Rachel Bluth, Kaiser Health News

Author's posts

Come for Your Eye Exam, Leave With a Band-Aid on Your Arm

Dentists and optometrists across the country are trying to join in the fight to get everyone vaccinated against COVID-19, the flu and other diseases.

App-Based Companies Pushing Prop. 22 Say Drivers Will Get Health Benefits. Will They?

Ride-sharing and delivery services such as Uber, Lyft, DoorDash and Instacart are bankrolling California’s Proposition 22, which would keep their drivers classified as independent contractors, not employees. But health benefits? That’s something of a stretch.

Californians Asked to Pony Up for Stem Cell Research — Again

More than a decade of research tied to California’s stem cell agency hasn’t yielded many cures or much revenue. But backers of a ballot initiative that asks voters for billions more in funding say the work is vital for patients and the scientific community.

Pandemic Erects Barriers for Prized Bloc of Voters in Nursing Homes, Senior Facilities

Voting is a point of pride for many older Americans, and senior living facilities in past years have encouraged the civic act by hosting voting precincts, providing transportation to the polls and bringing in groups to help explain election issues. But fears of the spread of the coronavirus among this vulnerable population make voting more difficult this year.

Long-Fought Nurse Practitioner Independence Bill Heads to Newsom

The measure caps one of the most contentious health policy debates in recent memory, potentially altering how Californians get their medical care. Gov. Gavin Newsom has until the end of September to sign or veto it.

Must-Reads Of The Week

Easy-breezy guest writer Rachel Bluth fills you in on a healthy dose of news from this past week.

California Shies Away From Calls To Eliminate Restrictions On Nurse Practitioners

Many states are dramatically loosening regulations on nurse practitioners as the coronavirus pandemic increases demand for health care workers. But not California.

The High Cost Of Being Trump’s Enemy

The ongoing feud between President Donald Trump and California’s Democratic leaders is costing the Golden State hundreds of millions of health care dollars — with billions more at stake.

Newsom: To Fix Homelessness, California Must Fix Mental Health

California Gov. Gavin Newsom dedicated nearly all of his State of the State address Wednesday to homelessness. To fix that problem, he said, the state must address another one: mental health care.

For Newborns With Hearing Loss, Screening Opens Window To A World Of Sound

Most infants in the United States have a hearing screening in their first few days of life. Twenty years ago, before universal newborn screening, many kids missed out on early intervention services that help children with hearing loss access sound and develop spoken language.