. iStock photo by Jorge Elizaquibel.

Special to The Post

The Women In The NAACP Oakland Branch is proud to announce the upcoming “Total You – Mind, Body, and Spirit Women’s Health Forum” scheduled for April 27 at Acts Full Gospel Church.

Running from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at 1034 66^th Ave., this forum aims to provide an empowering platform for women to engage in discussions, gain knowledge, and access resources pertaining to their health and well-being.

The forum will feature renowned experts, healthcare professionals, and advocates from Genentech, John Muir Health, Sutter Health of The East Bay, Kaiser Permanente, and the Alameda County Public Health Department.

Our expert panel will address various aspects of women’s health, including physical, mental, and emotional well-being, and healthy relationships. The forum will encompass a wide range of topics such as breast cancer, menopause, reproductive health, nutrition, mental health awareness, preventive care, and much more.

Participants will have the opportunity to attend informative sessions, interactive workshops, and panel discussions led by experts in their respective fields. Additionally, there will be wellness activities, screenings, and informational booths offering valuable resources and support.

This forum is open to women of all ages and backgrounds, encouraging inclusivity and diversity in the conversation surrounding women’s health. Whether you’re seeking information for yourself, a loved one, or simply looking to connect with other women, this event promises to be enlightening and empowering.

For more information and to register for the Total You Women’s Health Forum, please visit https://www.naacpoakland.org/ or contact Dr. Delores Thompson. WIN chairwoman at (510) 328-3638.

The Women In The NAACP Oakland Branch is dedicated to empowering women, and young teen girls. We look forward to your participation in this important event.

To register, go to https://www.naacpoakland.org/events/the-total-you-womens-health-forum