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Monterey County Health Articles



Monterey County Weekly logo LOCAL NEWS
Montage Health Launches a Fund for Teachers to Seek Grants Toward Health Care Costs.

Patients and providers agree that even with health insurance, the costs of health care can be inordinately expensive. That is something that Dr. Steve Packer, CEO of Montage Health and Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, acknowledged on Friday, March…

Monterey County Weekly logo LOCAL NEWS
Watsonville Hospital Bond Measure Holds Its Lead as More Ballots Are Counted.

It’s been a nail-biter of a week for supporters of Measure N, the $116 million Watsonville Community Hospital bond, as the measure as been hovering about 2 percentage points above its required target.

Salinas Valley Tribune logo LOCAL NEWS
Monterey County Educators celebrate Expanded Healthcare Services

MONTEREY COUNTY — Educators in Monterey County now have the affordable, local healthcare services they need and deserve thanks to an agreement between Salinas Valley Health and Municipalities, Colleges, Schools Insurance Group (MCSIG).

Salinas Valley Tribune logo LOCAL NEWS
Interim Opens Its Doors in Soledad

SOLEDAD — About 70 community members attended the Feb. 28 open house of Interim, Inc., a nonprofit mental health agency, at its new South Monterey County location at 2149 H Dela Rosa, Suite #203, in Soledad.

Salinas Valley Tribune logo LOCAL NEWS
New multi-specialty health clinic opens in Gonzales

GONZALES — The grand opening of Ocean Breeze Multi Specialty Clinic took place last Friday afternoon in Gonzales.

Image caption: A new law seeks to prevent cars from speeding, which causes about one of every three traffic fatalities.
If Drivers Won’t Slow Down, Proposed Law Requires Cars Do It for Them

“Intelligent” speed-limiting technology will be required in all new California cars starting in 2027, if a new law authored by San Francisco Senator Scott Wiener passes.

Monterey County Weekly logo LOCAL NEWS
Kaiser Permanente is at work on a Salinas location, and eyeing a spot in Marina.

Since 2022, Kaiser Permanente has been making inroads into Monterey County. As far as public outreach, that has been largely in the form of charitable giving – to nonprofits Jacob’s Heart, Everyone’s Harvest and more. With $7.5 million, Kaiser was…

Image caption: Los Angeles voters can take a step toward reducing traffic violence with a measure on the March ballot.
Can Traffic Deaths in Los Angeles be Reduced With a Ballot Measure?

With traffic deaths now regularly topping 300 per year, Measure HLA on the March 5 ballot gives Los Angeles voters the opportunity to force their reluctant city to implement new traffic safety measures.

Image caption: California traffic deaths dropped by 12 percent in the first three months of 2023, but road fatalities remain at crisis levels.
Death on the Roads: Traffic Fatality Crisis Far From Over

As the COVID pandemic eased, so did the epidemic of death on the road. Somewhat. But the ongoing crisis of traffic fatalities remains at high levels with early numbers form 2023 appearing to top 4,000 in California.

Image caption: Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas chats with Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer on the first day of the new legislative session Wednesday.
California Legislature Opens 2024 Session With Packed Agenda

State lawmakers reconvene with a lot of problems to fix, but not a lot of money to spend on solutions with a projected $68 billion budget deficit.

Image caption: When the calendar turns to 2024, undocumented Californian adults will become eligible for the state's public health insurance program, Medi-Cal.
All Undocumented Californians Eligible for Medi-Cal for First Time

Undocumented Californians are leaving health care clinics with “smiles” after they learn they’re newly eligible for Medi-Cal insurance. The health insurance expansion was decades in the making for immigrant advocates.

Image caption: Ambiance rides often save lives, but they can also ruin the lives of families slapped with expensive surprise bills for the emergency service.
Surprise Ambulance Ride Bills Banned Under New Law

Surprise ambulance bills can leave families deeply in debt after a medical emergency. A new state law that forces insurance companies to negotiate payments is expected to save Californians tens of millions of dollars a year.

Monterey County Weekly logo LOCAL NEWS
CHOMP announces forgiveness of medical debts incurred during Covid.

Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula officials announced on Dec. 18 that they’re forgiving 100 percent of all medical debt incurred by patients in the first three years of the Covid-19 pandemic, from 2020-2022. The move impacts 29,000 patient accounts…

Image caption: New efficiency measures in the Medi-Cal payment process may spell the end for some children's mental health programs.
Kids' Mental Health Programs May Close As State 'Modernizes' Payments

California is modernizing how it pays health care providers through Medi-Cal. Some mental health providers say the changes endanger their services.

Image caption: The town of Temarry, Mexico, is home to a processing plant that receives toxic waste from north of the border.
How California Dumps Hazardous Waste on a Mexican Town

An investigative report shows how California companies and governments avoid the Golden State’s strict environmental regulations by shipping toxic waste across state borders. New reporting shows how California exports the risk to Mexico.

Image caption: Many Californians who thought they were covered by Medi-Cal are turning up to doctor's appointments only to find they have no coverage.
Medi-Cal Recipients Surprised by Sudden Loss of Health Coverage

The federal government suspended an annual Medicaid renewal requirement during COVID-19. Now that it has resumed, many Californians are losing coverage for “procedural reasons.”

Image caption: More and more Californians are forced to rely on food banks as the federal government ends a policy that helps hungry people eat.
How This Government Policy is Making Food Insecurity Worse

The California food banks association warns of rising food insecurity, but its pleas for more state aid face a tough slog next year due to the projected budget deficit, as a federal program to help people get enough food is …

Image caption: The existence of poverty in California is a policy choice, but there are other choices that could be made.
Poverty in California

Poverty in California was reduced by record levels during the COVID pandemic, but now those economic support programs have come to an end and poverty is on the rise again.

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