Affordable Care Act

Are Teaching Health Centers the Cure to the Valley's Doctor Shortage?

Rebecca Plevin — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 15:25:14 +0000

A new type of residency program may provide some relief to the Central Valley’s physician shortage, and change the way we grow and retain primary care doctors in the Valley.

The model is called a “teaching health center,” and it’s funded by the Affordable Care Act.

The idea behind this new approach to graduate medical education is to train medical residents in community health centers, and encourage them to pursue careers in primary care in underserved areas, like the Valley.

Bill Would Extend Medi-Cal to a Million More Californians

Pauline Bartolone — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 19:08:53 +0000

California lawmakers will consider new legislation designed to keep the state in sync with the federal health law. As Pauline Bartolone reports from Sacramento, the legislation is part of a special session on health care that began Monday.

Lawmakers in both houses propose bills that would add more than a million people to the state’s Medicaid program.

Feds Give California Health Insurance Exchange $674 Million

Amy Quinton — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 23:57:33 +0000

The federal government has awarded California $674 million to develop an online health insurance marketplace as part of the Affordable Care Act.

The two-year grant for the exchange known as Covered California is less than the $706 million requested. But Executive Director Peter Lee says he believes the grant will give the state all the resources it needs.

Valley Counties Move Slowly Toward Health Reform

Rebecca Plevin — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 17:07:34 +0000

In less than one year, the federal health care law will take effect. When that happens, an estimated 1.4 million low-income, uninsured adults in California will become eligible for Medicaid. That’s a huge number of people who will suddenly be eligible for health benefits and better access to health care.