window.__IS_SSR__=true
window.__INITIAL_STATE__={
"attachmentsReducer": {
"audio_0": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_0",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background0.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_1": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_1",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background1.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_2": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_2",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background2.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_3": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_3",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background3.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_4": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_4",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background4.jpg"
}
}
},
"placeholder": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "placeholder",
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-lrg": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-med": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xxsmall": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xsmall": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"small": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xlarge": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1920x1280.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 32,
"height": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 50,
"height": 50,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 64,
"height": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 96,
"height": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 128,
"height": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
}
},
"stateofhealth_16313": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "stateofhealth_16313",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "16313",
"found": true
},
"parent": 16310,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/Sharon-Wilson-e1384981126939-400x266.jpg",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 266
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/Sharon-Wilson-e1384981126939-320x213.jpg",
"width": 320,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 213
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/Sharon-Wilson-e1384981126939-640x372.jpg",
"width": 640,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/Sharon-Wilson-e1384981126939.jpg",
"width": 640,
"height": 425
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/Sharon-Wilson-e1384981126939-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/Sharon-Wilson-e1384981126939-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/Sharon-Wilson-e1384981126939-75x75.jpg",
"width": 75,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 75
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/Sharon-Wilson-e1384981126939-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/Sharon-Wilson-e1384981126939-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1384981105,
"modified": 1384981105,
"caption": "Sharon Wilson, 53, picks up her weekly allotment of produce from the AIDS Project of the East Bay. Wilson, who has HIV, says without help, she couldn't afford to buy fresh vegetables. (Angela Hart/KQED)\n",
"description": "Sharon Wilson, HIV/AIDS",
"title": "Sharon Wilson",
"credit": null,
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"stateofhealth_16298": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "stateofhealth_16298",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "16298",
"found": true
},
"parent": 16294,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/RS7621_TruckersAndCARB4-scr-e1384890589278-400x268.jpg",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 268
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/RS7621_TruckersAndCARB4-scr-e1384890589278-320x214.jpg",
"width": 320,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 214
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/RS7621_TruckersAndCARB4-scr-e1384890589278-639x372.jpg",
"width": 639,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/RS7621_TruckersAndCARB4-scr-e1384890589278.jpg",
"width": 639,
"height": 428
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/RS7621_TruckersAndCARB4-scr-e1384890589278-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/RS7621_TruckersAndCARB4-scr-e1384890589278-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/RS7621_TruckersAndCARB4-scr-e1384890589278-75x75.jpg",
"width": 75,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 75
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/RS7621_TruckersAndCARB4-scr-e1384890589278-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/RS7621_TruckersAndCARB4-scr-e1384890589278-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1384890580,
"modified": 1384890580,
"caption": "California Air Resources Board field representative Barry Pratt (right) questions Canadian trucker Henry Gustof, left, as a CARB team inspects trucks for compliance with clean air rules at a weighing station north of Los Angeles. Gustof’s engine met CARB standards. (Chris Richard/KQED)",
"description": "trucks, diesel, pollution, California Air Resources Board",
"title": "RS7621_TruckersAndCARB4-scr",
"credit": null,
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"stateofhealth_16273": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "stateofhealth_16273",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "16273",
"found": true
},
"parent": 16267,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/133792324-e1384798375939-400x300.jpg",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 300
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/133792324-e1384798375939-320x240.jpg",
"width": 320,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 240
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/133792324-e1384798375939-640x372.jpg",
"width": 640,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/133792324-e1384798375939.jpg",
"width": 640,
"height": 480
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/133792324-e1384798375939-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/133792324-e1384798375939-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/133792324-e1384798375939-75x75.jpg",
"width": 75,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 75
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/133792324-e1384798375939-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/133792324-e1384798375939-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1384798363,
"modified": 1384798363,
"caption": null,
"description": null,
"title": "133792324",
"credit": null,
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"stateofhealth_8239": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "stateofhealth_8239",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "8239",
"found": true
},
"parent": 8228,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2012/08/Vaccine_Baby_DanHatton_Flickr-1024x576.jpg",
"width": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2012/08/Vaccine_Baby_DanHatton_Flickr-400x267.jpg",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 267
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2012/08/Vaccine_Baby_DanHatton_Flickr-320x213.jpg",
"width": 320,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 213
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2012/08/Vaccine_Baby_DanHatton_Flickr-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2012/08/Vaccine_Baby_DanHatton_Flickr.jpg",
"width": 1024,
"height": 683
},
"fd-med": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2012/08/Vaccine_Baby_DanHatton_Flickr-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 512
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2012/08/Vaccine_Baby_DanHatton_Flickr-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2012/08/Vaccine_Baby_DanHatton_Flickr-800x534.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 534
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2012/08/Vaccine_Baby_DanHatton_Flickr-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2012/08/Vaccine_Baby_DanHatton_Flickr-75x75.jpg",
"width": 75,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 75
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2012/08/Vaccine_Baby_DanHatton_Flickr-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2012/08/Vaccine_Baby_DanHatton_Flickr-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1345767848,
"modified": 1345767848,
"caption": "Baby cries after receiving a vaccine. (Dan Hatton/Flickr)",
"description": "Baby cries after receiving a vaccine. (Dan Hatton: Flickr)",
"title": "Baby cries after receiving a vaccine. (Dan Hatton: Flickr)",
"credit": null,
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"stateofhealth_5429": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "stateofhealth_5429",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "5429",
"found": true
},
"parent": 5424,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2012/04/Redwoods_BenRamirez_Flickr_04262012-e1383937340166-400x300.jpg",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 300
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2012/04/Redwoods_BenRamirez_Flickr_04262012-e1383937340166-320x240.jpg",
"width": 320,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 240
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2012/04/Redwoods_BenRamirez_Flickr_04262012-e1383937340166-640x372.jpg",
"width": 640,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2012/04/Redwoods_BenRamirez_Flickr_04262012-e1383937340166.jpg",
"width": 640,
"height": 480
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2012/04/Redwoods_BenRamirez_Flickr_04262012-e1383937340166-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2012/04/Redwoods_BenRamirez_Flickr_04262012-e1383937340166-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2012/04/Redwoods_BenRamirez_Flickr_04262012-e1383937340166-75x75.jpg",
"width": 75,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 75
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2012/04/Redwoods_BenRamirez_Flickr_04262012-e1383937340166-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2012/04/Redwoods_BenRamirez_Flickr_04262012-e1383937340166-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1335461234,
"modified": 1335461234,
"caption": "(Ben Ramirez/Flickr)",
"description": "(Ben Ramirez: Flickr) redwoods, rural",
"title": "(Ben Ramirez: Flickr)",
"credit": null,
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"stateofhealth_16103": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "stateofhealth_16103",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "16103",
"found": true
},
"parent": 16090,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/174426822-e1383684544419-400x265.jpg",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 265
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/174426822-e1383684544419-320x212.jpg",
"width": 320,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 212
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/174426822-e1383684544419-640x372.jpg",
"width": 640,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/174426822-e1383684544419.jpg",
"width": 640,
"height": 424
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/174426822-e1383684544419-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/174426822-e1383684544419-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/174426822-e1383684544419-75x75.jpg",
"width": 75,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 75
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/174426822-e1383684544419-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/174426822-e1383684544419-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1383684528,
"modified": 1383684528,
"caption": "(Getty Images)",
"description": "slow down sign",
"title": "174426822",
"credit": null,
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"stateofhealth_15996": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "stateofhealth_15996",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "15996",
"found": true
},
"parent": 15987,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/3002399585_fdfd1b2117_b-e1383261950304-400x267.jpg",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 267
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/3002399585_fdfd1b2117_b-e1383261950304-320x214.jpg",
"width": 320,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 214
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/3002399585_fdfd1b2117_b-e1383261950304-640x372.jpg",
"width": 640,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/3002399585_fdfd1b2117_b-e1383261950304.jpg",
"width": 640,
"height": 427
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/3002399585_fdfd1b2117_b-e1383261950304-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/3002399585_fdfd1b2117_b-e1383261950304-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/3002399585_fdfd1b2117_b-e1383261950304-75x75.jpg",
"width": 75,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 75
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/3002399585_fdfd1b2117_b-e1383261950304-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/3002399585_fdfd1b2117_b-e1383261950304-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1383261938,
"modified": 1383261938,
"caption": "(JasonLangheine/Flickr)",
"description": "\"I voted\" sticker",
"title": "3002399585_fdfd1b2117_b",
"credit": null,
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"stateofhealth_15889": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "stateofhealth_15889",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "15889",
"found": true
},
"parent": 15880,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/136799870-11-e1383003808447-400x250.jpg",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 250
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/136799870-11-e1383003808447-320x200.jpg",
"width": 320,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 200
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/136799870-11-e1383003808447-640x372.jpg",
"width": 640,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/136799870-11-e1383003808447.jpg",
"width": 640,
"height": 400
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/136799870-11-e1383003808447-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/136799870-11-e1383003808447-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/136799870-11-e1383003808447-75x75.jpg",
"width": 75,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 75
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/136799870-11-e1383003808447-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/136799870-11-e1383003808447-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1383003791,
"modified": 1383003791,
"caption": "(Getty Images)",
"description": null,
"title": "136799870-1",
"credit": null,
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"stateofhealth_15859": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "stateofhealth_15859",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "15859",
"found": true
},
"parent": 15853,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/2078779116_b734772edc_z-400x300.jpg",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 300
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/2078779116_b734772edc_z-320x240.jpg",
"width": 320,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 240
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/2078779116_b734772edc_z-640x372.jpg",
"width": 640,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/2078779116_b734772edc_z.jpg",
"width": 640,
"height": 480
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/2078779116_b734772edc_z-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/2078779116_b734772edc_z-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/2078779116_b734772edc_z-75x75.jpg",
"width": 75,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 75
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/2078779116_b734772edc_z-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/2078779116_b734772edc_z-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1382721656,
"modified": 1382721656,
"caption": "(futurowoman/Flickr)",
"description": "portrait of a vicodin pill",
"title": "2078779116_b734772edc_z",
"credit": null,
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"stateofhealth_15832": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "stateofhealth_15832",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "15832",
"found": true
},
"parent": 15820,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/56292361-e1382588779517-400x261.jpg",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 261
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/56292361-e1382588779517-320x209.jpg",
"width": 320,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 209
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/56292361-e1382588779517-640x372.jpg",
"width": 640,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/56292361-e1382588779517.jpg",
"width": 640,
"height": 417
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/56292361-e1382588779517-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/56292361-e1382588779517-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/56292361-e1382588779517-75x75.jpg",
"width": 75,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 75
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/56292361-e1382588779517-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/56292361-e1382588779517-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1382588761,
"modified": 1382588761,
"caption": "(Getty Images)",
"description": "blurred people, black and white photo",
"title": "56292361",
"credit": null,
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"stateofhealth_15814": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "stateofhealth_15814",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "15814",
"found": true
},
"parent": 15809,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/Untitled-640x576.jpg",
"width": 640,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/Untitled-400x408.jpg",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 408
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/Untitled-320x326.jpg",
"width": 320,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 326
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/Untitled-640x372.jpg",
"width": 640,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/Untitled.jpg",
"width": 640,
"height": 652
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/Untitled-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/Untitled-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/Untitled-75x75.jpg",
"width": 75,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 75
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/Untitled-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/Untitled-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1382559815,
"modified": 1382559815,
"caption": "San Francisco General Hospital has installed \"yacker trackers\" around some nursing stations to reduce nighttime noise, part of the hospital’s enhanced effort to improve patients’ experience. (Photo: San Francisco General Hospital)",
"description": "Yacker Tracker; noise monitor",
"title": "Untitled",
"credit": null,
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"stateofhealth_15792": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "stateofhealth_15792",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "15792",
"found": true
},
"parent": 15783,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/oak-tech-ice-tea-400x267.jpg",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 267
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/oak-tech-ice-tea-320x214.jpg",
"width": 320,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 214
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/oak-tech-ice-tea-640x372.jpg",
"width": 640,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/oak-tech-ice-tea.jpg",
"width": 640,
"height": 427
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/oak-tech-ice-tea-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/oak-tech-ice-tea-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/oak-tech-ice-tea-75x75.jpg",
"width": 75,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 75
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/oak-tech-ice-tea-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/oak-tech-ice-tea-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1382120718,
"modified": 1382120718,
"caption": "Arizona Green Tea is popular with teens, but this 23.5 ounce can has 51 grams -- or more than one-third of a cup -- of sugar.(Jane Meredith Adams/EdSource)",
"description": "Arizona Green Tea",
"title": "oak tech ice tea",
"credit": null,
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
}
},
"audioPlayerReducer": {
"postId": "stream_live",
"isPaused": true,
"isPlaying": false,
"pfsActive": false,
"pledgeModalIsOpen": true,
"playerDrawerIsOpen": false,
"liveAudioPlayStartedAt": 0,
"liveAudioPlayContext": ""
},
"authorsReducer": {
"lisaaliferis": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "240",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "240",
"found": true
},
"name": "Lisa Aliferis",
"firstName": "Lisa",
"lastName": "Aliferis",
"slug": "lisaaliferis",
"email": "laliferis@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [],
"title": "KQED Contributor",
"bio": "Lisa Aliferis is the founding editor of KQED's \u003cem>State of Health\u003c/em> blog. Since 2011, she's been writing and editing stories for the site. Before taking up blogging, she toiled for many years (more than we can count) producing health stories for television, including\u003cem> Dateline NBC\u003c/em> and San Francisco's CBS affiliate, KPIX-TV. She also wrote up a \u003ca title=\"http://www.kqed.org/news/health/obamacare/obamacare-guide.jsp\" href=\"http://www.kqed.org/news/health/obamacare/obamacare-guide.jsp\">handy guide to the Affordable Care Act\u003c/a>, especially for Californians. Her work has been honored for many awards. Most recently she was a finalist for \"Best Topical Reporting\" from the Online News Association. You can follow her on Twitter: \u003ca title=\"https://twitter.com/laliferis\" href=\"https://twitter.com/laliferis\">@laliferis\u003c/a>",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/86c339d5cdcb0dcd2b6cf5d7c3f5886b?s=600&d=mm&r=g",
"twitter": "laliferis",
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"subscriber"
]
},
{
"site": "futureofyou",
"roles": [
"subscriber"
]
},
{
"site": "stateofhealth",
"roles": [
"subscriber"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"subscriber"
]
},
{
"site": "food",
"roles": []
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Lisa Aliferis | KQED",
"description": "KQED Contributor",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/86c339d5cdcb0dcd2b6cf5d7c3f5886b?s=600&d=mm&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/86c339d5cdcb0dcd2b6cf5d7c3f5886b?s=600&d=mm&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/lisaaliferis"
},
"state-of-health": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "8344",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "8344",
"found": true
},
"name": "State of Health",
"firstName": "State of Health",
"lastName": null,
"slug": "state-of-health",
"email": "stateofhealth@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [],
"title": null,
"bio": null,
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/66de4bf6d331fa7402bba1ffe8135e17?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"author"
]
},
{
"site": "stateofhealth",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "State of Health | KQED",
"description": null,
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/66de4bf6d331fa7402bba1ffe8135e17?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/66de4bf6d331fa7402bba1ffe8135e17?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/state-of-health"
}
},
"pagesReducer": {
"stateofhealth_category_policy": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth_14",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "14",
"score": 12.669186
},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Policy",
"description": "Actions by people in power – lawmakers, regulators and the like – can make a difference to your health, for better or for worse. We keep you informed",
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": "Actions by people in power – lawmakers, regulators and the like – can make a difference to your health, for better or for worse. We keep you informed",
"title": "Policy Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 14,
"slug": "policy",
"isLoading": false,
"title": "Policy",
"pageMeta": {
"site": "stateofhealth",
"WpPageTemplate": "page-topic-editorial",
"currentPage": 42
},
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "kqed/company-paragraph",
"content": "Actions by people in power – lawmakers, regulators and the like – can make a difference to your health, for better or for worse. We keep you informed"
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/post-list",
"attrs": {
"layout": "cardArticle2",
"query": "posts/stateofhealth?category=policy",
"seeMore": false,
"paginated": true,
"page": 42
}
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad"
}
]
}
},
"pfsSessionReducer": {},
"postsReducer": {
"stream_live": {
"type": "live",
"id": "stream_live",
"audioUrl": "https://hls.kqed.org/hls/kqed_app/playlist.m3u8",
"title": "Live Stream",
"excerpt": "Live Stream information currently unavailable.",
"link": "/radio",
"featImg": "",
"label": {
"name": "KQED Live",
"link": "/"
}
},
"stream_kqedNewscast": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "stream_kqedNewscast",
"audioUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/RDnews/newscast.mp3?_=1",
"title": "KQED Newscast",
"featImg": "",
"label": {
"name": "88.5 FM",
"link": "/"
}
},
"stateofhealth_16310": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "stateofhealth_16310",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "16310",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1384977453000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "stateofhealth"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1384977453,
"format": "aside",
"disqusTitle": "Future of Program for Low-Income HIV/AIDS Patients Unclear After Obamacare",
"title": "Future of Program for Low-Income HIV/AIDS Patients Unclear After Obamacare",
"headTitle": "State of Health | KQED News",
"content": "\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_16313\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/Sharon-Wilson.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-large wp-image-16313\" title=\"\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/Sharon-Wilson-640x425.jpg\" alt=\"Sharon Wilson, 53, picks up her weekly allotment of produce from the AIDS Project of the East Bay. Wilson, who has HIV, says without help, she couldn't afford to buy fresh vegetables. (Angela Hart/KQED) \" width=\"640\" height=\"425\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sharon Wilson, 53, picks up her weekly allotment of produce from the AIDS Project of the East Bay. Wilson, who has HIV, says without help, she couldn't afford to buy fresh vegetables. (Angela Hart/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>By Angela Hart\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Several times each week, Sharon Wilson, a 53-year-old HIV-positive retired caregiver, takes an hour-long bus ride from her Berkeley home to her clinic in downtown Oakland. Wilson doesn’t mind making the trip, because she says the care she has received there since her diagnosis has saved her life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Wilson says multiple chronic diseases, including HIV, have made it impossible for her to work. Ensuing financial struggles make managing her disease increasingly difficult.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I can't afford healthy food and all the medications I need to take,\" Wilson said as she described her strict antiretroviral drug regimen. \"It's not easy to learn a new way of living. I take a handful of pills when I wake up in the morning, a handful of pills with lunch, and another handful before I go to bed.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For people like Wilson, the AIDS Project of the East Bay — one of Alameda County's six HIV specialty clinics — is a place of refuge. There, Wilson has received primary care for her HIV and specialty care since 2006. She's been referred to Oakland's Highland Hospital multiple times to treat other chronic conditions, including congestive heart failure and arthritis.\u003c!--more-->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Wilson said equally important to her medical care is the bevy of other resources the clinic provides: food, housing assistance, free transportation, nutrition classes, and substance abuse counseling.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"This place is the reason I'm not homeless — it's my lifeline,\" she said on a recent day as she picked up her weekly allotment of vegetables.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It's because of a federal program commonly referred to as \u003ca href=\"http://hab.hrsa.gov/abouthab/aboutprogram.html\">Ryan White\u003c/a> that clinics like AIDS Project of the East Bay can afford to provide that range of other services, in addition to primary and specialty care. Ryan White funds are divvied out to clinics that offer these services for low-income, HIV-positive patients and people with AIDS to provide a broad spectrum of care — from being able to purchase a bus ticket, to scheduling a medical appointment, to buying groceries with food vouchers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Wilson and hundreds of others in Alameda County who are poor and chronically ill, the program is critical. Ryan White, passed by Congress in 1990 to provide life-saving health care for the poor and uninsured, is credited with building some of the first effective coordinated care for people with the disease.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the future of Ryan White is uncertain.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The program expired at the end of September, although Congress approved its continuance without an official reauthorization.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As of Jan. 1, as part of the Affordable Care Act, California is expanding Medi-Cal, the state's version of Medicaid, and will allow childless adults making less than $15,856 a year to sign up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That means that the vast majority of low-income Californians who currently use Ryan White funds for their medical care will move into Medi-Cal on Jan. 1.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The transition of poor, sick people living with HIV or AIDS moving from one public program to another has ignited concerns among patient advocates and nonprofits that provide care for a population whose health relies on stable medical homes and expensive antiretroviral medications.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Patient advocates say Ryan White remains important because it can pay for the other necessities that HIV/AIDS patients find crucial.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"Health reform has been challenging for us in a number of ways,\" said Alvan Quamina, the executive director for the AIDS Project of the East Bay, which provides services for about 700 people in Alameda County annually. \"Though long-term benefits are obvious, health reform means funding streams for HIV services are in jeopardy.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alameda County HIV specialists argue that Ryan White is critical for clinics to provide the services that make daily life possible: transportation, counseling, housing assistance, and emergency food..\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"Ryan White will continue to be important to provide the ancillary support services,\" Quamina said. \"While primary care transitioning to Medi-Cal, Ryan White can pay for things like BART fare or a free bus pass, food vouchers, and peer counseling,\" he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>PUBLIC HEALTH BENEFIT\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Keith Waltrip, the acting director for the Alameda County Office of AIDS Administration, agreed that Ryan White is critical to ensure a continuum of care for patients with sensitive health needs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"Support services help get these low-income people into care,\" Waltrip said. \"So making sure they have transportation, and healthy food, and psycho-social services is important. Those services aren't going to be paid for under Medi-Cal, so that's where Ryan White comes in.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Waltrip said those services benefit not only the health of an individual, but also the health of a community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"There is a public health benefit of keeping patients in care,\" Waltrip said. \"Continuous treatment reduces their viral load, and decreases their chances of passing along HIV to another individual, thus reducing the number of infections in a community.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kathleen Clanon is an HIV specialist and the interim chief medical officer for the Health Program of Alameda County. She is overseeing the transition of Ryan White patients to Medi-Cal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Clanon said Alameda County is ahead of the curve in aggressively preparing for the transition of Ryan White patients to Medi-Cal, or Covered California — whichever program patients are eligible for, depending on income.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Each of the county's six HIV specialty clinics will welcome new Medi-Cal patients after ACA implementation — something the county has been negotiating since January. That will mean better access to health care for the low income and a reduction in the likelihood for patients having to switch providers, Clanon said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Though the long-term future of Ryan White is uncertain, Clanon said she expects it to remain in place at least through 2014, in some capacity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other county health officials agreed, and said that meanwhile, HIV workers are advocating for the program's continuance at the local, state and federal levels.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"It's unclear where we're headed, and it really doesn't look good,\" Quamina said. \"What we're hearing is we should start planning, but my response is we're going to prepare, but we need to fight.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For patients like Wilson, the shaky future of the program that she relies on is worrisome.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I just hope we can get people educated about what's happening, so we can keep getting the assistance we depend on,\" she said.\u003c/p>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "16310 http://blogs.kqed.org/stateofhealth/?p=16310",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/2013/11/20/future-of-program-for-low-income-hivaids-patients-unclear-after-obamacare/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 1111,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 33
},
"modified": 1385103641,
"excerpt": "Several times each week, Sharon Wilson, a 53-year-old HIV-positive retired caregiver, takes an hour-long bus ride from her Berkeley home to her clinic in downtown Oakland. Wilson doesn’t mind making the trip, because she says the care she has received there since her diagnosis has saved her life.\r\n\r\nWilson says multiple chronic diseases, including HIV, have made it impossible for her to work. Ensuing financial struggles make managing her disease increasingly difficult.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "Several times each week, Sharon Wilson, a 53-year-old HIV-positive retired caregiver, takes an hour-long bus ride from her Berkeley home to her clinic in downtown Oakland. Wilson doesn’t mind making the trip, because she says the care she has received there since her diagnosis has saved her life.\r\n\r\nWilson says multiple chronic diseases, including HIV, have made it impossible for her to work. Ensuing financial struggles make managing her disease increasingly difficult.",
"title": "Future of Program for Low-Income HIV/AIDS Patients Unclear After Obamacare | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Future of Program for Low-Income HIV/AIDS Patients Unclear After Obamacare",
"datePublished": "2013-11-20T11:57:33-08:00",
"dateModified": "2013-11-21T23:00:41-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "future-of-program-for-low-income-hivaids-patients-unclear-after-obamacare",
"status": "publish",
"path": "/stateofhealth/16310/future-of-program-for-low-income-hivaids-patients-unclear-after-obamacare",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_16313\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/Sharon-Wilson.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-large wp-image-16313\" title=\"\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/Sharon-Wilson-640x425.jpg\" alt=\"Sharon Wilson, 53, picks up her weekly allotment of produce from the AIDS Project of the East Bay. Wilson, who has HIV, says without help, she couldn't afford to buy fresh vegetables. (Angela Hart/KQED) \" width=\"640\" height=\"425\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sharon Wilson, 53, picks up her weekly allotment of produce from the AIDS Project of the East Bay. Wilson, who has HIV, says without help, she couldn't afford to buy fresh vegetables. (Angela Hart/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>By Angela Hart\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Several times each week, Sharon Wilson, a 53-year-old HIV-positive retired caregiver, takes an hour-long bus ride from her Berkeley home to her clinic in downtown Oakland. Wilson doesn’t mind making the trip, because she says the care she has received there since her diagnosis has saved her life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Wilson says multiple chronic diseases, including HIV, have made it impossible for her to work. Ensuing financial struggles make managing her disease increasingly difficult.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I can't afford healthy food and all the medications I need to take,\" Wilson said as she described her strict antiretroviral drug regimen. \"It's not easy to learn a new way of living. I take a handful of pills when I wake up in the morning, a handful of pills with lunch, and another handful before I go to bed.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For people like Wilson, the AIDS Project of the East Bay — one of Alameda County's six HIV specialty clinics — is a place of refuge. There, Wilson has received primary care for her HIV and specialty care since 2006. She's been referred to Oakland's Highland Hospital multiple times to treat other chronic conditions, including congestive heart failure and arthritis.\u003c!--more-->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Wilson said equally important to her medical care is the bevy of other resources the clinic provides: food, housing assistance, free transportation, nutrition classes, and substance abuse counseling.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"This place is the reason I'm not homeless — it's my lifeline,\" she said on a recent day as she picked up her weekly allotment of vegetables.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It's because of a federal program commonly referred to as \u003ca href=\"http://hab.hrsa.gov/abouthab/aboutprogram.html\">Ryan White\u003c/a> that clinics like AIDS Project of the East Bay can afford to provide that range of other services, in addition to primary and specialty care. Ryan White funds are divvied out to clinics that offer these services for low-income, HIV-positive patients and people with AIDS to provide a broad spectrum of care — from being able to purchase a bus ticket, to scheduling a medical appointment, to buying groceries with food vouchers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Wilson and hundreds of others in Alameda County who are poor and chronically ill, the program is critical. Ryan White, passed by Congress in 1990 to provide life-saving health care for the poor and uninsured, is credited with building some of the first effective coordinated care for people with the disease.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the future of Ryan White is uncertain.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The program expired at the end of September, although Congress approved its continuance without an official reauthorization.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As of Jan. 1, as part of the Affordable Care Act, California is expanding Medi-Cal, the state's version of Medicaid, and will allow childless adults making less than $15,856 a year to sign up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That means that the vast majority of low-income Californians who currently use Ryan White funds for their medical care will move into Medi-Cal on Jan. 1.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The transition of poor, sick people living with HIV or AIDS moving from one public program to another has ignited concerns among patient advocates and nonprofits that provide care for a population whose health relies on stable medical homes and expensive antiretroviral medications.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Patient advocates say Ryan White remains important because it can pay for the other necessities that HIV/AIDS patients find crucial.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"Health reform has been challenging for us in a number of ways,\" said Alvan Quamina, the executive director for the AIDS Project of the East Bay, which provides services for about 700 people in Alameda County annually. \"Though long-term benefits are obvious, health reform means funding streams for HIV services are in jeopardy.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alameda County HIV specialists argue that Ryan White is critical for clinics to provide the services that make daily life possible: transportation, counseling, housing assistance, and emergency food..\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"Ryan White will continue to be important to provide the ancillary support services,\" Quamina said. \"While primary care transitioning to Medi-Cal, Ryan White can pay for things like BART fare or a free bus pass, food vouchers, and peer counseling,\" he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>PUBLIC HEALTH BENEFIT\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Keith Waltrip, the acting director for the Alameda County Office of AIDS Administration, agreed that Ryan White is critical to ensure a continuum of care for patients with sensitive health needs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"Support services help get these low-income people into care,\" Waltrip said. \"So making sure they have transportation, and healthy food, and psycho-social services is important. Those services aren't going to be paid for under Medi-Cal, so that's where Ryan White comes in.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Waltrip said those services benefit not only the health of an individual, but also the health of a community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"There is a public health benefit of keeping patients in care,\" Waltrip said. \"Continuous treatment reduces their viral load, and decreases their chances of passing along HIV to another individual, thus reducing the number of infections in a community.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kathleen Clanon is an HIV specialist and the interim chief medical officer for the Health Program of Alameda County. She is overseeing the transition of Ryan White patients to Medi-Cal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Clanon said Alameda County is ahead of the curve in aggressively preparing for the transition of Ryan White patients to Medi-Cal, or Covered California — whichever program patients are eligible for, depending on income.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Each of the county's six HIV specialty clinics will welcome new Medi-Cal patients after ACA implementation — something the county has been negotiating since January. That will mean better access to health care for the low income and a reduction in the likelihood for patients having to switch providers, Clanon said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Though the long-term future of Ryan White is uncertain, Clanon said she expects it to remain in place at least through 2014, in some capacity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other county health officials agreed, and said that meanwhile, HIV workers are advocating for the program's continuance at the local, state and federal levels.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"It's unclear where we're headed, and it really doesn't look good,\" Quamina said. \"What we're hearing is we should start planning, but my response is we're going to prepare, but we need to fight.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For patients like Wilson, the shaky future of the program that she relies on is worrisome.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I just hope we can get people educated about what's happening, so we can keep getting the assistance we depend on,\" she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/stateofhealth/16310/future-of-program-for-low-income-hivaids-patients-unclear-after-obamacare",
"authors": [
"240"
],
"categories": [
"stateofhealth_11",
"stateofhealth_14"
],
"tags": [
"stateofhealth_313"
],
"featImg": "stateofhealth_16313",
"label": "stateofhealth"
},
"stateofhealth_16294": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "stateofhealth_16294",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "16294",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1384891167000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "stateofhealth"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1384891167,
"format": "aside",
"disqusTitle": "Air Pollution Standards Mean Truckers Must Retrofit or Upgrade -- Soon",
"title": "Air Pollution Standards Mean Truckers Must Retrofit or Upgrade -- Soon",
"headTitle": "State of Health | KQED News",
"content": "\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_16298\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-large wp-image-16298\" title=\"\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/RS7621_TruckersAndCARB4-scr-640x428.jpg\" alt=\"California Air Resources Board field representative Barry Pratt (right) questions Canadian trucker Henry Gustof, left, as a CARB team inspects trucks for compliance with clean air rules at a weighing station north of Los Angeles. Gustof’s engine met CARB standards. (Chris Richard/KQED)\" width=\"640\" height=\"428\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">California Air Resources Board field representative Barry Pratt (right) questions Canadian trucker Henry Gustof, left, as a CARB team inspects trucks for compliance with clean air rules at a weighing station north of Los Angeles. Gustof’s engine met CARB standards. (Chris Richard/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>By Chris Richard\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Every time Bloomington dump truck operator Ruben Garcia pulls up at a job site, he finds himself caught in the same conversation: “What are you going to do next year?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Not everyone has a good answer.\u003c/p>\n\u003caside class=\"pullquote alignleft\">“If we can clean up these fleets, then we will definitely have a positive impact on public health.”\u003c/aside>\n\u003cp>Truckers in the Port of Oakland \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/2013/11/18/port-of-oakland-independent-truckers-protest\">grabbed headlines recently\u003c/a> when they held a demonstration at Oakland City Hall, demanding an extension to the January 1\u003csup>st\u003c/sup> deadline to upgrade their engines to meet \u003ca href=\"http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/onrdiesel/documents/multirule.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">California pollution standards\u003c/a>. They also want additional state subsidies to help them meet the cost. Meanwhile, general freight and construction truck drivers face a separate January deadline to start replacing their vehicles or install filters that can cost as much as a second-hand truck. That rule applies to most of the big rigs on the state’s roads. It’s an especially heavy burden for small operators.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s like telling the person who works in an office that they’ve got to tear down the office because the outside of the office building doesn’t work well with the environment.” he said. “Those trucks are our offices. That’s how we make our living.”\u003c!--more-->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With trucks a major source of particulate air pollution, officials with the California Air Resources Board counter that they’re duty bound to do all they can to clean up particulate air pollution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These new standards are already making a difference. In early 2010, the Port of Oakland instituted a program to replace and retrofit some vehicles. Just a few months later, \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/2012/01/19/quick-read-diesel-truck-pollution-in-west-oakland-plummets/\" target=\"_blank\">researchers at UC Berkeley reported\u003c/a> that some pollutants dropped by 40-50 percent.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now with the next phase of requirements coming for soot filters and other pollution controls, Air Resources Board inspection crews are checking trucks throughout the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Recently, field enforcement supervisor Ching Yang’s team set up at a weighing station north of Los Angeles. Yang motioned a truck emblazoned with the stars and stripes to pull over. Then he called to the driver to rev the engine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Moments later, Yang had the hood open. He started spotting problems right away. Memphis-based driver Mike Cooper’s rig didn’t have a factory-issued sticker showing his engine is the right model for his truck. That meant an $800 fix-it ticket. Even worse, Cooper didn’t know his 1999 rig is supposed to have a particulate filter costing as much as $20,000. That’s almost what another used truck would cost him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The median pay for self-employed truck drivers like Cooper is about $40,000. He said there’s no way he can afford a filter. But if he wants to keep doing business in California, he’ll have to get one in the next two months.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Standing a few yards from Cooper’s truck, Air Resources spokeswoman Karen Caesar said her agency has distributed flyers, set up web sites and run training sessions for truckers. She says regulators understand the economy has been weak; they’ve extended deadlines and raised extra money to help the truckers comply with the rules. But Caesar notes that 43 percent of California’s diesel particulate pollution comes from trucks. And the bottom line is, the Air Board is under orders to safeguard public health.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You’ve probably driven down the freeway at some point in your life behind some truck that’s just spewing all this toxic stuff, and you wonder ‘Why doesn’t somebody do something about that?’” she said. “And you know, that’s what we’re doing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As of Jan. 1st, trucks built after 1995 must have state-approved filters that intercept soot and toxic metals. Owners of three or fewer trucks must make a good faith effort to install their first filter on time. Then they have up to three years to get filters on the rest. Violators face fines of up to $10,000. Trucks built in 1995 or before get out of the filter requirement, but they have to upgrade their engines to a clean-burning 2010 model or better over the next two years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If we can clean up these fleets, then we will definitely have a positive impact on public health,” Caesar said. “We’re talking about everybody -- but especially the sensitive populations, which are generally children, and elderly and people with impaired immune systems.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Joe Rajkovacz, government affairs director at the California Construction Trucking Assn., said regulators should take the still-impaired economy more into account.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There is a crisis in transportation,” he said. “If they enforce their rules from the first of the year, there’s a very good chance that 40 percent to 50 percent of the trucks that operate in this state are not in compliance. You’re talking construction coming to a halt, goods movement coming to a halt. Agriculture’s the goose that lays the golden eggs in this state. And they’re facing the same rules.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To help the truckers out, the state has distributed nearly $340 million in grants to pay for newer vehicles, up to $50,000 per truck. State-sponsored loans have provided another $200 million.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sieb Bangma, whose two trucks haul sulfuric acid for Los Angeles oil refineries, got a grant. In exchange for junking his 1998 truck, he received a $15,000 check toward the purchase of a much newer rig. That fell well short of the new truck’s $50,000 price tag, because the subsidy was limited by Bangma’s low annual mileage. Nevertheless, he’s happy with the deal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It was probably about three, four months for us to get the whole thing going. I’m glad to get it over with and don’t have to worry about it for a couple years, and then we’ll see where it goes,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Monte Eberhardt is measuring his future in months. He just found out at a roadside inspection that he’s going to need a $17,000 filter for his 1998 truck by Jan. 1. Eberhardt thought he had more time to get one, and he says he had been working on it well before he got pulled over.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Eberhardt thinks he could afford the monthly payment, if he could just get a little more time. He says he’s called the Air Board over and over.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If they’re gonna stand there and make me feel like I’m doing something wrong, trying to feed my family, on the side of the road, like I’m breaking the law, at least when I call to see if I can get some kind of financial aid or help, answer the damn phone.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The air board’s Karen Caesar says they’ve been getting about 2,000 calls a week, four times the number received this time last year. Caesar says they’ve installed a better phone system and put more people on the line, and they’re returning calls as fast as they can.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Listen to Chris Richard's report:\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\n\u003cobject width=\"335\" height=\"85\" classid=\"d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\">\u003cparam name=\"flashvars\" value=\"file=http://www.kqed.org/radio/archives/R201311190850b.xml\">\u003cparam name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.kqed.org/assets/flash/kqedplayer.swf\">\u003cembed width=\"335\" height=\"85\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.kqed.org/assets/flash/kqedplayer.swf\" flashvars=\"file=http://www.kqed.org/radio/archives/R201311190850b.xml\">\u003c/embed>\u003c/object>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "16294 http://blogs.kqed.org/stateofhealth/?p=16294",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/2013/11/19/air-pollution-standards-mean-truckers-must-retrofit-or-upgrade-soon/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 1294,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 27
},
"modified": 1384992022,
"excerpt": "Truckers in the Port of Oakland grabbed headlines recently when they held a demonstration at Oakland City Hall, demanding an extension to the January 1st deadline to upgrade their engines to meet California pollution standards. They also want additional state subsidies to help them meet the cost. Meanwhile, general freight and construction truck drivers face a separate January deadline to start replacing their vehicles or install filters that can cost as much as a second-hand truck. That rule applies to most of the big rigs on the state’s roads. It’s an especially heavy burden for small operators.\r\n",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "Truckers in the Port of Oakland grabbed headlines recently when they held a demonstration at Oakland City Hall, demanding an extension to the January 1st deadline to upgrade their engines to meet California pollution standards. They also want additional state subsidies to help them meet the cost. Meanwhile, general freight and construction truck drivers face a separate January deadline to start replacing their vehicles or install filters that can cost as much as a second-hand truck. That rule applies to most of the big rigs on the state’s roads. It’s an especially heavy burden for small operators.\r\n",
"title": "Air Pollution Standards Mean Truckers Must Retrofit or Upgrade -- Soon | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Air Pollution Standards Mean Truckers Must Retrofit or Upgrade -- Soon",
"datePublished": "2013-11-19T11:59:27-08:00",
"dateModified": "2013-11-20T16:00:22-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "air-pollution-standards-mean-truckers-must-retrofit-or-upgrade-soon",
"status": "publish",
"path": "/stateofhealth/16294/air-pollution-standards-mean-truckers-must-retrofit-or-upgrade-soon",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_16298\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-large wp-image-16298\" title=\"\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/RS7621_TruckersAndCARB4-scr-640x428.jpg\" alt=\"California Air Resources Board field representative Barry Pratt (right) questions Canadian trucker Henry Gustof, left, as a CARB team inspects trucks for compliance with clean air rules at a weighing station north of Los Angeles. Gustof’s engine met CARB standards. (Chris Richard/KQED)\" width=\"640\" height=\"428\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">California Air Resources Board field representative Barry Pratt (right) questions Canadian trucker Henry Gustof, left, as a CARB team inspects trucks for compliance with clean air rules at a weighing station north of Los Angeles. Gustof’s engine met CARB standards. (Chris Richard/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>By Chris Richard\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Every time Bloomington dump truck operator Ruben Garcia pulls up at a job site, he finds himself caught in the same conversation: “What are you going to do next year?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Not everyone has a good answer.\u003c/p>\n\u003caside class=\"pullquote alignleft\">“If we can clean up these fleets, then we will definitely have a positive impact on public health.”\u003c/aside>\n\u003cp>Truckers in the Port of Oakland \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/2013/11/18/port-of-oakland-independent-truckers-protest\">grabbed headlines recently\u003c/a> when they held a demonstration at Oakland City Hall, demanding an extension to the January 1\u003csup>st\u003c/sup> deadline to upgrade their engines to meet \u003ca href=\"http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/onrdiesel/documents/multirule.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">California pollution standards\u003c/a>. They also want additional state subsidies to help them meet the cost. Meanwhile, general freight and construction truck drivers face a separate January deadline to start replacing their vehicles or install filters that can cost as much as a second-hand truck. That rule applies to most of the big rigs on the state’s roads. It’s an especially heavy burden for small operators.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s like telling the person who works in an office that they’ve got to tear down the office because the outside of the office building doesn’t work well with the environment.” he said. “Those trucks are our offices. That’s how we make our living.”\u003c!--more-->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With trucks a major source of particulate air pollution, officials with the California Air Resources Board counter that they’re duty bound to do all they can to clean up particulate air pollution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These new standards are already making a difference. In early 2010, the Port of Oakland instituted a program to replace and retrofit some vehicles. Just a few months later, \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/2012/01/19/quick-read-diesel-truck-pollution-in-west-oakland-plummets/\" target=\"_blank\">researchers at UC Berkeley reported\u003c/a> that some pollutants dropped by 40-50 percent.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now with the next phase of requirements coming for soot filters and other pollution controls, Air Resources Board inspection crews are checking trucks throughout the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Recently, field enforcement supervisor Ching Yang’s team set up at a weighing station north of Los Angeles. Yang motioned a truck emblazoned with the stars and stripes to pull over. Then he called to the driver to rev the engine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Moments later, Yang had the hood open. He started spotting problems right away. Memphis-based driver Mike Cooper’s rig didn’t have a factory-issued sticker showing his engine is the right model for his truck. That meant an $800 fix-it ticket. Even worse, Cooper didn’t know his 1999 rig is supposed to have a particulate filter costing as much as $20,000. That’s almost what another used truck would cost him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The median pay for self-employed truck drivers like Cooper is about $40,000. He said there’s no way he can afford a filter. But if he wants to keep doing business in California, he’ll have to get one in the next two months.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Standing a few yards from Cooper’s truck, Air Resources spokeswoman Karen Caesar said her agency has distributed flyers, set up web sites and run training sessions for truckers. She says regulators understand the economy has been weak; they’ve extended deadlines and raised extra money to help the truckers comply with the rules. But Caesar notes that 43 percent of California’s diesel particulate pollution comes from trucks. And the bottom line is, the Air Board is under orders to safeguard public health.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You’ve probably driven down the freeway at some point in your life behind some truck that’s just spewing all this toxic stuff, and you wonder ‘Why doesn’t somebody do something about that?’” she said. “And you know, that’s what we’re doing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As of Jan. 1st, trucks built after 1995 must have state-approved filters that intercept soot and toxic metals. Owners of three or fewer trucks must make a good faith effort to install their first filter on time. Then they have up to three years to get filters on the rest. Violators face fines of up to $10,000. Trucks built in 1995 or before get out of the filter requirement, but they have to upgrade their engines to a clean-burning 2010 model or better over the next two years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If we can clean up these fleets, then we will definitely have a positive impact on public health,” Caesar said. “We’re talking about everybody -- but especially the sensitive populations, which are generally children, and elderly and people with impaired immune systems.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Joe Rajkovacz, government affairs director at the California Construction Trucking Assn., said regulators should take the still-impaired economy more into account.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There is a crisis in transportation,” he said. “If they enforce their rules from the first of the year, there’s a very good chance that 40 percent to 50 percent of the trucks that operate in this state are not in compliance. You’re talking construction coming to a halt, goods movement coming to a halt. Agriculture’s the goose that lays the golden eggs in this state. And they’re facing the same rules.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To help the truckers out, the state has distributed nearly $340 million in grants to pay for newer vehicles, up to $50,000 per truck. State-sponsored loans have provided another $200 million.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sieb Bangma, whose two trucks haul sulfuric acid for Los Angeles oil refineries, got a grant. In exchange for junking his 1998 truck, he received a $15,000 check toward the purchase of a much newer rig. That fell well short of the new truck’s $50,000 price tag, because the subsidy was limited by Bangma’s low annual mileage. Nevertheless, he’s happy with the deal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It was probably about three, four months for us to get the whole thing going. I’m glad to get it over with and don’t have to worry about it for a couple years, and then we’ll see where it goes,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Monte Eberhardt is measuring his future in months. He just found out at a roadside inspection that he’s going to need a $17,000 filter for his 1998 truck by Jan. 1. Eberhardt thought he had more time to get one, and he says he had been working on it well before he got pulled over.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Eberhardt thinks he could afford the monthly payment, if he could just get a little more time. He says he’s called the Air Board over and over.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If they’re gonna stand there and make me feel like I’m doing something wrong, trying to feed my family, on the side of the road, like I’m breaking the law, at least when I call to see if I can get some kind of financial aid or help, answer the damn phone.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The air board’s Karen Caesar says they’ve been getting about 2,000 calls a week, four times the number received this time last year. Caesar says they’ve installed a better phone system and put more people on the line, and they’re returning calls as fast as they can.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Listen to Chris Richard's report:\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\n\u003cobject width=\"335\" height=\"85\" classid=\"d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\">\u003cparam name=\"flashvars\" value=\"file=http://www.kqed.org/radio/archives/R201311190850b.xml\">\u003cparam name=\"src\" value=\"http://www.kqed.org/assets/flash/kqedplayer.swf\">\u003cembed width=\"335\" height=\"85\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"http://www.kqed.org/assets/flash/kqedplayer.swf\" flashvars=\"file=http://www.kqed.org/radio/archives/R201311190850b.xml\">\u003c/embed>\u003c/object>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/stateofhealth/16294/air-pollution-standards-mean-truckers-must-retrofit-or-upgrade-soon",
"authors": [
"8344"
],
"categories": [
"stateofhealth_11",
"stateofhealth_14"
],
"tags": [
"stateofhealth_21"
],
"featImg": "stateofhealth_16298",
"label": "stateofhealth"
},
"stateofhealth_16267": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "stateofhealth_16267",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "16267",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1384798527000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "stateofhealth"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1384798527,
"format": "aside",
"disqusTitle": "California Sends Incorrect Information to 246,000 Low-Income Patients",
"title": "California Sends Incorrect Information to 246,000 Low-Income Patients",
"headTitle": "State of Health | KQED News",
"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/133792324-e1384798375939.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-16273\" title=\"\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/133792324-640x480.jpg\" alt=\"133792324\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\">\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>By Anna Gorman\u003c/strong>, \u003ca href=\"http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2013/November/18/california-insurance-medicaid-letters.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">Kaiser Health News\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California has mistakenly sent letters to 246,000 low-income residents, warning they may need to find new doctors next year under the state’s newly expanded Medicaid program.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The error frustrated counties and community health centers which have repeatedly assured patients they can keep their providers when the Affordable Care Act takes effect in 2014. The patients are part of the state’s “bridge to reform” program, which was designed to cover uninsured, poor Californians until they became eligible for Medi-Cal, the state's version of Medicaid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bridge to reform launched in 2011 and more than 600,000 people across the state enrolled in county-based health coverage. Many people formed relationships with doctors and started seeking regular care. But county and clinic administrators said the incorrect information in the mailing this month has put the counties’ efforts in jeopardy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The mix-up occurred as people are scrambling to figure out how the health law impacts them, and as private policy holders have been receiving letters canceling their insurance \u003cstrong>\u003c/strong>plans.\u003c!--more-->\u003cstrong>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The whole key to the success is that people seamlessly transition to Medi-Cal,” said Sean South, an associate director at the California Primary Care Association. “It is vitally important that we don’t confuse them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But that’s what happened when the incorrect letters started going out on Nov. 1, said clinic and county officials.\u003cstrong>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Patients immediately began calling and showing up with questions about the letter, said Eva Serrano, a health advocate at QueensCare Health Centers, which has about 6,000 people enrolled in the local program known as “Healthy Way LA.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ignacio Garcia, 54, was one of them. He walked in this week holding the envelope with a scribbled question mark across the front. Garcia, who has hepatitis C, has been treated at the East Los Angeles clinic for about three years and doesn’t want to change doctors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I didn’t know what to think,” he told Serrano about the letter. “I thought, ‘I’m probably not going to be able to come here anymore.’” Serrano explained that the letter was wrong, the clinic is part of the Medi-Cal managed care network and that Garcia could continue coming.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Altogether, 483,800 Californians received the mailings about the Medi-Cal transition, and 246,023 were incorrect. They live in 11 counties, including Los Angeles, San Francisco and Sacramento.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Soon after state health officials learned about the mistake, they responded by sending out an updated letter. That notice reads in bold, “Corrected Information About Your Health Care Coverage! Your primary doctor or clinic does work with Medi-Cal managed care, so you can keep seeing them for your care.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California Department of Health Care Services spokesman Norman Williams said the state made an error and would work hard to make sure it doesn’t happen again. “I still believe it will be a smooth transition,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Community Health Alliance of Pasadena’s Chief Financial Officer Sergio Bautista isn’t convinced. The clinic has about 4,000 Healthy Way LA patients who will be automatically transitioned into Medi-Cal. Clinic staff across the state are calling and meeting with patients to reassure them that they don’t have to leave when they get Medi-Cal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I was skeptical when the county and state were telling us that it was going to be seamless,” he said. “The patients are hearing all these problems about how the Affordable Care Act is not working. … Injecting this other problem into the mix is compounding the issue, rather than clarifying it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Throughout the state, counties were eager to participate in the bridge to reform program as a way to cover the uninsured and assign them to “medical homes” where they would see regular doctors. The idea was that when the patients became eligible for the health law’s expanded Medicaid and could choose where to get treatment, they would stay where they were. Under the program, counties paid half of the bill and the federal government paid the other half. In 2014, when the bridge to reform program shuts down, the federal government will pay for 100 percent of the care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many of the patients in those programs receive coordinated care for their chronic diseases and access to specialty and mental health care, according to Dylan Roby, part of a team at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research that is evaluating the program. As a whole, Roby said the program is showing a decrease in emergency room visits and hospitalizations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In addition, the expansion of coverage helped California and the counties prepare for an expected influx of newly insured patients. While other states are just now bracing for the Medicaid expansion, California has been working for years on getting patients covered, Roby said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A lot of that population has already been dealt with in California,” he said. “They will be a lot easier to manage.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Los Angeles County, about 290,000 people enrolled in the local coverage program after being screened for income, residency and age requirements. There is an overwhelming number of uninsured people in the county and this was an opportunity to reach them ahead of time, said Shari Doi-Hatcher, who heads Healthy Way LA for the county Department of Health Services. “Not only do they have health coverage today, but it makes it easy for them in 2014,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Los Angeles County officials, who have been working with the state on the transition to Medi-Cal for months, were frustrated by the state’s incorrect mailing, Doi-Hatcher said. Patients got the letters and were scared, confused or just plain angry, she said, and the letter contradicted one of the county’s main messages – that people can stay where they are for care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It makes it more challenging,” she said. “We have been aggressively trying to message, ‘We want to keep you, we want to be your provider.’”\u003c/p>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "16267 http://blogs.kqed.org/stateofhealth/?p=16267",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/2013/11/18/california-sends-incorrect-information-to-246000-low-income-patients/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 1047,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 25
},
"modified": 1384894338,
"excerpt": "California has mistakenly sent letters to 246,000 low-income residents, warning they may need to find new doctors next year under the state’s newly expanded Medicaid program.\r\n\r\nThe error frustrated counties and community health centers which have repeatedly assured patients they can keep their providers when the Affordable Care Act takes effect in 2014. The patients are part of the state’s “bridge to reform” program, which was designed to cover uninsured, poor Californians until they became eligible for Medicaid, known as Medi-Cal here.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "California has mistakenly sent letters to 246,000 low-income residents, warning they may need to find new doctors next year under the state’s newly expanded Medicaid program.\r\n\r\nThe error frustrated counties and community health centers which have repeatedly assured patients they can keep their providers when the Affordable Care Act takes effect in 2014. The patients are part of the state’s “bridge to reform” program, which was designed to cover uninsured, poor Californians until they became eligible for Medicaid, known as Medi-Cal here.",
"title": "California Sends Incorrect Information to 246,000 Low-Income Patients | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "California Sends Incorrect Information to 246,000 Low-Income Patients",
"datePublished": "2013-11-18T10:15:27-08:00",
"dateModified": "2013-11-19T12:52:18-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "california-sends-incorrect-information-to-246000-low-income-patients",
"status": "publish",
"path": "/stateofhealth/16267/california-sends-incorrect-information-to-246000-low-income-patients",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/133792324-e1384798375939.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-16273\" title=\"\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/133792324-640x480.jpg\" alt=\"133792324\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\">\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>By Anna Gorman\u003c/strong>, \u003ca href=\"http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2013/November/18/california-insurance-medicaid-letters.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">Kaiser Health News\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California has mistakenly sent letters to 246,000 low-income residents, warning they may need to find new doctors next year under the state’s newly expanded Medicaid program.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The error frustrated counties and community health centers which have repeatedly assured patients they can keep their providers when the Affordable Care Act takes effect in 2014. The patients are part of the state’s “bridge to reform” program, which was designed to cover uninsured, poor Californians until they became eligible for Medi-Cal, the state's version of Medicaid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bridge to reform launched in 2011 and more than 600,000 people across the state enrolled in county-based health coverage. Many people formed relationships with doctors and started seeking regular care. But county and clinic administrators said the incorrect information in the mailing this month has put the counties’ efforts in jeopardy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The mix-up occurred as people are scrambling to figure out how the health law impacts them, and as private policy holders have been receiving letters canceling their insurance \u003cstrong>\u003c/strong>plans.\u003c!--more-->\u003cstrong>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The whole key to the success is that people seamlessly transition to Medi-Cal,” said Sean South, an associate director at the California Primary Care Association. “It is vitally important that we don’t confuse them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But that’s what happened when the incorrect letters started going out on Nov. 1, said clinic and county officials.\u003cstrong>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Patients immediately began calling and showing up with questions about the letter, said Eva Serrano, a health advocate at QueensCare Health Centers, which has about 6,000 people enrolled in the local program known as “Healthy Way LA.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ignacio Garcia, 54, was one of them. He walked in this week holding the envelope with a scribbled question mark across the front. Garcia, who has hepatitis C, has been treated at the East Los Angeles clinic for about three years and doesn’t want to change doctors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I didn’t know what to think,” he told Serrano about the letter. “I thought, ‘I’m probably not going to be able to come here anymore.’” Serrano explained that the letter was wrong, the clinic is part of the Medi-Cal managed care network and that Garcia could continue coming.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Altogether, 483,800 Californians received the mailings about the Medi-Cal transition, and 246,023 were incorrect. They live in 11 counties, including Los Angeles, San Francisco and Sacramento.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Soon after state health officials learned about the mistake, they responded by sending out an updated letter. That notice reads in bold, “Corrected Information About Your Health Care Coverage! Your primary doctor or clinic does work with Medi-Cal managed care, so you can keep seeing them for your care.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California Department of Health Care Services spokesman Norman Williams said the state made an error and would work hard to make sure it doesn’t happen again. “I still believe it will be a smooth transition,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Community Health Alliance of Pasadena’s Chief Financial Officer Sergio Bautista isn’t convinced. The clinic has about 4,000 Healthy Way LA patients who will be automatically transitioned into Medi-Cal. Clinic staff across the state are calling and meeting with patients to reassure them that they don’t have to leave when they get Medi-Cal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I was skeptical when the county and state were telling us that it was going to be seamless,” he said. “The patients are hearing all these problems about how the Affordable Care Act is not working. … Injecting this other problem into the mix is compounding the issue, rather than clarifying it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Throughout the state, counties were eager to participate in the bridge to reform program as a way to cover the uninsured and assign them to “medical homes” where they would see regular doctors. The idea was that when the patients became eligible for the health law’s expanded Medicaid and could choose where to get treatment, they would stay where they were. Under the program, counties paid half of the bill and the federal government paid the other half. In 2014, when the bridge to reform program shuts down, the federal government will pay for 100 percent of the care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many of the patients in those programs receive coordinated care for their chronic diseases and access to specialty and mental health care, according to Dylan Roby, part of a team at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research that is evaluating the program. As a whole, Roby said the program is showing a decrease in emergency room visits and hospitalizations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In addition, the expansion of coverage helped California and the counties prepare for an expected influx of newly insured patients. While other states are just now bracing for the Medicaid expansion, California has been working for years on getting patients covered, Roby said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A lot of that population has already been dealt with in California,” he said. “They will be a lot easier to manage.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Los Angeles County, about 290,000 people enrolled in the local coverage program after being screened for income, residency and age requirements. There is an overwhelming number of uninsured people in the county and this was an opportunity to reach them ahead of time, said Shari Doi-Hatcher, who heads Healthy Way LA for the county Department of Health Services. “Not only do they have health coverage today, but it makes it easy for them in 2014,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Los Angeles County officials, who have been working with the state on the transition to Medi-Cal for months, were frustrated by the state’s incorrect mailing, Doi-Hatcher said. Patients got the letters and were scared, confused or just plain angry, she said, and the letter contradicted one of the county’s main messages – that people can stay where they are for care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It makes it more challenging,” she said. “We have been aggressively trying to message, ‘We want to keep you, we want to be your provider.’”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/stateofhealth/16267/california-sends-incorrect-information-to-246000-low-income-patients",
"authors": [
"240"
],
"categories": [
"stateofhealth_14"
],
"tags": [
"stateofhealth_99"
],
"featImg": "stateofhealth_16273",
"label": "stateofhealth"
},
"stateofhealth_16164": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "stateofhealth_16164",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "16164",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1384189481000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "stateofhealth"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1384189481,
"format": "aside",
"disqusTitle": "How California's Law to Encourage Vaccination Could Backfire",
"title": "How California's Law to Encourage Vaccination Could Backfire",
"headTitle": "State of Health | KQED News",
"content": "\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_8239\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 620px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2012/08/Vaccine_Baby_DanHatton_Flickr.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-large wp-image-8239\" title=\"\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2012/08/Vaccine_Baby_DanHatton_Flickr-620x413.jpg\" alt=\"Baby cries after receiving a vaccine. (Dan Hatton: Flickr)\" width=\"620\" height=\"413\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(Dan Hatton/Flickr)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>By Nancy Shute\u003c/strong>, \u003ca href=\"http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/11/09/243937869/how-a-california-law-to-encourage-vaccination-could-backfire\" target=\"_blank\">NPR\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California has a new law that's supposed to get more of the state's children vaccinated against measles, whooping cough and other infectious diseases.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the law has taken a strange turn on its way to being put into action, one that may instead make it easier for parents to exempt their children from required vaccinations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In recent years the number of parents who request so-called personal belief exemptions from vaccines has been rising. It's gotten to the point that public health officials fear that there could be disease outbreaks in parts of California. Same goes for other states where exemption rates are high.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Sept. 20, 2012, California Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. signed a bill aimed at boosting childhood immunization rates. \u003ca href=\"http://gov.ca.gov/docs/AB_2109_Signing_Message.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">His signing letter\u003c/a> included these instructions:\u003c!--more-->\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote>\u003cp>I am signing AB 2109 and am directing the Department of Public Health to oversee this policy so parents are not overly burdened in its implementation. Additionally, I will direct the department to allow for a separate religious exemption on the form. In this way, people whose religious beliefs preclude vaccinations will not be required to seek a health care practitioner's signature.\u003c/p>\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>The full text of Brown's signing letter is available \u003ca href=\"http://gov.ca.gov/docs/AB_2109_Signing_Message.pdf\">here\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To address the problem in California, the state legislature passed a \u003ca href=\"http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201120120AB2109\" target=\"_blank\">law\u003c/a> in 2012 requiring parents seeking an exemption to first talk with a health care provider about the risks and benefits of vaccines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center\">\u003cstrong>[Related: \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/2013/09/06/more-california-parents-opting-out-of-vaccines-look-up-your-school-online/\" target=\"_blank\">Look Up Your School's Vaccination Rates Online\u003c/a>]\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last week the state's health department released the form that parents must use to request an exemption. It includes a box for a health care provider to sign, showing that the conversation has taken place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the form also includes something else. Another box reads, \"I am a member of a religion which prohibits me from seeking medical advice or treatment from authorized health care practitioners.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Parents who check that box don't need to talk to a health care provider. \"Signature of a health care practitioner not required in Part A\", the \u003ca href=\"http://media.npr.org/documents/2013/nov/vaccine-exemption.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">form\u003c/a> says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Where did the box come from? California Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. When he \u003ca href=\"http://gov.ca.gov/docs/AB_2109_Signing_Message.pdf\">signed\u003c/a> the bill into law, he directed the state's health department to include a \"separate religious exemption\" on the form.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"It was a surprise,\" says Catherine Flores Martin, executive director of the California Immunization Coalition, a state-funded advocacy and education group. She and other public health types have been puzzling over it ever since.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I don't think [Brown] is anti-vaccine at all,\" Martin said, noting that both the governor and legislators were heavily lobbied by groups opposed to childhood vaccines. \"He's very pro-science. I could not say what drove him to do this.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Martin and others say this new religious group exemption could fatally weaken the law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"It will give parents who want to get out of it an easy out,\" says \u003ca href=\"http://www.uchastings.edu/academics/faculty/facultybios/reiss/\" target=\"_blank\">Dorit Reiss\u003c/a>, at University of California, Hastings College of the Law. That includes parents who in the past checked the exemption box just because it was easier than taking the kids in for shots. \"I'm not sure it's good public policy to encourage people to lie.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Reiss sees another big problem with the new exemption — it's not part of the law. \"With all due respect to the governor, he can't unilaterally change the law,\" she says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That opens up the state to legal challenges from both pro- and anti-vaccine groups, Reiss tells Shots, including constitutional questions like whether it discriminates against people who want an exemption but aren't religious, or whether parents have a right to refuse medical treatment for their children.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And it's going to make it pretty darned hard for schools or state agencies to know if parents need to get the doctor signoff or not. The forms says they don't. But the law says they do.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"We're going to live with it and see if the exemption rates stay the same or go up,\" Martin says. \"If they go up, then essentially the governor gutted the bill by writing that.\"\u003c/p>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "16164 http://blogs.kqed.org/stateofhealth/?p=16164",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/2013/11/11/how-californias-law-to-encourage-vaccination-could-backfire/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 708,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 22
},
"modified": 1434670571,
"excerpt": "California has a new law that's supposed to get more of the state's children vaccinated against measles, whooping cough and other infectious diseases.\r\n\r\nBut the law has taken a strange turn on its way to being put into action, one that may instead make it easier for parents to exempt their children from required vaccinations.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "California has a new law that's supposed to get more of the state's children vaccinated against measles, whooping cough and other infectious diseases.\r\n\r\nBut the law has taken a strange turn on its way to being put into action, one that may instead make it easier for parents to exempt their children from required vaccinations.",
"title": "How California's Law to Encourage Vaccination Could Backfire | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "How California's Law to Encourage Vaccination Could Backfire",
"datePublished": "2013-11-11T09:04:41-08:00",
"dateModified": "2015-06-18T16:36:11-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "how-californias-law-to-encourage-vaccination-could-backfire",
"status": "publish",
"path": "/stateofhealth/16164/how-californias-law-to-encourage-vaccination-could-backfire",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_8239\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 620px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2012/08/Vaccine_Baby_DanHatton_Flickr.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-large wp-image-8239\" title=\"\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2012/08/Vaccine_Baby_DanHatton_Flickr-620x413.jpg\" alt=\"Baby cries after receiving a vaccine. (Dan Hatton: Flickr)\" width=\"620\" height=\"413\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(Dan Hatton/Flickr)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>By Nancy Shute\u003c/strong>, \u003ca href=\"http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/11/09/243937869/how-a-california-law-to-encourage-vaccination-could-backfire\" target=\"_blank\">NPR\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California has a new law that's supposed to get more of the state's children vaccinated against measles, whooping cough and other infectious diseases.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the law has taken a strange turn on its way to being put into action, one that may instead make it easier for parents to exempt their children from required vaccinations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In recent years the number of parents who request so-called personal belief exemptions from vaccines has been rising. It's gotten to the point that public health officials fear that there could be disease outbreaks in parts of California. Same goes for other states where exemption rates are high.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Sept. 20, 2012, California Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. signed a bill aimed at boosting childhood immunization rates. \u003ca href=\"http://gov.ca.gov/docs/AB_2109_Signing_Message.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">His signing letter\u003c/a> included these instructions:\u003c!--more-->\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote>\u003cp>I am signing AB 2109 and am directing the Department of Public Health to oversee this policy so parents are not overly burdened in its implementation. Additionally, I will direct the department to allow for a separate religious exemption on the form. In this way, people whose religious beliefs preclude vaccinations will not be required to seek a health care practitioner's signature.\u003c/p>\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>The full text of Brown's signing letter is available \u003ca href=\"http://gov.ca.gov/docs/AB_2109_Signing_Message.pdf\">here\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To address the problem in California, the state legislature passed a \u003ca href=\"http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201120120AB2109\" target=\"_blank\">law\u003c/a> in 2012 requiring parents seeking an exemption to first talk with a health care provider about the risks and benefits of vaccines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center\">\u003cstrong>[Related: \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/2013/09/06/more-california-parents-opting-out-of-vaccines-look-up-your-school-online/\" target=\"_blank\">Look Up Your School's Vaccination Rates Online\u003c/a>]\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last week the state's health department released the form that parents must use to request an exemption. It includes a box for a health care provider to sign, showing that the conversation has taken place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the form also includes something else. Another box reads, \"I am a member of a religion which prohibits me from seeking medical advice or treatment from authorized health care practitioners.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Parents who check that box don't need to talk to a health care provider. \"Signature of a health care practitioner not required in Part A\", the \u003ca href=\"http://media.npr.org/documents/2013/nov/vaccine-exemption.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">form\u003c/a> says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Where did the box come from? California Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. When he \u003ca href=\"http://gov.ca.gov/docs/AB_2109_Signing_Message.pdf\">signed\u003c/a> the bill into law, he directed the state's health department to include a \"separate religious exemption\" on the form.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"It was a surprise,\" says Catherine Flores Martin, executive director of the California Immunization Coalition, a state-funded advocacy and education group. She and other public health types have been puzzling over it ever since.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I don't think [Brown] is anti-vaccine at all,\" Martin said, noting that both the governor and legislators were heavily lobbied by groups opposed to childhood vaccines. \"He's very pro-science. I could not say what drove him to do this.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Martin and others say this new religious group exemption could fatally weaken the law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"It will give parents who want to get out of it an easy out,\" says \u003ca href=\"http://www.uchastings.edu/academics/faculty/facultybios/reiss/\" target=\"_blank\">Dorit Reiss\u003c/a>, at University of California, Hastings College of the Law. That includes parents who in the past checked the exemption box just because it was easier than taking the kids in for shots. \"I'm not sure it's good public policy to encourage people to lie.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Reiss sees another big problem with the new exemption — it's not part of the law. \"With all due respect to the governor, he can't unilaterally change the law,\" she says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That opens up the state to legal challenges from both pro- and anti-vaccine groups, Reiss tells Shots, including constitutional questions like whether it discriminates against people who want an exemption but aren't religious, or whether parents have a right to refuse medical treatment for their children.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And it's going to make it pretty darned hard for schools or state agencies to know if parents need to get the doctor signoff or not. The forms says they don't. But the law says they do.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"We're going to live with it and see if the exemption rates stay the same or go up,\" Martin says. \"If they go up, then essentially the governor gutted the bill by writing that.\"\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/stateofhealth/16164/how-californias-law-to-encourage-vaccination-could-backfire",
"authors": [
"8344"
],
"categories": [
"stateofhealth_11",
"stateofhealth_14"
],
"tags": [
"stateofhealth_618",
"stateofhealth_31"
],
"featImg": "stateofhealth_8239",
"label": "stateofhealth"
},
"stateofhealth_16149": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "stateofhealth_16149",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "16149",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1383937836000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "stateofhealth"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1383937836,
"format": "aside",
"disqusTitle": "Last Phase of Transition: Rural Californians Move to Medi-Cal Managed Care ",
"title": "Last Phase of Transition: Rural Californians Move to Medi-Cal Managed Care ",
"headTitle": "State of Health | KQED News",
"content": "\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_5429\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 620px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2012/04/Redwoods_BenRamirez_Flickr_04262012-e1383937340166.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-large wp-image-5429\" title=\"\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2012/04/Redwoods_BenRamirez_Flickr_04262012-620x465.jpg\" alt=\"(Ben Ramirez: Flickr)\" width=\"620\" height=\"465\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(Ben Ramirez/Flickr)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>By David Gorn\u003c/strong>, \u003ca href=\"http://www.californiahealthline.org/insight/2013/as-healthy-families-shift-goes-so-goes-rural-expansion-of-medical-managed-care\" target=\"_blank\">California Healthline\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rural Californians already have challenges accessing health care and changes to Medi-Cal, the state's Medicaid program, could further complicate matters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rural areas have fewer physicians and facilities and services are spread out over greater distances than they are in urban and suburban areas. Rural areas also have a disproportionately high number of lower-income, Medi-Cal-eligible residents which creates a challenging situation for state health officials charged with providing medical coverage in rural settings.\u003c/p>\n\u003caside class=\"pullquote alignleft\">\"The rollout has gone relatively smoothly, but the access to providers -- that's a real question still.\"\u003c/aside>\n\u003cp>On Nov. 1, the state launched an ambitious plan to transition Medi-Cal beneficiaries in rural areas from fee-for-service care arrangements to managed care plans. The move shifts 28 rural counties to the financial model the state is using throughout the rest of the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Also on Nov. 1, the state launched the last phase of its Healthy Families transition -- moving children in rural counties to Medi-Cal managed care. Healthy Families is California's Children's Health Insurance Program.\u003c!--more-->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There have been scattered, anecdotal reports that parents can't find available physicians for their children because some doctors who had participated in Healthy Families won't be making the switch to the Medi-Cal managed care model, which pays lower rates.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Half the State's Children Eligible for Medi-Cal\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kelly Hardy has long been concerned about children. As director of health policy for Children Now, Hardy has kept a careful eye on the transition of 860,000 children from Healthy Families to Medi-Cal managed care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I do think [state health officials] deserve some credit. The rollout has gone relatively smoothly,\" Hardy said. \"But the access to providers, especially in rural and underserved areas, that's a real question still.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Children are the proverbial canary in the coal mine of rural counties' shift to Medi-Cal managed care, she said. Healthy Families offered providers higher reimbursement rates than Medi-Cal, and physicians now stand to lose significant money by caring for Medi-Cal children.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And there are a lot of them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State health officials estimate roughly 4.5 million children are in Medi-Cal. About half of all births in California are covered through Medi-Cal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"We're at a new point where about half of the kids in the state are Medi-Cal kids. It speaks to the stakes we're talking about, that we better get this right,\" Hardy said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The potential for problems is greater in rural areas with a higher percentage of lower-income Californians, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I am just amazed by the numbers we're talking about,\" Hardy said. \"That speaks to the dedication of the providers, that all of those children get care, and it speaks to the level of outreach by the Department of Health Care Services, as well,\" to make sure kids can get care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"But really, at the root, they just need to pay more for the care,\" Hardy said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Access Issues in Some Rural Counties?\u003cstrong>\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hardy and other children's advocates say it's too early to provide big-picture statistics, but they've heard reports of provider network inadequacy in Lassen, Placer and Imperial counties so far.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"In some counties, especially those served by Partnership HealthPlan, things seem to be going well,\" said Suzie Shupe, executive director of California Coverage and Health Initiatives, a not-for-profit children's advocacy group. Partnership HealthPlan, based in Fairfield, is one of six nonprofit, county-organized health systems in the state. It serves 14 counties in Northern California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In other parts of the state, there have been reports of access issues, Shupe said. But it's impossible to know the extent of the problem \"because the information available to families about how to get help and how to report such problems has been so thin,\" she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I think what we're seeing now is a lack of providers,\" Hardy noted. \"It looks like few or no providers switched from Healthy Families over to Medi-Cal managed care. That's what we're hearing, rather than confusion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>People are saying there's a non-existent network here.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That is news to Jane Ogle, deputy director at DHCS. \"We haven't heard of any problems in Placer or Lassen [counties] at all.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>DHCS officials are monitoring rural counties especially carefully right now, looking for complaints or trouble, and they haven't received many negative reports, Ogle said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There was concern in Imperial County, Ogle said, where one plan's provider network wasn't up in time for the transition rollout.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"In Imperial County we only had one plan, so Molina (Healthcare) agreed to be another provider for us,\" Ogle said. \"So for them it was a tight timeline to line up that provider network.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once the provider network contracts were signed, Molina bought full-page advertisements in the local newspaper to alert residents, Ogle said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"From our point of view, it has gone very well,\" Ogle said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Two Transition Efforts Are Linked\u003cstrong>\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ogle said both transitions -- the rural expansion into Medi-Cal managed care and the shift of Healthy Families children -- had to be done at the same time and be completed before January, when the Affordable Care Act will be fully implemented and the state's expands Medi-Cal eligibility.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"We wanted to transition Healthy Families in the counties that have never had any managed care, and we wanted to open up managed care in rural counties at the same time,\" Ogle said. \"To allow for that expansion, we wanted to do it at the same time. If we only moved the relatively small population of Healthy Families children in rural areas, we would not have had the numbers to do it.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When you add in the rural expansion of the adult population, she said, \"then there are sufficient numbers to do it.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Under managed care, Californians should have access to more services, Ogle said. \"Making sure they get ... immunizations done, ... and having access standards, that kind of thing,\" she said, \"none of which is in fee-for-service.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Given the size and scope of the Healthy Families transition this year, the overall smoothness and success so far has been remarkable, Ogle said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"We know there will always be individual and anecdotal issues,\" Ogle said. \"But we transitioned 900,000 children, and by and large it's been a good, smooth transition for them, and they're now well-placed for the [ACA and Medi-Cal] expansion to occur.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hardy agreed that the rollout has gone well, and she gives DHCS officials a lot of praise for that. The children in rural areas, though, may encounter problems in the months ahead, she said. Because children use medical services less often than adults, the effect on access might not be immediately clear, she added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"We haven't seen a big smoking gun, and we're really thankful we haven't seen a big smoking gun,\" Hardy said, \"but we're still concerned about sneaky issues like continuity of care and network adequacy.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Lassen County, for instance, there's only one federally qualified health center in the entire county, she said, so the wiggle room for network inadequacy is razor-thin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If a high percentage of children in the transition is able to maintain access to their preferred primary care physician, that's great, she said. However, that still leaves a group of children who did not get to remain with their physician.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"Access to care is still a huge concern,\" Hardy said. \"So if you think this is a great result for California's kids, your standards are way too low.\"\u003c/p>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "16149 http://blogs.kqed.org/stateofhealth/?p=16149",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/2013/11/08/last-phase-of-transition-rural-californians-move-to-medi-cal-managed-care-healthy-families/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 1289,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 42
},
"modified": 1384287666,
"excerpt": "Rural Californians already have challenges accessing health care and changes to Medi-Cal, the state's Medicaid program, could further complicate matters.\r\n\r\nRural areas have fewer physicians and facilities and services are spread out over greater distances than they are in urban and suburban areas. Rural areas also have a disproportionately high number of lower-income, Medi-Cal-eligible residents which creates a challenging situation for state health officials charged with providing medical coverage in rural settings.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "Rural Californians already have challenges accessing health care and changes to Medi-Cal, the state's Medicaid program, could further complicate matters.\r\n\r\nRural areas have fewer physicians and facilities and services are spread out over greater distances than they are in urban and suburban areas. Rural areas also have a disproportionately high number of lower-income, Medi-Cal-eligible residents which creates a challenging situation for state health officials charged with providing medical coverage in rural settings.",
"title": "Last Phase of Transition: Rural Californians Move to Medi-Cal Managed Care | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Last Phase of Transition: Rural Californians Move to Medi-Cal Managed Care ",
"datePublished": "2013-11-08T11:10:36-08:00",
"dateModified": "2013-11-12T12:21:06-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "last-phase-of-transition-rural-californians-move-to-medi-cal-managed-care-healthy-families",
"status": "publish",
"path": "/stateofhealth/16149/last-phase-of-transition-rural-californians-move-to-medi-cal-managed-care-healthy-families",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_5429\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 620px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2012/04/Redwoods_BenRamirez_Flickr_04262012-e1383937340166.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-large wp-image-5429\" title=\"\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2012/04/Redwoods_BenRamirez_Flickr_04262012-620x465.jpg\" alt=\"(Ben Ramirez: Flickr)\" width=\"620\" height=\"465\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(Ben Ramirez/Flickr)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>By David Gorn\u003c/strong>, \u003ca href=\"http://www.californiahealthline.org/insight/2013/as-healthy-families-shift-goes-so-goes-rural-expansion-of-medical-managed-care\" target=\"_blank\">California Healthline\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rural Californians already have challenges accessing health care and changes to Medi-Cal, the state's Medicaid program, could further complicate matters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rural areas have fewer physicians and facilities and services are spread out over greater distances than they are in urban and suburban areas. Rural areas also have a disproportionately high number of lower-income, Medi-Cal-eligible residents which creates a challenging situation for state health officials charged with providing medical coverage in rural settings.\u003c/p>\n\u003caside class=\"pullquote alignleft\">\"The rollout has gone relatively smoothly, but the access to providers -- that's a real question still.\"\u003c/aside>\n\u003cp>On Nov. 1, the state launched an ambitious plan to transition Medi-Cal beneficiaries in rural areas from fee-for-service care arrangements to managed care plans. The move shifts 28 rural counties to the financial model the state is using throughout the rest of the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Also on Nov. 1, the state launched the last phase of its Healthy Families transition -- moving children in rural counties to Medi-Cal managed care. Healthy Families is California's Children's Health Insurance Program.\u003c!--more-->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There have been scattered, anecdotal reports that parents can't find available physicians for their children because some doctors who had participated in Healthy Families won't be making the switch to the Medi-Cal managed care model, which pays lower rates.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Half the State's Children Eligible for Medi-Cal\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kelly Hardy has long been concerned about children. As director of health policy for Children Now, Hardy has kept a careful eye on the transition of 860,000 children from Healthy Families to Medi-Cal managed care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I do think [state health officials] deserve some credit. The rollout has gone relatively smoothly,\" Hardy said. \"But the access to providers, especially in rural and underserved areas, that's a real question still.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Children are the proverbial canary in the coal mine of rural counties' shift to Medi-Cal managed care, she said. Healthy Families offered providers higher reimbursement rates than Medi-Cal, and physicians now stand to lose significant money by caring for Medi-Cal children.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And there are a lot of them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State health officials estimate roughly 4.5 million children are in Medi-Cal. About half of all births in California are covered through Medi-Cal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"We're at a new point where about half of the kids in the state are Medi-Cal kids. It speaks to the stakes we're talking about, that we better get this right,\" Hardy said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The potential for problems is greater in rural areas with a higher percentage of lower-income Californians, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I am just amazed by the numbers we're talking about,\" Hardy said. \"That speaks to the dedication of the providers, that all of those children get care, and it speaks to the level of outreach by the Department of Health Care Services, as well,\" to make sure kids can get care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"But really, at the root, they just need to pay more for the care,\" Hardy said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Access Issues in Some Rural Counties?\u003cstrong>\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hardy and other children's advocates say it's too early to provide big-picture statistics, but they've heard reports of provider network inadequacy in Lassen, Placer and Imperial counties so far.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"In some counties, especially those served by Partnership HealthPlan, things seem to be going well,\" said Suzie Shupe, executive director of California Coverage and Health Initiatives, a not-for-profit children's advocacy group. Partnership HealthPlan, based in Fairfield, is one of six nonprofit, county-organized health systems in the state. It serves 14 counties in Northern California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In other parts of the state, there have been reports of access issues, Shupe said. But it's impossible to know the extent of the problem \"because the information available to families about how to get help and how to report such problems has been so thin,\" she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I think what we're seeing now is a lack of providers,\" Hardy noted. \"It looks like few or no providers switched from Healthy Families over to Medi-Cal managed care. That's what we're hearing, rather than confusion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>People are saying there's a non-existent network here.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That is news to Jane Ogle, deputy director at DHCS. \"We haven't heard of any problems in Placer or Lassen [counties] at all.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>DHCS officials are monitoring rural counties especially carefully right now, looking for complaints or trouble, and they haven't received many negative reports, Ogle said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There was concern in Imperial County, Ogle said, where one plan's provider network wasn't up in time for the transition rollout.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"In Imperial County we only had one plan, so Molina (Healthcare) agreed to be another provider for us,\" Ogle said. \"So for them it was a tight timeline to line up that provider network.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once the provider network contracts were signed, Molina bought full-page advertisements in the local newspaper to alert residents, Ogle said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"From our point of view, it has gone very well,\" Ogle said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Two Transition Efforts Are Linked\u003cstrong>\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ogle said both transitions -- the rural expansion into Medi-Cal managed care and the shift of Healthy Families children -- had to be done at the same time and be completed before January, when the Affordable Care Act will be fully implemented and the state's expands Medi-Cal eligibility.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"We wanted to transition Healthy Families in the counties that have never had any managed care, and we wanted to open up managed care in rural counties at the same time,\" Ogle said. \"To allow for that expansion, we wanted to do it at the same time. If we only moved the relatively small population of Healthy Families children in rural areas, we would not have had the numbers to do it.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When you add in the rural expansion of the adult population, she said, \"then there are sufficient numbers to do it.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Under managed care, Californians should have access to more services, Ogle said. \"Making sure they get ... immunizations done, ... and having access standards, that kind of thing,\" she said, \"none of which is in fee-for-service.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Given the size and scope of the Healthy Families transition this year, the overall smoothness and success so far has been remarkable, Ogle said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"We know there will always be individual and anecdotal issues,\" Ogle said. \"But we transitioned 900,000 children, and by and large it's been a good, smooth transition for them, and they're now well-placed for the [ACA and Medi-Cal] expansion to occur.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hardy agreed that the rollout has gone well, and she gives DHCS officials a lot of praise for that. The children in rural areas, though, may encounter problems in the months ahead, she said. Because children use medical services less often than adults, the effect on access might not be immediately clear, she added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"We haven't seen a big smoking gun, and we're really thankful we haven't seen a big smoking gun,\" Hardy said, \"but we're still concerned about sneaky issues like continuity of care and network adequacy.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Lassen County, for instance, there's only one federally qualified health center in the entire county, she said, so the wiggle room for network inadequacy is razor-thin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If a high percentage of children in the transition is able to maintain access to their preferred primary care physician, that's great, she said. However, that still leaves a group of children who did not get to remain with their physician.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"Access to care is still a huge concern,\" Hardy said. \"So if you think this is a great result for California's kids, your standards are way too low.\"\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/stateofhealth/16149/last-phase-of-transition-rural-californians-move-to-medi-cal-managed-care-healthy-families",
"authors": [
"8344"
],
"categories": [
"stateofhealth_11",
"stateofhealth_14"
],
"tags": [
"stateofhealth_96",
"stateofhealth_104"
],
"featImg": "stateofhealth_5429",
"label": "stateofhealth"
},
"stateofhealth_16090": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "stateofhealth_16090",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "16090",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1383673716000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "stateofhealth"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1383673716,
"format": "aside",
"disqusTitle": "Why Insurance Commissioner Can Delay Only Blue Shield's Cancellations",
"title": "Why Insurance Commissioner Can Delay Only Blue Shield's Cancellations",
"headTitle": "State of Health | KQED News",
"content": "\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_16103\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/174426822-e1383684544419.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-large wp-image-16103\" title=\"\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/174426822-640x423.jpg\" alt=\"(Getty Images)\" width=\"640\" height=\"423\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>California's insurance commissioner Dave Jones announced an agreement with Blue Shield on Tuesday morning that will mean some 113,000 people who had their policies cancelled will now be able to keep them through March 31, 2014.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you're one of those 113,000 people, you now have the option either to hold onto your policy into next year or to shop on the Covered California marketplace where you might qualify for a subsidy.\u003c/p>\n\u003caside class=\"pullquote alignleft\">Blue Shield warned that extension is not without risks.\u003c/aside>\n\u003cp>Jones says Blue Shield of California Life & Health agreed to send letters on Wednesday to its policyholders, informing them of the extension. If you've received a cancellation notice from another health insurance company, it is highly unlikely you will get an extension, as we detail below.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Blue Shield warned that extension is not without risks. Spokesman Steve Shivinsky says that policyholders who decide to stay with their current plan must still enroll in a new plan that complies with the Affordable Care Act by March 15, 2014. Otherwise, they risk a coverage gap. In addition, if people extend their current policy, they may have to pay a deductible twice in 2014 after they enroll in a new plan.\u003c!--more-->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"It's confusing,\" Shivinsky said. \"It's bad for consumers that we have to mail these letters out and provide even more confusing information when they're trying to sort through their options.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jones said that consumers must carefully consider their options. \"If these consumers anticipate a major health expense in the first three months of next year,\" Jones said, they should move to a new policy now. He also stressed that people should \"look at all your options,\" especially if they might qualify for a subsidy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Blue Shield only, not other carriers\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jones could take this move with Blue Shield only because of what he called a \"rather complicated series of facts.\" California, he says, is the only state in the nation that has two separate regulators of health insurance products. Jones regulates policies that fall under the Department of Insurance. The Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) regulates HMO products and other kinds of health plans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because of a special loophole in California law, Jones says, Blue Shield has the option to move its insurance products from the Department of Insurance to DMHC. Jones says that move between regulators requires Blue Shield to provide 180 days' notice of cancellation, but Blue Shield only provided 90 days. Blue Shield disagrees and argues that 90 days' notice was sufficient. Nonetheless it is complying with the Department of Insurance and allowing those 80,000 policyholders — covering 113,000 people — the option to extend.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In any case, an additional 90 days is the maximum extension. \"Three months is exactly what we could get\" under state law, Jones says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Shivinsky said that Blue Shield elected to make the move to DMHC to \"consolidate its business\" under one regulator. He said the company already had about 80 percent of its business in DMHC. It will reduce the \"administrative burden,\" he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jones says he had lobbied Covered California to allow all consumers to renew their individual policies through 2014. But Covered California, he says, determined that all individual policyholders must move to ACA-compliant plans on Jan. 1, 2014.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For all these reasons, if you've received a cancellation notice from any other carrier besides Blue Shield, you should not expect to get an extension.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>ORIGINAL POST:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California's insurance commissioner, Dave Jones, is holding a press conference Tuesday morning to announce a deal the Department of Insurance has reached with what it terms a \"major health insurance company\" to delay the cancellation of more than 115,000 insurance policies statewide.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The San Francisco Business Times\u003ca href=\"http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/blog/2013/11/blue-shield-has-deal-with-state-to.html?ana=RSS&s=article_search&page=all\" target=\"_blank\"> confirmed\u003c/a> that the insurer is Blue Shield of California from the company's spokesman, Steve Shivinsky. The Business Times described Blue Shield as not \"necessarily happy\" with this change. From the Business Times report:\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote>\u003cp>Blue Shield officials said Monday evening that the Department of Insurance had required them to take this step, on threat of a lawsuit compelling the insurer to delay the cancellations. The department declined official comment ahead of the insurance commissioner's press conference.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The extensions can't last more than three months, and must end March 31, Blue Shield said. Consumers need to be aware that taking advantage of the delay could come with downsides, including the possibility of being liable for two sets of deductibles and possibly missing out on tax credits and cost-sharing subsidies available only through the \u003ca href=\"http://www.bizjournals.com/profiles/company/us/ca/sacramento_/covered_california/3327461\">Covered California\u003c/a> exchange.\u003c!--more-->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"We had a disagreement with the state over the 90 day notice we gave to ... policyholders and we were faced with a lawsuit if we did not agree to their requirement for the 90 day extension,\" Shivinsky clarified. He said 80,000 policyholders are being notified of the new course of action that regulators are requiring.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The deal has the look and feel of \u003ca href=\"http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2013/11/03/obamacare-coverage-cancellations-president-obama-promise-editorials-debates/3426681/\">a political retreat \u003c/a>by Democratic officeholders worried about the recent outcry about cancelled individual policies.\u003c/p>\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State of Health will have update this post after Jones' press conference.\u003c/p>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "16090 http://blogs.kqed.org/stateofhealth/?p=16090",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/2013/11/05/state-insurance-commissioner-forces-blue-shield-to-delay-cancellations-obamacare/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 868,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 23
},
"modified": 1383760382,
"excerpt": "California's insurance commissioner Dave Jones is holding a press conference Tuesday morning to announce a deal it has reached with what the press release terms a \"major health insurance company\" to delay the cancellation of more than 115,000 insurance policies statewide.\r\n\r\nThe San Francisco Business Times confirmed that the insurer is Blue Shield of California.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "California's insurance commissioner Dave Jones is holding a press conference Tuesday morning to announce a deal it has reached with what the press release terms a "major health insurance company" to delay the cancellation of more than 115,000 insurance policies statewide.\r\n\r\nThe San Francisco Business Times confirmed that the insurer is Blue Shield of California.",
"title": "Why Insurance Commissioner Can Delay Only Blue Shield's Cancellations | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Why Insurance Commissioner Can Delay Only Blue Shield's Cancellations",
"datePublished": "2013-11-05T09:48:36-08:00",
"dateModified": "2013-11-06T09:53:02-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "state-insurance-commissioner-forces-blue-shield-to-delay-cancellations-obamacare",
"status": "publish",
"path": "/stateofhealth/16090/state-insurance-commissioner-forces-blue-shield-to-delay-cancellations-obamacare",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_16103\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/174426822-e1383684544419.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-large wp-image-16103\" title=\"\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2013/11/174426822-640x423.jpg\" alt=\"(Getty Images)\" width=\"640\" height=\"423\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>California's insurance commissioner Dave Jones announced an agreement with Blue Shield on Tuesday morning that will mean some 113,000 people who had their policies cancelled will now be able to keep them through March 31, 2014.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you're one of those 113,000 people, you now have the option either to hold onto your policy into next year or to shop on the Covered California marketplace where you might qualify for a subsidy.\u003c/p>\n\u003caside class=\"pullquote alignleft\">Blue Shield warned that extension is not without risks.\u003c/aside>\n\u003cp>Jones says Blue Shield of California Life & Health agreed to send letters on Wednesday to its policyholders, informing them of the extension. If you've received a cancellation notice from another health insurance company, it is highly unlikely you will get an extension, as we detail below.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Blue Shield warned that extension is not without risks. Spokesman Steve Shivinsky says that policyholders who decide to stay with their current plan must still enroll in a new plan that complies with the Affordable Care Act by March 15, 2014. Otherwise, they risk a coverage gap. In addition, if people extend their current policy, they may have to pay a deductible twice in 2014 after they enroll in a new plan.\u003c!--more-->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"It's confusing,\" Shivinsky said. \"It's bad for consumers that we have to mail these letters out and provide even more confusing information when they're trying to sort through their options.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jones said that consumers must carefully consider their options. \"If these consumers anticipate a major health expense in the first three months of next year,\" Jones said, they should move to a new policy now. He also stressed that people should \"look at all your options,\" especially if they might qualify for a subsidy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Blue Shield only, not other carriers\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jones could take this move with Blue Shield only because of what he called a \"rather complicated series of facts.\" California, he says, is the only state in the nation that has two separate regulators of health insurance products. Jones regulates policies that fall under the Department of Insurance. The Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) regulates HMO products and other kinds of health plans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because of a special loophole in California law, Jones says, Blue Shield has the option to move its insurance products from the Department of Insurance to DMHC. Jones says that move between regulators requires Blue Shield to provide 180 days' notice of cancellation, but Blue Shield only provided 90 days. Blue Shield disagrees and argues that 90 days' notice was sufficient. Nonetheless it is complying with the Department of Insurance and allowing those 80,000 policyholders — covering 113,000 people — the option to extend.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In any case, an additional 90 days is the maximum extension. \"Three months is exactly what we could get\" under state law, Jones says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Shivinsky said that Blue Shield elected to make the move to DMHC to \"consolidate its business\" under one regulator. He said the company already had about 80 percent of its business in DMHC. It will reduce the \"administrative burden,\" he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jones says he had lobbied Covered California to allow all consumers to renew their individual policies through 2014. But Covered California, he says, determined that all individual policyholders must move to ACA-compliant plans on Jan. 1, 2014.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For all these reasons, if you've received a cancellation notice from any other carrier besides Blue Shield, you should not expect to get an extension.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>ORIGINAL POST:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California's insurance commissioner, Dave Jones, is holding a press conference Tuesday morning to announce a deal the Department of Insurance has reached with what it terms a \"major health insurance company\" to delay the cancellation of more than 115,000 insurance policies statewide.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The San Francisco Business Times\u003ca href=\"http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/blog/2013/11/blue-shield-has-deal-with-state-to.html?ana=RSS&s=article_search&page=all\" target=\"_blank\"> confirmed\u003c/a> that the insurer is Blue Shield of California from the company's spokesman, Steve Shivinsky. The Business Times described Blue Shield as not \"necessarily happy\" with this change. From the Business Times report:\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote>\u003cp>Blue Shield officials said Monday evening that the Department of Insurance had required them to take this step, on threat of a lawsuit compelling the insurer to delay the cancellations. The department declined official comment ahead of the insurance commissioner's press conference.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The extensions can't last more than three months, and must end March 31, Blue Shield said. Consumers need to be aware that taking advantage of the delay could come with downsides, including the possibility of being liable for two sets of deductibles and possibly missing out on tax credits and cost-sharing subsidies available only through the \u003ca href=\"http://www.bizjournals.com/profiles/company/us/ca/sacramento_/covered_california/3327461\">Covered California\u003c/a> exchange.\u003c!--more-->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"We had a disagreement with the state over the 90 day notice we gave to ... policyholders and we were faced with a lawsuit if we did not agree to their requirement for the 90 day extension,\" Shivinsky clarified. He said 80,000 policyholders are being notified of the new course of action that regulators are requiring.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The deal has the look and feel of \u003ca href=\"http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2013/11/03/obamacare-coverage-cancellations-president-obama-promise-editorials-debates/3426681/\">a political retreat \u003c/a>by Democratic officeholders worried about the recent outcry about cancelled individual policies.\u003c/p>\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State of Health will have update this post after Jones' press conference.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/stateofhealth/16090/state-insurance-commissioner-forces-blue-shield-to-delay-cancellations-obamacare",
"authors": [
"240"
],
"categories": [
"stateofhealth_15",
"stateofhealth_14"
],
"tags": [
"stateofhealth_38",
"stateofhealth_645",
"stateofhealth_461"
],
"featImg": "stateofhealth_16103",
"label": "stateofhealth"
},
"stateofhealth_15987": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "stateofhealth_15987",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "15987",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1383322312000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "stateofhealth"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1383322312,
"format": "aside",
"disqusTitle": "Voter Registration Advantage for Democrats Because of Obamacare? Could Be…",
"title": "Voter Registration Advantage for Democrats Because of Obamacare? Could Be…",
"headTitle": "State of Health | KQED News",
"content": "\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_15996\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/12218772@N00/3002399585/in/photolist-5zj5N6-oNvuW-5rc2XF-93tt9r-5rPt2K-5kU9St-rMpNV-93wzGL-93wypN-4Ae9o8-pZZFf-5qS9Zz-5sZtiY-regKk-4TXvXB-8THMFw-dmYem3-eFnQCf-72ni6e-8LwYp9-4EDaYV-FKuED-aypMek-arM7xS-5sV9QX-arM8AA-arM7sy-arJsY2-arM8fd-arM8vj-arM8j9-arM8y9-ayFpMH-5ziB39-de9j9j-de9jB4-4U1XSx-4rKm56-5yrWZe-55NECD-5oauft-4zrgTF-4qMkBq-4SuG3a-B5kpm-5h1Bis-5h1AUJ-5gWfc2-5gWeHz-5h1BaA-5h1ARU\">\u003cimg class=\"size-large wp-image-15996\" title=\"\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/3002399585_fdfd1b2117_b-640x426.jpg\" alt=\"(JasonLangheine/Flickr)\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(JasonLangheine/Flickr)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>By Scott Shafer, KQED\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The floundering roll out of the federal government’s health care exchange has given Republicans plenty of reasons to criticize the Affordable Care Act. But setting aside the online train wreck of healthcare.gov and the cost of expanding health care to millions of Americans, there may also be political reasons the GOP hates Obamacare: Voter registration.\u003c/p>\n\u003caside class=\"pullquote alignleft\">The majority of California's 5.5 million uninsured are Latinos -- who tend to register and vote Democratic.\u003c/aside>\n\u003cp>It goes back to the 1993 National Voter Registration Act -- a.k.a. the Motor Voter act. It requires that state agencies providing public assistance must also offer voter registration materials to anyone they help. The most recognized place this happens is the DMV, hence the nickname \"Moter Voter.\" The Obama Administration says the law also applies to federally run exchanges in states (mostly with Republican governors) that decided \u003cem>against\u003c/em> having their own online health insurance marketplace.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Republicans in Congress have been railing against this, although the issue has taken a back seat to other concerns, notably the technological shortcomings of healthcare.gov. But to quote conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh, Obamacare is really\u003cem> \u003c/em>“about building a permanent, undefeatable, always-funded Democrat majority.\"\u003c!--more-->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Surprisingly, California has never fully implemented Motor Voter. Pete Wilson was governor when the law was enacted and he objected to it being an “unfunded federal mandate.” A lot has changed since then. For starters, Californians can register to vote at the DMV as well as \u003ca href=\"http://registertovote.ca.gov\" target=\"_blank\">online\u003c/a>, and last year State Senator Alex Padilla \u003ca href=\"http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201120120SB35\" target=\"_blank\">authored SB 35\u003c/a>, which required that all state agencies designate a Motor Voter coordinator.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kim Alexander, president of the California Voter Foundation, notes that Secretary of State Debra Bowen \u003ca href=\"http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2013/05/states-new-health-exchange-to-serve-as-voter-registration-hub.html\" target=\"_blank\">recently declared \u003c/a>that Covered California is covered by the Motor Voter act, although the California Health Benefit Exchange Board is apparently taking a “phased in” approach to voter registration, presumably making sure the health insurance part is working well first.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alexander sees tremendous potential to expand voter registration in the state via CoveredCA.com.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There are 5.8 million Californians who are eligible to vote but are not registered,” says Alexander, “and there are 5.3 million who are uninsured. We expect many are one in the same.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alexander notes that health advocates see a direct correlation between health status and voting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They know that promoting health involves promoting civic engagement,” says Alexander, adding “when people feel they have a say in their lives through voting and civic participation, it has a positive effect on their physical and mental health.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://www.chcf.org/~/media/MEDIA%20LIBRARY%20Files/PDF/C/PDF%20CaliforniaUninsuredQuickRefGuide2011.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Nearly 60 percent \u003c/a>of the 5.5 million uninsured California officials hope will get insurance through the new health care marketplace are Latino. Overwhelmingly, they tend to register and vote Democratic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So, at least in California, maybe Rush Limbaugh has a point.\u003c/p>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "15987 http://blogs.kqed.org/stateofhealth/?p=15987",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/2013/11/01/will-democrats-gain-voter-registration-advantage-through-obamacare-aca/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 488,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 14
},
"modified": 1383341925,
"excerpt": "The floundering roll out of the federal government’s health care exchange has given Republicans plenty of reasons to criticize the Affordable Care Act. But setting aside the online train wreck of healthcare.gov and the cost of expanding health care to millions of Americans, there may also be existential political reasons the GOP hates Obamacare: Voter registration.\r\n\r\nIt goes back to the 1993 National Voter Registration Act -- a.k.a. the Motor Voter act. It requires state agencies that provide public assistance, such as the DMV, must also offer voter registration materials to anyone they help. ",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "The floundering roll out of the federal government’s health care exchange has given Republicans plenty of reasons to criticize the Affordable Care Act. But setting aside the online train wreck of healthcare.gov and the cost of expanding health care to millions of Americans, there may also be existential political reasons the GOP hates Obamacare: Voter registration.\r\n\r\nIt goes back to the 1993 National Voter Registration Act -- a.k.a. the Motor Voter act. It requires state agencies that provide public assistance, such as the DMV, must also offer voter registration materials to anyone they help. ",
"title": "Voter Registration Advantage for Democrats Because of Obamacare? Could Be… | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Voter Registration Advantage for Democrats Because of Obamacare? Could Be…",
"datePublished": "2013-11-01T09:11:52-07:00",
"dateModified": "2013-11-01T14:38:45-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "will-democrats-gain-voter-registration-advantage-through-obamacare-aca",
"status": "publish",
"path": "/stateofhealth/15987/will-democrats-gain-voter-registration-advantage-through-obamacare-aca",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_15996\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/12218772@N00/3002399585/in/photolist-5zj5N6-oNvuW-5rc2XF-93tt9r-5rPt2K-5kU9St-rMpNV-93wzGL-93wypN-4Ae9o8-pZZFf-5qS9Zz-5sZtiY-regKk-4TXvXB-8THMFw-dmYem3-eFnQCf-72ni6e-8LwYp9-4EDaYV-FKuED-aypMek-arM7xS-5sV9QX-arM8AA-arM7sy-arJsY2-arM8fd-arM8vj-arM8j9-arM8y9-ayFpMH-5ziB39-de9j9j-de9jB4-4U1XSx-4rKm56-5yrWZe-55NECD-5oauft-4zrgTF-4qMkBq-4SuG3a-B5kpm-5h1Bis-5h1AUJ-5gWfc2-5gWeHz-5h1BaA-5h1ARU\">\u003cimg class=\"size-large wp-image-15996\" title=\"\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/3002399585_fdfd1b2117_b-640x426.jpg\" alt=\"(JasonLangheine/Flickr)\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(JasonLangheine/Flickr)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>By Scott Shafer, KQED\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The floundering roll out of the federal government’s health care exchange has given Republicans plenty of reasons to criticize the Affordable Care Act. But setting aside the online train wreck of healthcare.gov and the cost of expanding health care to millions of Americans, there may also be political reasons the GOP hates Obamacare: Voter registration.\u003c/p>\n\u003caside class=\"pullquote alignleft\">The majority of California's 5.5 million uninsured are Latinos -- who tend to register and vote Democratic.\u003c/aside>\n\u003cp>It goes back to the 1993 National Voter Registration Act -- a.k.a. the Motor Voter act. It requires that state agencies providing public assistance must also offer voter registration materials to anyone they help. The most recognized place this happens is the DMV, hence the nickname \"Moter Voter.\" The Obama Administration says the law also applies to federally run exchanges in states (mostly with Republican governors) that decided \u003cem>against\u003c/em> having their own online health insurance marketplace.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Republicans in Congress have been railing against this, although the issue has taken a back seat to other concerns, notably the technological shortcomings of healthcare.gov. But to quote conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh, Obamacare is really\u003cem> \u003c/em>“about building a permanent, undefeatable, always-funded Democrat majority.\"\u003c!--more-->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Surprisingly, California has never fully implemented Motor Voter. Pete Wilson was governor when the law was enacted and he objected to it being an “unfunded federal mandate.” A lot has changed since then. For starters, Californians can register to vote at the DMV as well as \u003ca href=\"http://registertovote.ca.gov\" target=\"_blank\">online\u003c/a>, and last year State Senator Alex Padilla \u003ca href=\"http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201120120SB35\" target=\"_blank\">authored SB 35\u003c/a>, which required that all state agencies designate a Motor Voter coordinator.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kim Alexander, president of the California Voter Foundation, notes that Secretary of State Debra Bowen \u003ca href=\"http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2013/05/states-new-health-exchange-to-serve-as-voter-registration-hub.html\" target=\"_blank\">recently declared \u003c/a>that Covered California is covered by the Motor Voter act, although the California Health Benefit Exchange Board is apparently taking a “phased in” approach to voter registration, presumably making sure the health insurance part is working well first.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alexander sees tremendous potential to expand voter registration in the state via CoveredCA.com.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There are 5.8 million Californians who are eligible to vote but are not registered,” says Alexander, “and there are 5.3 million who are uninsured. We expect many are one in the same.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alexander notes that health advocates see a direct correlation between health status and voting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They know that promoting health involves promoting civic engagement,” says Alexander, adding “when people feel they have a say in their lives through voting and civic participation, it has a positive effect on their physical and mental health.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://www.chcf.org/~/media/MEDIA%20LIBRARY%20Files/PDF/C/PDF%20CaliforniaUninsuredQuickRefGuide2011.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Nearly 60 percent \u003c/a>of the 5.5 million uninsured California officials hope will get insurance through the new health care marketplace are Latino. Overwhelmingly, they tend to register and vote Democratic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So, at least in California, maybe Rush Limbaugh has a point.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/stateofhealth/15987/will-democrats-gain-voter-registration-advantage-through-obamacare-aca",
"authors": [
"8344"
],
"categories": [
"stateofhealth_15",
"stateofhealth_14"
],
"featImg": "stateofhealth_15996",
"label": "stateofhealth"
},
"stateofhealth_15880": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "stateofhealth_15880",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "15880",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1383003927000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "stateofhealth"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1383003927,
"format": "aside",
"disqusTitle": "Is San Francisco Primed to Approve a Soda Tax?",
"title": "Is San Francisco Primed to Approve a Soda Tax?",
"headTitle": "State of Health | KQED News",
"content": "\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_15889\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/136799870-11-e1383003808447.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-large wp-image-15889\" title=\"\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/136799870-11-640x399.jpg\" alt=\"(Getty Images)\" width=\"640\" height=\"399\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>On Tuesday, San Francisco \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/2013/10/28/san-francisco-soda-tax/\" target=\"_blank\">Supervisor Scott Wiener says he will propose\u003c/a> a 2 cents-per-ounce tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. If the board passes his proposal, San Francisco voters will see it on the ballot next November.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This tax is double the amount proposed last year in elections in the California cities of Richmond and El Monte. Those were a penny-per-ounce each and both were \u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/news/story/2012/11/07/110752/richmond_soda_tax_unpalatable_to_voters?category=politics\" target=\"_blank\">defeated\u003c/a> by voters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In addition to the amount of the tax, there's another major difference between Wiener's proposal and the two that failed. In Wiener's plan, revenues generated by the tax — an estimated $31 million per year — would be earmarked for children's recreation and nutrition programs. In Richmond and El Monte, revenues would have gone to the general fund. Voters were skeptical that soda tax revenues would ever really fund children's health programs, despite city council \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/2012/05/16/richmond-voters-will-decide-on-soda-tax/\" target=\"_blank\">resolutions\u003c/a> that they would.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Harold Goldstein, executive director of the California Center for Public Health Advocacy, said he thinks the plan has \"a very good chance\" before San Francisco voters, specifically because of the earmarked funds.\u003c!--more-->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Goldstein believes that as San Franciscans learn more about \"how harmful these products are to our children and teens\" and as they learn about the types of programs that could be created with the dedicated funding, San Franciscans will \"turn in support\" of the tax. Indeed, \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/2013/02/14/most-californians-support-soda-tax-if-it-benefits-childrens-health/\" target=\"_blank\">a Field Poll in February found\u003c/a> that 68 percent of Californians said they would support a soda tax if revenues supported children's health and recreation programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He pointed to the urgent need to curb consumption of sugary beverages among teenagers.\u003ca href=\"http://www.publichealthadvocacy.org/_PDFs/stillbubblingover/PolicyBrief.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"> A study\u003c/a> from his organization released earlier this month showed that San Francisco teens are drinking at least one soda or sugar-sweetened beverage every day \"while there is overwhelming evidence that all of this sugar leads directly to obesity and diabetes,\" he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As State of Health \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/2012/01/09/soda-tax-what-can-a-penny-do/\" target=\"_blank\">reported\u003c/a> in early 2012, an analysis from researchers at UC San Francisco found that a penny-per-ounce tax could cut consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages by a modest, but still important,15 percent. Wiener's office is citing that study to support the role of taxes in reducing consumption. As we noted at the time:\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote>\u003cp>The [researchers] say that modest reduction will lead to modest weight loss, which in turn leads to modest reductions in diabetes. After the researchers crunched all the numbers, all those modest reductions would, over ten years, result in 26,000 lives saves (or avoiding “premature deaths” as researchers prefer to say).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There would also be 95,000 fewer instances of heart disease and 8,000 fewer strokes.\u003c/p>\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>To arguments that taxes of this type are regressive, hitting poor people hardest, Goldstein had a sharp retort: \"What we absolutely know is regressive are obesity and diabetes.\" There are 16 teaspoons of sugar in a 20 ounce soda, Goldstein observed. \"Our pancreas and our livers are not designed to be able to handle that much sugar.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Goldstein is so sold on Wiener's plan that he declared this \"may very well prove to be the most effective obesity and diabetes prevention effort in the country.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Not everyone agrees. As KQED's \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/2013/10/28/san-francisco-soda-tax/\" target=\"_blank\">NewsFix reported\u003c/a> Tuesday afternoon, Californians For Food and Beverage Choice, an anti-soda tax group, called measures like Wiener's \"unncecesary, wasteful distractions from serious policymaking. Providing people with education, opportunities for physical activity and diverse beverage choices to fit their lifestyles are proven strategies for maintaining health.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This post has been updated: It was Richmond's City Council and not board of supervisors) that passed a resolution to dedicate soda tax funds to children's health and recreation programs. We have also added perspective from Californians for Food and Beverage Choice.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "15880 http://blogs.kqed.org/stateofhealth/?p=15880",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/2013/10/28/is-san-francisco-primed-to-approve-a-soda-tax/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 637,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 15
},
"modified": 1475178267,
"excerpt": "On Tuesday, San Francisco Supervisor Scott Wiener says he will propose a 2 cents-per-ounce tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. If the board passes his proposal, San Francisco voters will see it on the ballot next November. \r\n\r\nThis tax is double the amount proposed last year in elections in the California cities of Richmond and El Monte. Those were a penny-per-ounce each and both were defeated by voters.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "On Tuesday, San Francisco Supervisor Scott Wiener says he will propose a 2 cents-per-ounce tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. If the board passes his proposal, San Francisco voters will see it on the ballot next November. \r\n\r\nThis tax is double the amount proposed last year in elections in the California cities of Richmond and El Monte. Those were a penny-per-ounce each and both were defeated by voters.",
"title": "Is San Francisco Primed to Approve a Soda Tax? | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Is San Francisco Primed to Approve a Soda Tax?",
"datePublished": "2013-10-28T16:45:27-07:00",
"dateModified": "2016-09-29T12:44:27-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "is-san-francisco-primed-to-approve-a-soda-tax",
"status": "publish",
"path": "/stateofhealth/15880/is-san-francisco-primed-to-approve-a-soda-tax",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_15889\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/136799870-11-e1383003808447.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-large wp-image-15889\" title=\"\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/136799870-11-640x399.jpg\" alt=\"(Getty Images)\" width=\"640\" height=\"399\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>On Tuesday, San Francisco \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/2013/10/28/san-francisco-soda-tax/\" target=\"_blank\">Supervisor Scott Wiener says he will propose\u003c/a> a 2 cents-per-ounce tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. If the board passes his proposal, San Francisco voters will see it on the ballot next November.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This tax is double the amount proposed last year in elections in the California cities of Richmond and El Monte. Those were a penny-per-ounce each and both were \u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/news/story/2012/11/07/110752/richmond_soda_tax_unpalatable_to_voters?category=politics\" target=\"_blank\">defeated\u003c/a> by voters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In addition to the amount of the tax, there's another major difference between Wiener's proposal and the two that failed. In Wiener's plan, revenues generated by the tax — an estimated $31 million per year — would be earmarked for children's recreation and nutrition programs. In Richmond and El Monte, revenues would have gone to the general fund. Voters were skeptical that soda tax revenues would ever really fund children's health programs, despite city council \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/2012/05/16/richmond-voters-will-decide-on-soda-tax/\" target=\"_blank\">resolutions\u003c/a> that they would.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Harold Goldstein, executive director of the California Center for Public Health Advocacy, said he thinks the plan has \"a very good chance\" before San Francisco voters, specifically because of the earmarked funds.\u003c!--more-->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Goldstein believes that as San Franciscans learn more about \"how harmful these products are to our children and teens\" and as they learn about the types of programs that could be created with the dedicated funding, San Franciscans will \"turn in support\" of the tax. Indeed, \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/2013/02/14/most-californians-support-soda-tax-if-it-benefits-childrens-health/\" target=\"_blank\">a Field Poll in February found\u003c/a> that 68 percent of Californians said they would support a soda tax if revenues supported children's health and recreation programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He pointed to the urgent need to curb consumption of sugary beverages among teenagers.\u003ca href=\"http://www.publichealthadvocacy.org/_PDFs/stillbubblingover/PolicyBrief.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"> A study\u003c/a> from his organization released earlier this month showed that San Francisco teens are drinking at least one soda or sugar-sweetened beverage every day \"while there is overwhelming evidence that all of this sugar leads directly to obesity and diabetes,\" he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As State of Health \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/2012/01/09/soda-tax-what-can-a-penny-do/\" target=\"_blank\">reported\u003c/a> in early 2012, an analysis from researchers at UC San Francisco found that a penny-per-ounce tax could cut consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages by a modest, but still important,15 percent. Wiener's office is citing that study to support the role of taxes in reducing consumption. As we noted at the time:\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote>\u003cp>The [researchers] say that modest reduction will lead to modest weight loss, which in turn leads to modest reductions in diabetes. After the researchers crunched all the numbers, all those modest reductions would, over ten years, result in 26,000 lives saves (or avoiding “premature deaths” as researchers prefer to say).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There would also be 95,000 fewer instances of heart disease and 8,000 fewer strokes.\u003c/p>\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>To arguments that taxes of this type are regressive, hitting poor people hardest, Goldstein had a sharp retort: \"What we absolutely know is regressive are obesity and diabetes.\" There are 16 teaspoons of sugar in a 20 ounce soda, Goldstein observed. \"Our pancreas and our livers are not designed to be able to handle that much sugar.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Goldstein is so sold on Wiener's plan that he declared this \"may very well prove to be the most effective obesity and diabetes prevention effort in the country.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Not everyone agrees. As KQED's \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/2013/10/28/san-francisco-soda-tax/\" target=\"_blank\">NewsFix reported\u003c/a> Tuesday afternoon, Californians For Food and Beverage Choice, an anti-soda tax group, called measures like Wiener's \"unncecesary, wasteful distractions from serious policymaking. Providing people with education, opportunities for physical activity and diverse beverage choices to fit their lifestyles are proven strategies for maintaining health.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This post has been updated: It was Richmond's City Council and not board of supervisors) that passed a resolution to dedicate soda tax funds to children's health and recreation programs. We have also added perspective from Californians for Food and Beverage Choice.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/stateofhealth/15880/is-san-francisco-primed-to-approve-a-soda-tax",
"authors": [
"240"
],
"categories": [
"stateofhealth_14",
"stateofhealth_2746"
],
"tags": [
"stateofhealth_2925",
"stateofhealth_75",
"stateofhealth_266"
],
"featImg": "stateofhealth_15889",
"label": "stateofhealth"
},
"stateofhealth_15853": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "stateofhealth_15853",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "15853",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1382721935000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "stateofhealth"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1382721935,
"format": "aside",
"disqusTitle": "FDA Seeks to Tighten Control on Hydrocodone Painkillers Like Vicodin",
"title": "FDA Seeks to Tighten Control on Hydrocodone Painkillers Like Vicodin",
"headTitle": "State of Health | KQED News",
"content": "\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_15859\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/futurowoman/2078779116/sizes/o/in/photolist-4aGhBf-aizjc-4hY77L-uzoVo-7AiW3J-a7qSLU-6jLHog-7jzuLK-7o4K6z-9fJg9L-34AqJA-xQqvb-di7a17-bN8gn-6pY7b9-aKvL8R-8cVFUS-dpQdQm-6EKeq-bvc7PH-9aSWRR-4YyDKp-6cNjxC-NyYHn-8Shq6Y-7JZqE7-4r4gk9-9hs7AG/\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-15859\" title=\"\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/2078779116_b734772edc_z.jpg\" alt=\"(futurowoman/Flickr)\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/2078779116_b734772edc_z.jpg 640w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/2078779116_b734772edc_z-400x300.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/2078779116_b734772edc_z-320x240.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(futurowoman/Flickr)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>By Rob Stein,\u003c/strong> \u003ca href=\"http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/10/24/240569516/fda-seeks-to-tighten-controls-on-hydrocodone-painkillers\" target=\"_blank\">NPR\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Food and Drug Administration Thursday \u003ca href=\"http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm372089.htm\">announced\u003c/a> that it wants the federal government to impose tough new restrictions on some of the most widely used prescription painkillers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The FDA said it planned to recommend that Vicodin and other prescription painkillers containing the powerful opioid hydrocodone be reclassified from a \"Schedule III\" drug to a \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.justice.gov/dea/druginfo/ds.shtml\">Schedule II\u003c/a>\" drug, which would impose new restrictions on how they are prescribed and used.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>OxyContin, another opioid painkiller, is already a Schedule II drug, defined by the Drug Enforcement Administration as \"potentially leading to severe psychological or physical dependence\".\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a statement posted on its website, the agency said it was taking the step after becoming \"increasingly concerned about the abuse and misuse of opioid products, which have sadly reached epidemic proportions in certain parts of the United States.\"\u003c!--more-->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The DEA has been asking the agency to recommend reclassifying the drugs for years, citing soaring numbers of Americans becoming addicted to the drugs and dying from overdoses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pain specialists and their patients, however, have been fighting the move, saying that any new restrictions would make it too difficult for those suffering from chronic, debilitating pain to get the drugs they need to survive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The agency acknowledged the \u003ca href=\"http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/01/23/169963431/painkiller-paradox-feds-struggle-to-control-drugs-that-help-and-harm\">emotional debate\u003c/a>, saying it \"has been challenged with determining how to balance the need to ensure continued access to those patients who rely on continuous pain relief while addressing the ongoing concerns about abuse and misuse.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Among other things, reclassifying the drugs would reduce the number of refills patients could get before having to go back to see their doctor. Doctors would not be able to simply call prescriptions into pharmacies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The FDA said it would submit its recommendation to the Health and Human Services Department by early December, and anticipated that the National Institute on Drug Abuse would concur with the recommendation. That will begin a process that would lead to a final decision by the DEA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>More than 136 million prescriptions for these products are dispensed every year, making them the most widely used prescription drugs in the country. Vicodin is probably the best-known hydrocodone-containing product, but there are many others, sold under brand names such as Lortab and Norco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While powerful painkillers, opioids are highly addictive and are abused by millions. The number of Americans overdosing from these drugs has been increasing rapidly in recent years, and more than 15,000 now die every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But about 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain, and many of them and their doctors fear the change would make it difficult, if not impossible, for these patients to get drugs they need.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The move comes after an \u003ca href=\"http://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=170255897\">FDA advisory panel recommended the change\u003c/a> in January.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Advocates for pain patients immediately reacted with concern to the announcement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"The concern we have is that it may unintentionally make access for people with pain even more of a challenge than it is now,\" wrote Bob Twillman of the \u003ca href=\"http://www.aapainmanage.org/\">American Academy of Pain Management\u003c/a> in an email to Shots. \"This could necessitate millions more office visits, with attendant costs approaching a billion dollars a year. The access issues will need to be addressed or we will have a lot more people with a lot more uncontrolled pain.\"\u003c/p>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "15853 http://blogs.kqed.org/stateofhealth/?p=15853",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/2013/10/25/fda-seeks-to-tighten-control-on-vicodin-and-other-hydrocodone-painkillers-pain/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 561,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 18
},
"modified": 1382746225,
"excerpt": null,
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "By Rob Stein, NPR The Food and Drug Administration Thursday announced that it wants the federal government to impose tough new restrictions on some of the most widely used prescription painkillers. The FDA said it planned to recommend that Vicodin and other prescription painkillers containing the powerful opioid hydrocodone be reclassified from a "Schedule III" drug to",
"title": "FDA Seeks to Tighten Control on Hydrocodone Painkillers Like Vicodin | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "FDA Seeks to Tighten Control on Hydrocodone Painkillers Like Vicodin",
"datePublished": "2013-10-25T10:25:35-07:00",
"dateModified": "2013-10-25T17:10:25-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "fda-seeks-to-tighten-control-on-vicodin-and-other-hydrocodone-painkillers-pain",
"status": "publish",
"path": "/stateofhealth/15853/fda-seeks-to-tighten-control-on-vicodin-and-other-hydrocodone-painkillers-pain",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_15859\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/futurowoman/2078779116/sizes/o/in/photolist-4aGhBf-aizjc-4hY77L-uzoVo-7AiW3J-a7qSLU-6jLHog-7jzuLK-7o4K6z-9fJg9L-34AqJA-xQqvb-di7a17-bN8gn-6pY7b9-aKvL8R-8cVFUS-dpQdQm-6EKeq-bvc7PH-9aSWRR-4YyDKp-6cNjxC-NyYHn-8Shq6Y-7JZqE7-4r4gk9-9hs7AG/\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-15859\" title=\"\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/2078779116_b734772edc_z.jpg\" alt=\"(futurowoman/Flickr)\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/2078779116_b734772edc_z.jpg 640w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/2078779116_b734772edc_z-400x300.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/2078779116_b734772edc_z-320x240.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(futurowoman/Flickr)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>By Rob Stein,\u003c/strong> \u003ca href=\"http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/10/24/240569516/fda-seeks-to-tighten-controls-on-hydrocodone-painkillers\" target=\"_blank\">NPR\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Food and Drug Administration Thursday \u003ca href=\"http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm372089.htm\">announced\u003c/a> that it wants the federal government to impose tough new restrictions on some of the most widely used prescription painkillers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The FDA said it planned to recommend that Vicodin and other prescription painkillers containing the powerful opioid hydrocodone be reclassified from a \"Schedule III\" drug to a \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.justice.gov/dea/druginfo/ds.shtml\">Schedule II\u003c/a>\" drug, which would impose new restrictions on how they are prescribed and used.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>OxyContin, another opioid painkiller, is already a Schedule II drug, defined by the Drug Enforcement Administration as \"potentially leading to severe psychological or physical dependence\".\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a statement posted on its website, the agency said it was taking the step after becoming \"increasingly concerned about the abuse and misuse of opioid products, which have sadly reached epidemic proportions in certain parts of the United States.\"\u003c!--more-->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The DEA has been asking the agency to recommend reclassifying the drugs for years, citing soaring numbers of Americans becoming addicted to the drugs and dying from overdoses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pain specialists and their patients, however, have been fighting the move, saying that any new restrictions would make it too difficult for those suffering from chronic, debilitating pain to get the drugs they need to survive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The agency acknowledged the \u003ca href=\"http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/01/23/169963431/painkiller-paradox-feds-struggle-to-control-drugs-that-help-and-harm\">emotional debate\u003c/a>, saying it \"has been challenged with determining how to balance the need to ensure continued access to those patients who rely on continuous pain relief while addressing the ongoing concerns about abuse and misuse.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Among other things, reclassifying the drugs would reduce the number of refills patients could get before having to go back to see their doctor. Doctors would not be able to simply call prescriptions into pharmacies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The FDA said it would submit its recommendation to the Health and Human Services Department by early December, and anticipated that the National Institute on Drug Abuse would concur with the recommendation. That will begin a process that would lead to a final decision by the DEA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>More than 136 million prescriptions for these products are dispensed every year, making them the most widely used prescription drugs in the country. Vicodin is probably the best-known hydrocodone-containing product, but there are many others, sold under brand names such as Lortab and Norco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While powerful painkillers, opioids are highly addictive and are abused by millions. The number of Americans overdosing from these drugs has been increasing rapidly in recent years, and more than 15,000 now die every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But about 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain, and many of them and their doctors fear the change would make it difficult, if not impossible, for these patients to get drugs they need.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The move comes after an \u003ca href=\"http://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=170255897\">FDA advisory panel recommended the change\u003c/a> in January.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Advocates for pain patients immediately reacted with concern to the announcement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"The concern we have is that it may unintentionally make access for people with pain even more of a challenge than it is now,\" wrote Bob Twillman of the \u003ca href=\"http://www.aapainmanage.org/\">American Academy of Pain Management\u003c/a> in an email to Shots. \"This could necessitate millions more office visits, with attendant costs approaching a billion dollars a year. The access issues will need to be addressed or we will have a lot more people with a lot more uncontrolled pain.\"\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/stateofhealth/15853/fda-seeks-to-tighten-control-on-vicodin-and-other-hydrocodone-painkillers-pain",
"authors": [
"240"
],
"categories": [
"stateofhealth_14",
"stateofhealth_13"
],
"tags": [
"stateofhealth_643",
"stateofhealth_141",
"stateofhealth_461"
],
"featImg": "stateofhealth_15859",
"label": "stateofhealth"
},
"stateofhealth_15820": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "stateofhealth_15820",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "15820",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1382601776000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "stateofhealth"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1382601776,
"format": "aside",
"disqusTitle": "Low-Income Californians Want To Be Engaged Patients, Too",
"title": "Low-Income Californians Want To Be Engaged Patients, Too",
"headTitle": "State of Health | KQED News",
"content": "\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_15832\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/56292361-e1382588779517.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-large wp-image-15832\" title=\"\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/56292361-640x417.jpg\" alt=\"(Getty Images)\" width=\"640\" height=\"417\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Only about one in four low-income Californians say they have easily comprehensible information for health decision-making, and 71 percent say they would like more. That's just one of the findings from a new\u003ca href=\"http://www.blueshieldcafoundation.org/programs/sub-program/innovation-and-performance/building-better-health-care-for-low-income-californians\" target=\"_blank\"> statewide survey\u003c/a> looking at \"opportunities and challenges\" in reaching this underserved population.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The report is the latest in \u003ca href=\"http://www.blueshieldcafoundation.org/programs/sub-program/innovation-and-performance\" target=\"_blank\">a series\u003c/a> from the Blue Shield of California Foundation and provides \"important insights for those working to reshape the system in California and for the rest of the country,\" foundation executive director Peter Long said at a briefing and panel discussion in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When asked about their top source of health information, media sources (TV, internet, printed material) nudged out medical professionals, 39 percent to 38 percent. However, reliance on a medical provider for information goes up — by 22 percent — if the patient usually sees the same person.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From the report:\u003c!--more-->\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote>\u003cp>Patients are also more apt to reply on their provider for information when they feel someone at their healthcare facility knows them (the definition of connectedness), as well as when providers explain things clearly, invite questions and encourage patients to be involved in their own care.\u003c/p>\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>\"People often dismiss populations of lower income because they're different,\" said Dr. Kavita Patel, managing director of Delivery System Reform at the Brookings Institution, at the briefing on Wednesday. \"This study illustrates that no matter what your income is, patient engagement matters.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The survey is based on phone interviews with 1,018 Californians ages 19-64 with household incomes less than 200 percent of the \u003ca href=\"http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/13poverty.cfm\" target=\"_blank\">federal poverty level\u003c/a> (or about $46,000 for a family of four).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The report found that people with the strongest connection to their providers speak English and have insurance — which points to the challenge ahead in a state as diverse as California, as the Affordable Care Act is fully implemented on Jan. 1.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet the report also pointed to steps providers and health centers can take to engage their patients. In particular, patients who perceive that their provider encourages them to be active in their own care and feel that they have as much say in their health decisions as they want are significantly more likely to feel a \"strong rapport\" with their provider. They also feel \"very informed\" about their health and trust the doctor's information, according to the report.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sara Rosenbaum, professor of health policy at the George Washington University School of Public Health, pointed out that \"it was no surprise to me that poor people should value good health care (as much as) anyone else does.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Digital divide\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Though much has been written of the \u003ca href=\"http://www.pewinternet.org/Topics/Demographics/Digital-Divide.aspx?typeFilter=5\" target=\"_blank\">digital divide\u003c/a>, this new report teased out information that surprised even the panel. Four in 10 low-income Californians lack Internet access, the survey found, but that number spikes to 67 percent of low-income Spanish speakers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dr. Ron Yee worked for 20 years at United Health Centers, a group of community clinics in the Central Valley.\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\"I knew our patients did not have access to the Internet,\" he said at the briefing, \"but I was surprised to see 67 percent of our Spanish speakers did not have access. That's a big number for us to understand.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Of the people in the survey who use the Internet, three-quarters are interested in access to a health center's Internet patient portal. Of the few who have access, \"virtually all find it useful,\" the report found.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A similar disparity was found in email or text messages from providers. While very few low-income Californians have access to the technology, of those who do, 87 percent found email or text messages from the clinic or provider useful.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Alternative approaches\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While California faces a \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/2013/09/12/the-primary-care-crunch-not-enough-doctors-and-more-patients-coming-engaged-patient/\" target=\"_blank\">shortage of primary care providers\u003c/a> at the moment when access to insurance is expanding, alternative approaches can help with access and communication. For example, team-based care where a patient may see a nurse practitioner or physician assistant or health navigators — people who help patients make their way through a hospital or clinic — can \"enhance, rather than diminish, the critical connection between patients and their providers,\" the report found.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"Patients are ahead of policymakers here,\" Peter Long noted, adding that critics had said that expanding access would lead to greater demands on physicians. But low-income Californians \"are open to team care.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We've heard a lot about mandates,\" Patel observed. \"This is the patient mandate. These folks were very clear about their aspirations. ... What they're willing to do if engaged to me is heartening.\"\u003c/p>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "15820 http://blogs.kqed.org/stateofhealth/?p=15820",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/2013/10/24/low-income-californians-want-to-be-engaged-patients-too-shared-decision-making/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 769,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 21
},
"modified": 1386709735,
"excerpt": "Only about one in four low-income Californians say they have easily comprehensible information for health decision-making, and 71 percent say they would like more. That's just one of the findings from a new statewide survey looking at \"opportunities and challenges\" in reaching this underserved population.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "Only about one in four low-income Californians say they have easily comprehensible information for health decision-making, and 71 percent say they would like more. That's just one of the findings from a new statewide survey looking at "opportunities and challenges" in reaching this underserved population.",
"title": "Low-Income Californians Want To Be Engaged Patients, Too | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Low-Income Californians Want To Be Engaged Patients, Too",
"datePublished": "2013-10-24T01:02:56-07:00",
"dateModified": "2013-12-10T13:08:55-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "low-income-californians-want-to-be-engaged-patients-too-shared-decision-making",
"status": "publish",
"path": "/stateofhealth/15820/low-income-californians-want-to-be-engaged-patients-too-shared-decision-making",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_15832\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/56292361-e1382588779517.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-large wp-image-15832\" title=\"\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/56292361-640x417.jpg\" alt=\"(Getty Images)\" width=\"640\" height=\"417\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Only about one in four low-income Californians say they have easily comprehensible information for health decision-making, and 71 percent say they would like more. That's just one of the findings from a new\u003ca href=\"http://www.blueshieldcafoundation.org/programs/sub-program/innovation-and-performance/building-better-health-care-for-low-income-californians\" target=\"_blank\"> statewide survey\u003c/a> looking at \"opportunities and challenges\" in reaching this underserved population.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The report is the latest in \u003ca href=\"http://www.blueshieldcafoundation.org/programs/sub-program/innovation-and-performance\" target=\"_blank\">a series\u003c/a> from the Blue Shield of California Foundation and provides \"important insights for those working to reshape the system in California and for the rest of the country,\" foundation executive director Peter Long said at a briefing and panel discussion in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When asked about their top source of health information, media sources (TV, internet, printed material) nudged out medical professionals, 39 percent to 38 percent. However, reliance on a medical provider for information goes up — by 22 percent — if the patient usually sees the same person.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From the report:\u003c!--more-->\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote>\u003cp>Patients are also more apt to reply on their provider for information when they feel someone at their healthcare facility knows them (the definition of connectedness), as well as when providers explain things clearly, invite questions and encourage patients to be involved in their own care.\u003c/p>\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>\"People often dismiss populations of lower income because they're different,\" said Dr. Kavita Patel, managing director of Delivery System Reform at the Brookings Institution, at the briefing on Wednesday. \"This study illustrates that no matter what your income is, patient engagement matters.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The survey is based on phone interviews with 1,018 Californians ages 19-64 with household incomes less than 200 percent of the \u003ca href=\"http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/13poverty.cfm\" target=\"_blank\">federal poverty level\u003c/a> (or about $46,000 for a family of four).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The report found that people with the strongest connection to their providers speak English and have insurance — which points to the challenge ahead in a state as diverse as California, as the Affordable Care Act is fully implemented on Jan. 1.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet the report also pointed to steps providers and health centers can take to engage their patients. In particular, patients who perceive that their provider encourages them to be active in their own care and feel that they have as much say in their health decisions as they want are significantly more likely to feel a \"strong rapport\" with their provider. They also feel \"very informed\" about their health and trust the doctor's information, according to the report.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sara Rosenbaum, professor of health policy at the George Washington University School of Public Health, pointed out that \"it was no surprise to me that poor people should value good health care (as much as) anyone else does.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Digital divide\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Though much has been written of the \u003ca href=\"http://www.pewinternet.org/Topics/Demographics/Digital-Divide.aspx?typeFilter=5\" target=\"_blank\">digital divide\u003c/a>, this new report teased out information that surprised even the panel. Four in 10 low-income Californians lack Internet access, the survey found, but that number spikes to 67 percent of low-income Spanish speakers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dr. Ron Yee worked for 20 years at United Health Centers, a group of community clinics in the Central Valley.\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\"I knew our patients did not have access to the Internet,\" he said at the briefing, \"but I was surprised to see 67 percent of our Spanish speakers did not have access. That's a big number for us to understand.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Of the people in the survey who use the Internet, three-quarters are interested in access to a health center's Internet patient portal. Of the few who have access, \"virtually all find it useful,\" the report found.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A similar disparity was found in email or text messages from providers. While very few low-income Californians have access to the technology, of those who do, 87 percent found email or text messages from the clinic or provider useful.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Alternative approaches\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While California faces a \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/2013/09/12/the-primary-care-crunch-not-enough-doctors-and-more-patients-coming-engaged-patient/\" target=\"_blank\">shortage of primary care providers\u003c/a> at the moment when access to insurance is expanding, alternative approaches can help with access and communication. For example, team-based care where a patient may see a nurse practitioner or physician assistant or health navigators — people who help patients make their way through a hospital or clinic — can \"enhance, rather than diminish, the critical connection between patients and their providers,\" the report found.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"Patients are ahead of policymakers here,\" Peter Long noted, adding that critics had said that expanding access would lead to greater demands on physicians. But low-income Californians \"are open to team care.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We've heard a lot about mandates,\" Patel observed. \"This is the patient mandate. These folks were very clear about their aspirations. ... What they're willing to do if engaged to me is heartening.\"\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/stateofhealth/15820/low-income-californians-want-to-be-engaged-patients-too-shared-decision-making",
"authors": [
"240"
],
"categories": [
"stateofhealth_11",
"stateofhealth_14"
],
"tags": [
"stateofhealth_38",
"stateofhealth_236",
"stateofhealth_335"
],
"featImg": "stateofhealth_15832",
"label": "stateofhealth"
},
"stateofhealth_15809": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "stateofhealth_15809",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "15809",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1382560070000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "stateofhealth"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1382560070,
"format": "aside",
"disqusTitle": "Why Your Voice Counts: $1 Billion in Hospital Payments Tied to Patient Satisfaction",
"title": "Why Your Voice Counts: $1 Billion in Hospital Payments Tied to Patient Satisfaction",
"headTitle": "State of Health | KQED News",
"content": "\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_15814\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/Untitled.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-15814 \" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/Untitled.jpg\" alt='San Francisco General Hospital has installed \"yacker trackers\" around some nursing stations to reduce nighttime noise, part of the hospital’s enhanced effort to improve patients’ experience. (Photo: San Francisco General Hospital)' width=\"640\" height=\"652\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/Untitled.jpg 640w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/Untitled-400x408.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/Untitled-320x326.jpg 320w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/Untitled-32x32.jpg 32w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/Untitled-64x64.jpg 64w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/Untitled-75x75.jpg 75w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">San Francisco General Hospital has installed \"yacker trackers\" around some nursing stations to reduce nighttime noise, part of the hospital’s enhanced effort to improve patients’ experience. Red is \"too loud;\" yellow is \"noisy;\" green is \"perfect.\" (Photo: San Francisco General Hospital)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>By Chris Richard\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To try to improve patients’ rest, San Francisco General Hospital has installed devices resembling traffic signals near some nursing stations. Called “yacker trackers,” they monitor the volume of conversation and other work-related noise around the stations. When sound is at an acceptable level, the light shows green, turning yellow as the noise increases. When it’s too loud, the light turns red.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The admonitions might get on the nerves of hospital staffers who think they’re capable of regulating how loudly they talk without electronic oversight, but there’s evidence the yacker trackers do keep the racket down – and help patients rest better.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Some staff members think this is a reinforcement that is welcome, and others may feel this is reinforcement that isn’t really necessary,” said Baljeet Sangha, San Francisco General’s “chief experience officer.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The answer is to go back to the metrics. They show these reminders do work.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In some areas where the trackers were installed, patient satisfaction over nighttime noise doubled between April and June, Sangha said.\u003c!--more-->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Under the Affordable Care Act the federal government is starting to link a hospital's payments to how well they treat patients, and hospitals are responding by creating new customer-satisfaction positions like Sangha’s, changing security procedures, and even timing how long people must spend in computerized telephone call-routing systems before speaking to a human being.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The federal health law links about $1 billion in Medicare reimbursement payments nationwide to how hospitals score on the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ “\u003ca href=\"http://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/HospitalQualityInits/HospitalHCAHPS.html\">Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems\u003c/a>” survey, or HCAHPS.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>First instituted in 2006 as a comparison tool to help people choose a hospital, HCAHPS is now being used as one tool to set Medicare reimbursement rates.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The survey’s \u003ca href=\"http://www.hcahpsonline.org/files/HCAHPS%20V8.0%20Appendix%20A%20-%20HCAHPS%20Mail%20Survey%20Materials%20%28English%29%20March%202013.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">32 questions\u003c/a> range from “Before giving you any new medicine, how often did hospital staff describe possible side effects in a way you could understand?” to “During this hospital stay, how often was the area around your room quiet at night?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Officials at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) say the answers to such questions demonstrably affect medical outcomes. For example, if nurses communicate clearly, patients are more likely to know how to assist in their own healing. And they tend to heal faster if they get enough rest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tony Padilla, patient affairs director at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, said the CMS surveys are changing how nurses conduct their hourly rounds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They’re regularly asking, not just, ‘How can I help you?’ or do ‘Do you need something?’ but, ‘Do you have any pain and can we address the pain?’ and ‘Are things within reach?’ We don’t want people getting up out of bed and falling.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the most recent surveys statewide, about half of patients reported that the area around their room was always quiet at night. Three quarters of patients in California said their nurses always communicated well. Slightly fewer said their room and bathroom were always clean.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Statewide responses across California in all three areas were below the national average.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In response to such concerns, Foothill Presbyterian Hospital in Glendora has launched a new cleanliness campaign, regularly setting patient rooms for overhaul under the “Room a Day” program.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This isn’t just ordinary housekeeping. It’s a 78-item checklist that ranges from waxing floors to tightening plumbing connections to disassembling ceiling ducts to replace air filters. Three Foothill departments join in the work, and a supervisor may add instructions for additional corrections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to Patrick Kegin, chief patient experience officer at Citrus Valley Health Partners – a Southern California consortium that includes Foothill Presbyterian and three other medical centers – the meticulous overhauls are about more than cleanliness. They’re about a state of mind.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you go to a group of well-meaning staff members who are working in a system that has broken processes and you ask them to start being kinder and more deliberate with the patients, they’re going to say, ‘You know what you can do for me? Fix this place. Let’s make this place cleaner,’” Kegin said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We need to establish hospital environments that work. If we do that, it benefits the patients.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On top of the federal surveys, competition for patients plays a role in the adoption of policies aimed at increasing satisfaction among health care consumers. Last February, Los Angeles County Department of Health Services director Mitchell Katz embarked on a program to make the medical centers that serve some of the county’s poorest, most violent neighborhoods more welcoming.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He announced a plan to remove metal detectors at all Health Services facilities, except at the three county emergency rooms, by July.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the detectors had been set up following a 1993 shooting at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center in East Los Angeles that left three doctors wounded. Word of Katz’ plan stirred outrage among Health Services employees, and Service Employees International Local 721, which represents Medical Center nurses, told Katz his proposal was subject to negotiation over workplace safety.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sabrina Griffin, a union steward, said the dispute remains unresolved.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Anish Mahajan, the health system’s director of system planning, said officials still plan to remove the detectors eventually and are in discussions with labor groups.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, Mahajan said, county hospitals have moved forward with a new, computerized, multi-lingual telephone system that has dramatically cut the time patients must spend on hold while seeking information about their medical conditions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He said another computerized system has enabled the county system to address another source of patient discontent, long waits to see specialists.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bridget Duffy, chief medical officer at Vocera Communications and a consultant to hospitals across the country on patient satisfaction, stressed that establishing systems to take better account of patients’ needs means following sound medical practice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said emergency room doctors in one Florida hospital admitted to her that they’d devised a special code for admissions designed to avoid patient complaints, even when the admission wasn’t otherwise warranted. The doctors told her that they came up with the scheme after administrators at their hospital started recording negative patient surveys in their personnel files, Duffy said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When administrators are punitive with patient satisfaction data, they breed that kind of thing,” she said. “I think that’s bad medicine and I don’t think that’s the norm.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The standard Duffy hopes for is something closer to the “code lavender” instituted at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford. The name is based on the standard hospital “code blue” summoning an emergency resuscitation team. With code lavender, the focus is on delivering spiritual resuscitation when a patient suffers a severe trauma, Duffy said. Pastoral, bioethics and holistic nursing staff members gather to offer immediate and ongoing support, she said.\u003c/p>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "15809 http://blogs.kqed.org/stateofhealth/?p=15809",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/2013/10/23/why-your-voice-counts-1-billion-in-hospital-payments-tied-to-patient-satisfaction/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 1255,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 33
},
"modified": 1382632389,
"excerpt": "Under the Affordable Care Act the federal government is starting to link a hospital's payments to how well they treat patients, and hospitals are responding by creating new customer-satisfaction positions like Sangha’s, changing security procedures, and even timing how long people must spend in computerized telephone call-routing systems before speaking to a human being.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "Under the Affordable Care Act the federal government is starting to link a hospital's payments to how well they treat patients, and hospitals are responding by creating new customer-satisfaction positions like Sangha’s, changing security procedures, and even timing how long people must spend in computerized telephone call-routing systems before speaking to a human being.",
"title": "Why Your Voice Counts: $1 Billion in Hospital Payments Tied to Patient Satisfaction | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Why Your Voice Counts: $1 Billion in Hospital Payments Tied to Patient Satisfaction",
"datePublished": "2013-10-23T13:27:50-07:00",
"dateModified": "2013-10-24T09:33:09-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "why-your-voice-counts-1-billion-in-hospital-payments-tied-to-patient-satisfaction",
"status": "publish",
"path": "/stateofhealth/15809/why-your-voice-counts-1-billion-in-hospital-payments-tied-to-patient-satisfaction",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_15814\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/Untitled.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-15814 \" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/Untitled.jpg\" alt='San Francisco General Hospital has installed \"yacker trackers\" around some nursing stations to reduce nighttime noise, part of the hospital’s enhanced effort to improve patients’ experience. (Photo: San Francisco General Hospital)' width=\"640\" height=\"652\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/Untitled.jpg 640w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/Untitled-400x408.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/Untitled-320x326.jpg 320w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/Untitled-32x32.jpg 32w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/Untitled-64x64.jpg 64w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/Untitled-75x75.jpg 75w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">San Francisco General Hospital has installed \"yacker trackers\" around some nursing stations to reduce nighttime noise, part of the hospital’s enhanced effort to improve patients’ experience. Red is \"too loud;\" yellow is \"noisy;\" green is \"perfect.\" (Photo: San Francisco General Hospital)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>By Chris Richard\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To try to improve patients’ rest, San Francisco General Hospital has installed devices resembling traffic signals near some nursing stations. Called “yacker trackers,” they monitor the volume of conversation and other work-related noise around the stations. When sound is at an acceptable level, the light shows green, turning yellow as the noise increases. When it’s too loud, the light turns red.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The admonitions might get on the nerves of hospital staffers who think they’re capable of regulating how loudly they talk without electronic oversight, but there’s evidence the yacker trackers do keep the racket down – and help patients rest better.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Some staff members think this is a reinforcement that is welcome, and others may feel this is reinforcement that isn’t really necessary,” said Baljeet Sangha, San Francisco General’s “chief experience officer.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The answer is to go back to the metrics. They show these reminders do work.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In some areas where the trackers were installed, patient satisfaction over nighttime noise doubled between April and June, Sangha said.\u003c!--more-->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Under the Affordable Care Act the federal government is starting to link a hospital's payments to how well they treat patients, and hospitals are responding by creating new customer-satisfaction positions like Sangha’s, changing security procedures, and even timing how long people must spend in computerized telephone call-routing systems before speaking to a human being.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The federal health law links about $1 billion in Medicare reimbursement payments nationwide to how hospitals score on the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ “\u003ca href=\"http://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/HospitalQualityInits/HospitalHCAHPS.html\">Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems\u003c/a>” survey, or HCAHPS.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>First instituted in 2006 as a comparison tool to help people choose a hospital, HCAHPS is now being used as one tool to set Medicare reimbursement rates.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The survey’s \u003ca href=\"http://www.hcahpsonline.org/files/HCAHPS%20V8.0%20Appendix%20A%20-%20HCAHPS%20Mail%20Survey%20Materials%20%28English%29%20March%202013.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">32 questions\u003c/a> range from “Before giving you any new medicine, how often did hospital staff describe possible side effects in a way you could understand?” to “During this hospital stay, how often was the area around your room quiet at night?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Officials at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) say the answers to such questions demonstrably affect medical outcomes. For example, if nurses communicate clearly, patients are more likely to know how to assist in their own healing. And they tend to heal faster if they get enough rest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tony Padilla, patient affairs director at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, said the CMS surveys are changing how nurses conduct their hourly rounds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They’re regularly asking, not just, ‘How can I help you?’ or do ‘Do you need something?’ but, ‘Do you have any pain and can we address the pain?’ and ‘Are things within reach?’ We don’t want people getting up out of bed and falling.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the most recent surveys statewide, about half of patients reported that the area around their room was always quiet at night. Three quarters of patients in California said their nurses always communicated well. Slightly fewer said their room and bathroom were always clean.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Statewide responses across California in all three areas were below the national average.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In response to such concerns, Foothill Presbyterian Hospital in Glendora has launched a new cleanliness campaign, regularly setting patient rooms for overhaul under the “Room a Day” program.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This isn’t just ordinary housekeeping. It’s a 78-item checklist that ranges from waxing floors to tightening plumbing connections to disassembling ceiling ducts to replace air filters. Three Foothill departments join in the work, and a supervisor may add instructions for additional corrections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to Patrick Kegin, chief patient experience officer at Citrus Valley Health Partners – a Southern California consortium that includes Foothill Presbyterian and three other medical centers – the meticulous overhauls are about more than cleanliness. They’re about a state of mind.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you go to a group of well-meaning staff members who are working in a system that has broken processes and you ask them to start being kinder and more deliberate with the patients, they’re going to say, ‘You know what you can do for me? Fix this place. Let’s make this place cleaner,’” Kegin said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We need to establish hospital environments that work. If we do that, it benefits the patients.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On top of the federal surveys, competition for patients plays a role in the adoption of policies aimed at increasing satisfaction among health care consumers. Last February, Los Angeles County Department of Health Services director Mitchell Katz embarked on a program to make the medical centers that serve some of the county’s poorest, most violent neighborhoods more welcoming.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He announced a plan to remove metal detectors at all Health Services facilities, except at the three county emergency rooms, by July.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the detectors had been set up following a 1993 shooting at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center in East Los Angeles that left three doctors wounded. Word of Katz’ plan stirred outrage among Health Services employees, and Service Employees International Local 721, which represents Medical Center nurses, told Katz his proposal was subject to negotiation over workplace safety.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sabrina Griffin, a union steward, said the dispute remains unresolved.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Anish Mahajan, the health system’s director of system planning, said officials still plan to remove the detectors eventually and are in discussions with labor groups.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, Mahajan said, county hospitals have moved forward with a new, computerized, multi-lingual telephone system that has dramatically cut the time patients must spend on hold while seeking information about their medical conditions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He said another computerized system has enabled the county system to address another source of patient discontent, long waits to see specialists.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bridget Duffy, chief medical officer at Vocera Communications and a consultant to hospitals across the country on patient satisfaction, stressed that establishing systems to take better account of patients’ needs means following sound medical practice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said emergency room doctors in one Florida hospital admitted to her that they’d devised a special code for admissions designed to avoid patient complaints, even when the admission wasn’t otherwise warranted. The doctors told her that they came up with the scheme after administrators at their hospital started recording negative patient surveys in their personnel files, Duffy said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When administrators are punitive with patient satisfaction data, they breed that kind of thing,” she said. “I think that’s bad medicine and I don’t think that’s the norm.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The standard Duffy hopes for is something closer to the “code lavender” instituted at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford. The name is based on the standard hospital “code blue” summoning an emergency resuscitation team. With code lavender, the focus is on delivering spiritual resuscitation when a patient suffers a severe trauma, Duffy said. Pastoral, bioethics and holistic nursing staff members gather to offer immediate and ongoing support, she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/stateofhealth/15809/why-your-voice-counts-1-billion-in-hospital-payments-tied-to-patient-satisfaction",
"authors": [
"240"
],
"categories": [
"stateofhealth_14"
],
"featImg": "stateofhealth_15814",
"label": "stateofhealth"
},
"stateofhealth_15783": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "stateofhealth_15783",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "15783",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1382122312000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "stateofhealth"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1382122312,
"format": "aside",
"disqusTitle": "California Teens Slurping More Sugary Drinks ",
"title": "California Teens Slurping More Sugary Drinks ",
"headTitle": "State of Health | KQED News",
"content": "\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_15792\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/oak-tech-ice-tea.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-15792\" title=\"\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/oak-tech-ice-tea.jpg\" alt=\"Arizona Green Tea is popular with teens, but this 23.5 ounce can has 51 grams -- or more than one-third of a cup -- of sugar.(Jane Meredith Adams/EdSource)\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/oak-tech-ice-tea.jpg 640w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/oak-tech-ice-tea-400x267.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/oak-tech-ice-tea-320x214.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Arizona Green Tea is popular with teens, but this 23 ounce can has 51 grams -- or more than one-third of a cup -- of sugar. (Jane Meredith Adams/EdSource)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>By Jane Meredith Adams\u003c/strong>, \u003ca href=\"http://www.edsource.org/today/2013/more-teens-drinking-sugary-beverages-study-finds/40531#.UmFrIxZRYRk\" target=\"_blank\">EdSource\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the clock ticks toward a 2014 federal ban on the sale of sports drinks at high schools, California teenagers are showing an increasing fondness for the sugary beverages, with an alarming 23 percent spike in the consumption of sports and energy drinks since 2005, according to a \u003ca href=\"http://www.publichealthadvocacy.org/_PDFs/stillbubblingover/PolicyBrief.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">new study\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the same time, consumption of sugary drinks by young children is declining sharply, according to the study by researchers at the California Center for Public Health Advocacy and the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. The study tracked youth consumption of the beverages from 2005 to 2012.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both trends – the surge in teens guzzling sugary drinks and the drop in consumption for younger children – are tied to regulations governing the sale of the beverages in California schools, said Harold Goldstein, executive director of the California Center for Public Health Advocacy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Taking sodas out of schools contributed to a precipitous drop in consumption among younger kids,” he said, “while older kids have switched to sports drinks and energy drinks, and those products are available in schools.”\u003c!--more-->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In California, soda sales have been banned in elementary and middle schools since 2006 and in high schools since 2009, but \u003ca href=\"http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=edc&group=49001-50000&file=49430-49436\" target=\"_blank\">a loophole \u003c/a>in the state education code allows the sale of electrolyte replacement beverages, otherwise known as sports drinks, in high school cafeterias, vending machines, snack bars and other on-campus venues. That loophole will close on July 1, 2014, when \u003ca href=\"http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Governance/Legislation/allfoods_beverages.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">new regulations\u003c/a> from the U.S. Department of Agriculture take effect to ban the sale on school campuses of sugary sports and energy drinks that have more than 40 calories in 8 ounces or 60 calories in 12 ounces.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That means your typical 20-ounce Gatorade won’t be in schools,” said Margo Wootan, director of nutrition policy at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a nonprofit organization.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some 65 percent of adolescents drink at least one sugary sports drink or soda a day, an 8 percent jump since an earlier survey tracking consumption habits, researchers said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sodas, sport drinks should be \"treats,\" advocates say\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Given the close association between daily sugary beverage consumption and obesity, the rise is cause for alarm for schools that are working to address the effects of obesity on student attendance, self-esteem and health.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“California has made real progress in reducing the consumption of sugary beverages among young children,” said Susan Babey, the report’s lead author. “But teens are in trouble.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said sodas and sports drinks should be regarded as occasional “treats,” not part of a daily meal plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The study’s most encouraging finding was that young children are consuming markedly fewer sugary beverages. About 19 percent of 2- to 5-year-olds drink a sugary beverage every day, the study said, a 30 percent decline since the earlier survey. Among 6- to 11-year-olds, 32 percent are daily consumers, down 26 percent since 2005-2007.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The study was based on data collected in the \u003ca href=\"http://healthpolicy.ucla.edu/chis/about/Pages/about.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">California Health Interview Survey,\u003c/a> the nation’s largest state health survey. Researchers completed interviews with more than 40,000 households.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Snapshot from one \"open campus\" high school\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, banning the beverages from schools won’t stop teenagers from finding the drinks. Some 75 percent of high school campuses in California are “closed” and don’t allow students to leave the grounds without supervision during the school day. “It’s the 25 percent we need to worry about it,” said Wootan at the Center for Science in the Public Interest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At Oakland Technical High School – which has an open campus policy allowing students to leave during lunch – many students sitting on the front lawn at lunchtime Thursday drank from water bottles, while other students returned from local stores with pizza and sugared beverages, including Arizona iced tea, Shasta Cola and a 7-11 Slurpee.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many were well aware of the amount of sugar they were consuming, but didn’t feel it was a serious problem. One student said bottled water was more expensive than his canned iced tea.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I buy it because it tastes good,” said Will, a freshman carrying a can of Shasta Cola.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His friend, Ethan, had a 23.5-ounce can of Arizona Green Tea containing 51 grams of sugar. “This has a lot of sugar, but it’s better than soda,” Ethan said. “It’s Arizona and it’s green tea.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Public perception may hold that iced teas and fruit drinks are a better choice than sodas, yet high concentrations of sugar in the beverages make them something to consume in moderation, experts said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"http://www.publichealthadvocacy.org/_PDFs/stillbubblingover/PolicyBrief.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">counties \u003c/a>with the largest declines in percentage of youth drinking soda or other sugary beverages every day included Ventura County, with a 37 percent decrease since 2005; Yuba County, with a 32 percent decrease; and Napa County, with a 31 percent decrease.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Counties with the largest increase in daily sugary drink consumption among youth of all ages were Lake County, with a 36 percent increase; Monterey County, with a 29 percent increase; and Solano County, with a 24 percent increase.\u003c/p>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "15783 http://blogs.kqed.org/stateofhealth/?p=15783",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/2013/10/18/california-teens-slurping-more-sugary-drinks-soda-sugar-sweetened-beverages/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 927,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 25
},
"modified": 1382400488,
"excerpt": "As the clock ticks toward a 2014 federal ban on the sale of sports drinks at high schools, California teenagers are showing an increasing fondness for the sugary beverages, with an alarming 23 percent spike in the consumption of sports and energy drinks since 2005, according to a new study.\r\n\r\nAt the same time, consumption of sugary drinks by young children is declining sharply, according to the study by researchers at the California Center for Public Health Advocacy and the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. The study tracked youth consumption of the beverages from 2005 to 2012.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "As the clock ticks toward a 2014 federal ban on the sale of sports drinks at high schools, California teenagers are showing an increasing fondness for the sugary beverages, with an alarming 23 percent spike in the consumption of sports and energy drinks since 2005, according to a new study.\r\n\r\nAt the same time, consumption of sugary drinks by young children is declining sharply, according to the study by researchers at the California Center for Public Health Advocacy and the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. The study tracked youth consumption of the beverages from 2005 to 2012.",
"title": "California Teens Slurping More Sugary Drinks | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "California Teens Slurping More Sugary Drinks ",
"datePublished": "2013-10-18T11:51:52-07:00",
"dateModified": "2013-10-21T17:08:08-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "california-teens-slurping-more-sugary-drinks-soda-sugar-sweetened-beverages",
"status": "publish",
"path": "/stateofhealth/15783/california-teens-slurping-more-sugary-drinks-soda-sugar-sweetened-beverages",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_15792\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/oak-tech-ice-tea.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-15792\" title=\"\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/oak-tech-ice-tea.jpg\" alt=\"Arizona Green Tea is popular with teens, but this 23.5 ounce can has 51 grams -- or more than one-third of a cup -- of sugar.(Jane Meredith Adams/EdSource)\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/oak-tech-ice-tea.jpg 640w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/oak-tech-ice-tea-400x267.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/27/2013/10/oak-tech-ice-tea-320x214.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Arizona Green Tea is popular with teens, but this 23 ounce can has 51 grams -- or more than one-third of a cup -- of sugar. (Jane Meredith Adams/EdSource)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>By Jane Meredith Adams\u003c/strong>, \u003ca href=\"http://www.edsource.org/today/2013/more-teens-drinking-sugary-beverages-study-finds/40531#.UmFrIxZRYRk\" target=\"_blank\">EdSource\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the clock ticks toward a 2014 federal ban on the sale of sports drinks at high schools, California teenagers are showing an increasing fondness for the sugary beverages, with an alarming 23 percent spike in the consumption of sports and energy drinks since 2005, according to a \u003ca href=\"http://www.publichealthadvocacy.org/_PDFs/stillbubblingover/PolicyBrief.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">new study\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the same time, consumption of sugary drinks by young children is declining sharply, according to the study by researchers at the California Center for Public Health Advocacy and the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. The study tracked youth consumption of the beverages from 2005 to 2012.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both trends – the surge in teens guzzling sugary drinks and the drop in consumption for younger children – are tied to regulations governing the sale of the beverages in California schools, said Harold Goldstein, executive director of the California Center for Public Health Advocacy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Taking sodas out of schools contributed to a precipitous drop in consumption among younger kids,” he said, “while older kids have switched to sports drinks and energy drinks, and those products are available in schools.”\u003c!--more-->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In California, soda sales have been banned in elementary and middle schools since 2006 and in high schools since 2009, but \u003ca href=\"http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=edc&group=49001-50000&file=49430-49436\" target=\"_blank\">a loophole \u003c/a>in the state education code allows the sale of electrolyte replacement beverages, otherwise known as sports drinks, in high school cafeterias, vending machines, snack bars and other on-campus venues. That loophole will close on July 1, 2014, when \u003ca href=\"http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Governance/Legislation/allfoods_beverages.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">new regulations\u003c/a> from the U.S. Department of Agriculture take effect to ban the sale on school campuses of sugary sports and energy drinks that have more than 40 calories in 8 ounces or 60 calories in 12 ounces.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That means your typical 20-ounce Gatorade won’t be in schools,” said Margo Wootan, director of nutrition policy at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a nonprofit organization.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some 65 percent of adolescents drink at least one sugary sports drink or soda a day, an 8 percent jump since an earlier survey tracking consumption habits, researchers said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sodas, sport drinks should be \"treats,\" advocates say\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Given the close association between daily sugary beverage consumption and obesity, the rise is cause for alarm for schools that are working to address the effects of obesity on student attendance, self-esteem and health.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“California has made real progress in reducing the consumption of sugary beverages among young children,” said Susan Babey, the report’s lead author. “But teens are in trouble.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said sodas and sports drinks should be regarded as occasional “treats,” not part of a daily meal plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The study’s most encouraging finding was that young children are consuming markedly fewer sugary beverages. About 19 percent of 2- to 5-year-olds drink a sugary beverage every day, the study said, a 30 percent decline since the earlier survey. Among 6- to 11-year-olds, 32 percent are daily consumers, down 26 percent since 2005-2007.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The study was based on data collected in the \u003ca href=\"http://healthpolicy.ucla.edu/chis/about/Pages/about.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">California Health Interview Survey,\u003c/a> the nation’s largest state health survey. Researchers completed interviews with more than 40,000 households.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Snapshot from one \"open campus\" high school\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, banning the beverages from schools won’t stop teenagers from finding the drinks. Some 75 percent of high school campuses in California are “closed” and don’t allow students to leave the grounds without supervision during the school day. “It’s the 25 percent we need to worry about it,” said Wootan at the Center for Science in the Public Interest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At Oakland Technical High School – which has an open campus policy allowing students to leave during lunch – many students sitting on the front lawn at lunchtime Thursday drank from water bottles, while other students returned from local stores with pizza and sugared beverages, including Arizona iced tea, Shasta Cola and a 7-11 Slurpee.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many were well aware of the amount of sugar they were consuming, but didn’t feel it was a serious problem. One student said bottled water was more expensive than his canned iced tea.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I buy it because it tastes good,” said Will, a freshman carrying a can of Shasta Cola.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His friend, Ethan, had a 23.5-ounce can of Arizona Green Tea containing 51 grams of sugar. “This has a lot of sugar, but it’s better than soda,” Ethan said. “It’s Arizona and it’s green tea.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Public perception may hold that iced teas and fruit drinks are a better choice than sodas, yet high concentrations of sugar in the beverages make them something to consume in moderation, experts said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"http://www.publichealthadvocacy.org/_PDFs/stillbubblingover/PolicyBrief.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">counties \u003c/a>with the largest declines in percentage of youth drinking soda or other sugary beverages every day included Ventura County, with a 37 percent decrease since 2005; Yuba County, with a 32 percent decrease; and Napa County, with a 31 percent decrease.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Counties with the largest increase in daily sugary drink consumption among youth of all ages were Lake County, with a 36 percent increase; Monterey County, with a 29 percent increase; and Solano County, with a 24 percent increase.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/stateofhealth/15783/california-teens-slurping-more-sugary-drinks-soda-sugar-sweetened-beverages",
"authors": [
"8344"
],
"categories": [
"stateofhealth_166",
"stateofhealth_12",
"stateofhealth_14"
],
"tags": [
"stateofhealth_96",
"stateofhealth_461",
"stateofhealth_438"
],
"featImg": "stateofhealth_15792",
"label": "stateofhealth"
}
},
"podcastsReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"podcasts": {}
},
"radioProgramsReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"radioPrograms": {}
},
"radioSearchSegmentsReducer": {},
"programsReducer": {
"all-things-considered": {
"id": "all-things-considered",
"title": "All Things Considered",
"info": "Every weekday, \u003cem>All Things Considered\u003c/em> hosts Robert Siegel, Audie Cornish, Ari Shapiro, and Kelly McEvers present the program's trademark mix of news, interviews, commentaries, reviews, and offbeat features. Michel Martin hosts on the weekends.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 1pm-2pm, 4:30pm-6:30pm\u003cbr />SAT-SUN 5pm-6pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/All-Things-Considered-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/all-things-considered/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/all-things-considered"
},
"american-suburb-podcast": {
"id": "american-suburb-podcast",
"title": "American Suburb: The Podcast",
"tagline": "The flip side of gentrification, told through one town",
"info": "Gentrification is changing cities across America, forcing people from neighborhoods they have long called home. Call them the displaced. Now those priced out of the Bay Area are looking for a better life in an unlikely place. American Suburb follows this migration to one California town along the Delta, 45 miles from San Francisco. But is this once sleepy suburb ready for them?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/American-Suburb-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/news/series/american-suburb-podcast",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 19
},
"link": "/news/series/american-suburb-podcast/",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/RBrW",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?mt=2&id=1287748328",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/American-Suburb-p1086805/",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/series/american-suburb-podcast/feed/podcast",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkMzMDExODgxNjA5"
}
},
"baycurious": {
"id": "baycurious",
"title": "Bay Curious",
"tagline": "Exploring the Bay Area, one question at a time",
"info": "KQED’s new podcast, Bay Curious, gets to the bottom of the mysteries — both profound and peculiar — that give the Bay Area its unique identity. And we’ll do it with your help! You ask the questions. You decide what Bay Curious investigates. And you join us on the journey to find the answers.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Bay-Curious-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Bay Curious",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/news/series/baycurious",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 3
},
"link": "/podcasts/baycurious",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bay-curious/id1172473406",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/500557090/bay-curious",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/category/bay-curious-podcast/feed/podcast",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9a90d476-aa04-455d-9a4c-0871ed6216d4/bay-curious",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/bay-curious",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/6O76IdmhixfijmhTZLIJ8k"
}
},
"bbc-world-service": {
"id": "bbc-world-service",
"title": "BBC World Service",
"info": "The day's top stories from BBC News compiled twice daily in the week, once at weekends.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9pm-10pm, TUE-FRI 1am-2am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/BBC-World-Service-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_world_service",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "BBC World Service"
},
"link": "/radio/program/bbc-world-service",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/global-news-podcast/id135067274?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/BBC-World-Service-p455581/",
"rss": "https://podcasts.files.bbci.co.uk/p02nq0gn.rss"
}
},
"californiareport": {
"id": "californiareport",
"title": "The California Report",
"tagline": "California, day by day",
"info": "KQED’s statewide radio news program providing daily coverage of issues, trends and public policy decisions.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-California-Report-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The California Report",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareport",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 8
},
"link": "/californiareport",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kqeds-the-california-report/id79681292",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/26099305-72af-4542-9dde-ac1807fe36d5/kqed-s-the-california-report",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432285393/the-california-report",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqedfm-kqeds-the-california-report-podcast-8838",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/tcram/feed/podcast"
}
},
"californiareportmagazine": {
"id": "californiareportmagazine",
"title": "The California Report Magazine",
"tagline": "Your state, your stories",
"info": "Every week, The California Report Magazine takes you on a road trip for the ears: to visit the places and meet the people who make California unique. The in-depth storytelling podcast from the California Report.",
"airtime": "FRI 4:30pm-5pm, 6:30pm-7pm, 11pm-11:30pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-California-Report-Magazine-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The California Report Magazine",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareportmagazine",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 10
},
"link": "/californiareportmagazine",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-california-report-magazine/id1314750545",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM3NjkwNjk1OTAz",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/564733126/the-california-report-magazine",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-california-report-magazine",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/tcrmag/feed/podcast"
}
},
"city-arts": {
"id": "city-arts",
"title": "City Arts & Lectures",
"info": "A one-hour radio program to hear celebrated writers, artists and thinkers address contemporary ideas and values, often discussing the creative process. Please note: tapes or transcripts are not available",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/cityartsandlecture-300x300.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.cityarts.net/",
"airtime": "SUN 1pm-2pm, TUE 10pm, WED 1am",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "City Arts & Lectures"
},
"link": "https://www.cityarts.net",
"subscribe": {
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/City-Arts-and-Lectures-p692/",
"rss": "https://www.cityarts.net/feed/"
}
},
"closealltabs": {
"id": "closealltabs",
"title": "Close All Tabs",
"tagline": "Your irreverent guide to the trends redefining our world",
"info": "Close All Tabs breaks down how digital culture shapes our world through thoughtful insights and irreverent humor.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/CAT_2_Tile-scaled.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Close All Tabs",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/closealltabs",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 1
},
"link": "/podcasts/closealltabs",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/close-all-tabs/id214663465",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC6993880386",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/92d9d4ac-67a3-4eed-b10a-fb45d45b1ef2/close-all-tabs",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/6LAJFHnGK1pYXYzv6SIol6?si=deb0cae19813417c"
}
},
"code-switch-life-kit": {
"id": "code-switch-life-kit",
"title": "Code Switch / Life Kit",
"info": "\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em>, which listeners will hear in the first part of the hour, has fearless and much-needed conversations about race. Hosted by journalists of color, the show tackles the subject of race head-on, exploring how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and more.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em>, which will be in the second part of the hour, guides you through spaces and feelings no one prepares you for — from finances to mental health, from workplace microaggressions to imposter syndrome, from relationships to parenting. The show features experts with real world experience and shares their knowledge. Because everyone needs a little help being human.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch\">\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/lifekit\">\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />",
"airtime": "SUN 9pm-10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Code-Switch-Life-Kit-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/code-switch-life-kit",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/1112190608?mt=2&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnByLm9yZy9yc3MvcG9kY2FzdC5waHA_aWQ9NTEwMzEy",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3bExJ9JQpkwNhoHvaIIuyV",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510312/podcast.xml"
}
},
"commonwealth-club": {
"id": "commonwealth-club",
"title": "Commonwealth Club of California Podcast",
"info": "The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed is usually updated twice a week and is always un-edited.",
"airtime": "THU 10pm, FRI 1am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Commonwealth-Club-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.commonwealthclub.org/podcasts",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
},
"link": "/radio/program/commonwealth-club",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/commonwealth-club-of-california-podcast/id976334034?mt=2",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jb21tb253ZWFsdGhjbHViLm9yZy9hdWRpby9wb2RjYXN0L3dlZWtseS54bWw",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Commonwealth-Club-of-California-p1060/"
}
},
"forum": {
"id": "forum",
"title": "Forum",
"tagline": "The conversation starts here",
"info": "KQED’s live call-in program discussing local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9am-11am, 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Forum with Mina Kim and Alexis Madrigal",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/forum",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 9
},
"link": "/forum",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kqeds-forum/id73329719",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM5NTU3MzgxNjMz",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432307980/forum",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqedfm-kqeds-forum-podcast",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC9557381633"
}
},
"freakonomics-radio": {
"id": "freakonomics-radio",
"title": "Freakonomics Radio",
"info": "Freakonomics Radio is a one-hour award-winning podcast and public-radio project hosted by Stephen Dubner, with co-author Steve Levitt as a regular guest. It is produced in partnership with WNYC.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/freakonomicsRadio.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://freakonomics.com/",
"airtime": "SUN 1am-2am, SAT 3pm-4pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/freakonomics-radio",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/4s8b",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/freakonomics-radio/id354668519",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/Freakonomics-Radio-p272293/",
"rss": "https://feeds.feedburner.com/freakonomicsradio"
}
},
"fresh-air": {
"id": "fresh-air",
"title": "Fresh Air",
"info": "Hosted by Terry Gross, \u003cem>Fresh Air from WHYY\u003c/em> is the Peabody Award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues. One of public radio's most popular programs, Fresh Air features intimate conversations with today's biggest luminaries.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 7pm-8pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Fresh-Air-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/fresh-air/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/fresh-air",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/4s8b",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=214089682&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Fresh-Air-p17/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/381444908/podcast.xml"
}
},
"here-and-now": {
"id": "here-and-now",
"title": "Here & Now",
"info": "A live production of NPR and WBUR Boston, in collaboration with stations across the country, Here & Now reflects the fluid world of news as it's happening in the middle of the day, with timely, in-depth news, interviews and conversation. Hosted by Robin Young, Jeremy Hobson and Tonya Mosley.",
"airtime": "MON-THU 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Here-And-Now-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/here-and-now",
"subsdcribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?mt=2&id=426698661",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Here--Now-p211/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510051/podcast.xml"
}
},
"hidden-brain": {
"id": "hidden-brain",
"title": "Hidden Brain",
"info": "Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/hiddenbrain.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/series/423302056/hidden-brain",
"airtime": "SUN 7pm-8pm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "NPR"
},
"link": "/radio/program/hidden-brain",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/hidden-brain/id1028908750?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Science-Podcasts/Hidden-Brain-p787503/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510308/podcast.xml"
}
},
"how-i-built-this": {
"id": "how-i-built-this",
"title": "How I Built This with Guy Raz",
"info": "Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/howIBuiltThis.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this",
"airtime": "SUN 7:30pm-8pm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/how-i-built-this",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/3zxy",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-built-this-with-guy-raz/id1150510297?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/How-I-Built-This-p910896/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510313/podcast.xml"
}
},
"hyphenacion": {
"id": "hyphenacion",
"title": "Hyphenación",
"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Hyphenacion_FinalAssets_PodcastTile.png",
"imageAlt": "KQED Hyphenación",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 15
},
"link": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hyphenaci%C3%B3n/id1191591838",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/2p3Fifq96nw9BPcmFdIq0o?si=39209f7b25774f38",
"youtube": "https://www.youtube.com/c/kqedarts",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/6c3dd23c-93fb-4aab-97ba-1725fa6315f1/hyphenaci%C3%B3n",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC2275451163"
}
},
"jerrybrown": {
"id": "jerrybrown",
"title": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"tagline": "Lessons from a lifetime in politics",
"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Political-Mind-of-Jerry-Brown-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 18
},
"link": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/790253322/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1492194549",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/series/jerrybrown/feed/podcast/",
"tuneIn": "http://tun.in/pjGcK",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/54C1dmuyFyKMFttY6X2j6r?si=K8SgRCoISNK6ZbjpXrX5-w",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/44420f75-3b0e-4301-ab3b-16da6b09e543/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown"
}
},
"latino-usa": {
"id": "latino-usa",
"title": "Latino USA",
"airtime": "MON 1am-2am, SUN 6pm-7pm",
"info": "Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/latinoUsa.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://latinousa.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/latino-usa",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/xtTd",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=79681317&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Latino-USA-p621/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510016/podcast.xml"
}
},
"marketplace": {
"id": "marketplace",
"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Marketplace-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.marketplace.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "American Public Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/marketplace",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=201853034&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/APM-Marketplace-p88/",
"rss": "https://feeds.publicradio.org/public_feeds/marketplace-pm/rss/rss"
}
},
"masters-of-scale": {
"id": "masters-of-scale",
"title": "Masters of Scale",
"info": "Masters of Scale is an original podcast in which LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock Partner Reid Hoffman sets out to describe and prove theories that explain how great entrepreneurs take their companies from zero to a gazillion in ingenious fashion.",
"airtime": "Every other Wednesday June 12 through October 16 at 8pm (repeats Thursdays at 2am)",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Masters-of-Scale-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://mastersofscale.com/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WaitWhat"
},
"link": "/radio/program/masters-of-scale",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "http://mastersofscale.app.link/",
"rss": "https://rss.art19.com/masters-of-scale"
}
},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
"title": "MindShift",
"tagline": "A podcast about the future of learning and how we raise our kids",
"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mindshift-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED MindShift: How We Will Learn",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/mindshift/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 12
},
"link": "/podcasts/mindshift",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mindshift-podcast/id1078765985",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/464615685/mind-shift-podcast",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/stories-teachers-share",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/0MxSpNYZKNprFLCl7eEtyx"
}
},
"morning-edition": {
"id": "morning-edition",
"title": "Morning Edition",
"info": "\u003cem>Morning Edition\u003c/em> takes listeners around the country and the world with multi-faceted stories and commentaries every weekday. Hosts Steve Inskeep, David Greene and Rachel Martin bring you the latest breaking news and features to prepare you for the day.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3am-9am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Morning-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/morning-edition/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/morning-edition"
},
"onourwatch": {
"id": "onourwatch",
"title": "On Our Watch",
"tagline": "Deeply-reported investigative journalism",
"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/On-Our-Watch-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "On Our Watch from NPR and KQED",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 11
},
"link": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1567098962",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ucHIub3JnLzUxMDM2MC9wb2RjYXN0LnhtbD9zYz1nb29nbGVwb2RjYXN0cw",
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/onourwatch",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/0OLWoyizopu6tY1XiuX70x",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-Our-Watch-p1436229/",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/show/on-our-watch",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510360/podcast.xml"
}
},
"on-the-media": {
"id": "on-the-media",
"title": "On The Media",
"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm-3pm, MON 12am-1am",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/onTheMedia.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/otm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "wnyc"
},
"link": "/radio/program/on-the-media",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/on-the-media/id73330715?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-the-Media-p69/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/onthemedia"
}
},
"pbs-newshour": {
"id": "pbs-newshour",
"title": "PBS NewsHour",
"info": "Analysis, background reports and updates from the PBS NewsHour putting today's news in context.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PBS-News-Hour-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "pbs"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pbs-newshour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pbs-newshour-full-show/id394432287?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/PBS-NewsHour---Full-Show-p425698/",
"rss": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/feeds/rss/podcasts/show"
}
},
"perspectives": {
"id": "perspectives",
"title": "Perspectives",
"tagline": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991",
"info": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Perspectives_Tile_Final.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Perspectives",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/perspectives/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 14
},
"link": "/perspectives",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id73801135",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432309616/perspectives",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/perspectives/category/perspectives/feed/",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93dzIua3FlZC5vcmcvcGVyc3BlY3RpdmVzL2NhdGVnb3J5L3BlcnNwZWN0aXZlcy9mZWVkLw"
}
},
"planet-money": {
"id": "planet-money",
"title": "Planet Money",
"info": "The economy explained. Imagine you could call up a friend and say, Meet me at the bar and tell me what's going on with the economy. Now imagine that's actually a fun evening.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/planetmoney.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/sections/money/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/planet-money",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/M4f5",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/planet-money/id290783428?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Business--Economics-Podcasts/Planet-Money-p164680/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510289/podcast.xml"
}
},
"politicalbreakdown": {
"id": "politicalbreakdown",
"title": "Political Breakdown",
"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
"airtime": "THU 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Political-Breakdown-2024-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Political Breakdown",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/politicalbreakdown",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 5
},
"link": "/podcasts/politicalbreakdown",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/political-breakdown/id1327641087",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e0c2d153-ad36-4c8d-901d-f1da6a724824/political-breakdown",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/572155894/political-breakdown",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/political-breakdown",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/07RVyIjIdk2WDuVehvBMoN",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/political-breakdown/feed/podcast"
}
},
"possible": {
"id": "possible",
"title": "Possible",
"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Possible-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.possible.fm/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "Possible"
},
"link": "/radio/program/possible",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/possible/id1677184070",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/730YpdUSNlMyPQwNnyjp4k"
}
},
"pri-the-world": {
"id": "pri-the-world",
"title": "PRI's The World: Latest Edition",
"info": "Each weekday, host Marco Werman and his team of producers bring you the world's most interesting stories in an hour of radio that reminds us just how small our planet really is.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-World-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pri.org/programs/the-world",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "PRI"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pri-the-world",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pris-the-world-latest-edition/id278196007?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/News--Politics-Podcasts/PRIs-The-World-p24/",
"rss": "http://feeds.feedburner.com/pri/theworld"
}
},
"radiolab": {
"id": "radiolab",
"title": "Radiolab",
"info": "A two-time Peabody Award-winner, Radiolab is an investigation told through sounds and stories, and centered around one big idea. In the Radiolab world, information sounds like music and science and culture collide. Hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, the show is designed for listeners who demand skepticism, but appreciate wonder. WNYC Studios is the producer of other leading podcasts including Freakonomics Radio, Death, Sex & Money, On the Media and many more.",
"airtime": "SUN 12am-1am, SAT 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/radiolab1400.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/radiolab/",
"meta": {
"site": "science",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/radiolab",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/radiolab/id152249110?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/RadioLab-p68032/",
"rss": "https://feeds.wnyc.org/radiolab"
}
},
"reveal": {
"id": "reveal",
"title": "Reveal",
"info": "Created by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX, Reveal is public radios first one-hour weekly radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting. Credible, fact based and without a partisan agenda, Reveal combines the power and artistry of driveway moment storytelling with data-rich reporting on critically important issues. The result is stories that inform and inspire, arming our listeners with information to right injustices, hold the powerful accountable and improve lives.Reveal is hosted by Al Letson and showcases the award-winning work of CIR and newsrooms large and small across the nation. In a radio and podcast market crowded with choices, Reveal focuses on important and often surprising stories that illuminate the world for our listeners.",
"airtime": "SAT 4pm-5pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/reveal300px.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.revealnews.org/episodes/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/reveal",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/reveal/id886009669",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Reveal-p679597/",
"rss": "http://feeds.revealradio.org/revealpodcast"
}
},
"rightnowish": {
"id": "rightnowish",
"title": "Rightnowish",
"tagline": "Art is where you find it",
"info": "Rightnowish digs into life in the Bay Area right now… ish. Journalist Pendarvis Harshaw takes us to galleries painted on the sides of liquor stores in West Oakland. We'll dance in warehouses in the Bayview, make smoothies with kids in South Berkeley, and listen to classical music in a 1984 Cutlass Supreme in Richmond. Every week, Pen talks to movers and shakers about how the Bay Area shapes what they create, and how they shape the place we call home.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rightnowish-Podcast-Tile-500x500-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Rightnowish with Pendarvis Harshaw",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/rightnowish",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 16
},
"link": "/podcasts/rightnowish",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/721590300/rightnowish",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/programs/rightnowish/feed/podcast",
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rightnowish/id1482187648",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/rightnowish",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkMxMjU5MTY3NDc4",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/7kEJuafTzTVan7B78ttz1I"
}
},
"science-friday": {
"id": "science-friday",
"title": "Science Friday",
"info": "Science Friday is a weekly science talk show, broadcast live over public radio stations nationwide. Each week, the show focuses on science topics that are in the news and tries to bring an educated, balanced discussion to bear on the scientific issues at hand. Panels of expert guests join host Ira Flatow, a veteran science journalist, to discuss science and to take questions from listeners during the call-in portion of the program.",
"airtime": "FRI 11am-1pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Science-Friday-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/science-friday",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/science-friday",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=73329284&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Science-Friday-p394/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/science-friday"
}
},
"snap-judgment": {
"id": "snap-judgment",
"title": "Snap Judgment",
"tagline": "Real stories with killer beats",
"info": "The Snap Judgment radio show and podcast mixes real stories with killer beats to produce cinematic, dramatic radio. Snap's musical brand of storytelling dares listeners to see the world through the eyes of another. This is storytelling... with a BEAT!! Snap first aired on public radio stations nationwide in July 2010. Today, Snap Judgment airs on over 450 public radio stations and is brought to the airwaves by KQED & PRX.",
"airtime": "SAT 1pm-2pm, 9pm-10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Snap-Judgment-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Snap Judgment",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://snapjudgment.org",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 4
},
"link": "https://snapjudgment.org",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/snap-judgment/id283657561",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/449018144/snap-judgment",
"stitcher": "https://www.pandora.com/podcast/snap-judgment/PC:241?source=stitcher-sunset",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3Cct7ZWmxHNAtLgBTqjC5v",
"rss": "https://snap.feed.snapjudgment.org/"
}
},
"soldout": {
"id": "soldout",
"title": "SOLD OUT: Rethinking Housing in America",
"tagline": "A new future for housing",
"info": "Sold Out: Rethinking Housing in America",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Sold-Out-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Sold Out: Rethinking Housing in America",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/soldout",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 13
},
"link": "/podcasts/soldout",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/911586047/s-o-l-d-o-u-t-a-new-future-for-housing",
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/introducing-sold-out-rethinking-housing-in-america/id1531354937",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/soldout",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/38dTBSk2ISFoPiyYNoKn1X",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/sold-out-rethinking-housing-in-america",
"tunein": "https://tunein.com/radio/SOLD-OUT-Rethinking-Housing-in-America-p1365871/"
}
},
"spooked": {
"id": "spooked",
"title": "Spooked",
"tagline": "True-life supernatural stories",
"info": "",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Spooked-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Spooked",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://spookedpodcast.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 7
},
"link": "https://spookedpodcast.org/",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spooked/id1279361017",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/549547848/snap-judgment-presents-spooked",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/76571Rfl3m7PLJQZKQIGCT",
"rss": "https://feeds.simplecast.com/TBotaapn"
}
},
"tech-nation": {
"id": "tech-nation",
"title": "Tech Nation Radio Podcast",
"info": "Tech Nation is a weekly public radio program, hosted by Dr. Moira Gunn. Founded in 1993, it has grown from a simple interview show to a multi-faceted production, featuring conversations with noted technology and science leaders, and a weekly science and technology-related commentary.",
"airtime": "FRI 10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Tech-Nation-Radio-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://technation.podomatic.com/",
"meta": {
"site": "science",
"source": "Tech Nation Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/tech-nation",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://technation.podomatic.com/rss2.xml"
}
},
"ted-radio-hour": {
"id": "ted-radio-hour",
"title": "TED Radio Hour",
"info": "The TED Radio Hour is a journey through fascinating ideas, astonishing inventions, fresh approaches to old problems, and new ways to think and create.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm, SAT 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/tedRadioHour.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/?showDate=2018-06-22",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/ted-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/8vsS",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=523121474&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/TED-Radio-Hour-p418021/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510298/podcast.xml"
}
},
"thebay": {
"id": "thebay",
"title": "The Bay",
"tagline": "Local news to keep you rooted",
"info": "Host Devin Katayama walks you through the biggest story of the day with reporters and newsmakers.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Bay-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Bay",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/thebay",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 2
},
"link": "/podcasts/thebay",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bay/id1350043452",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d800ea4c-7a2c-42f2-b861-edaf78a5db0b/the-bay",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/586725995/the-bay",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-bay",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/4BIKBKIujizLHlIlBNaAqQ",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC8259786327"
}
},
"thelatest": {
"id": "thelatest",
"title": "The Latest",
"tagline": "Trusted local news in real time",
"info": "",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/The-Latest-2025-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Latest",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/thelatest",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 6
},
"link": "/thelatest",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-latest-from-kqed/id1197721799",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/1257949365/the-latest-from-k-q-e-d",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/5KIIXMgM9GTi5AepwOYvIZ?si=bd3053fec7244dba",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC9137121918"
}
},
"theleap": {
"id": "theleap",
"title": "The Leap",
"tagline": "What if you closed your eyes, and jumped?",
"info": "Stories about people making dramatic, risky changes, told by award-winning public radio reporter Judy Campbell.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Leap-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Leap",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/theleap",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 17
},
"link": "/podcasts/theleap",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-leap/id1046668171",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/447248267/the-leap",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-leap",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3sSlVHHzU0ytLwuGs1SD1U",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/programs/the-leap/feed/podcast"
}
},
"the-moth-radio-hour": {
"id": "the-moth-radio-hour",
"title": "The Moth Radio Hour",
"info": "Since its launch in 1997, The Moth has presented thousands of true stories, told live and without notes, to standing-room-only crowds worldwide. Moth storytellers stand alone, under a spotlight, with only a microphone and a roomful of strangers. The storyteller and the audience embark on a high-wire act of shared experience which is both terrifying and exhilarating. Since 2008, The Moth podcast has featured many of our favorite stories told live on Moth stages around the country. For information on all of our programs and live events, visit themoth.org.",
"airtime": "SAT 8pm-9pm and SUN 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/theMoth.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://themoth.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "prx"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-moth-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-moth-podcast/id275699983?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/The-Moth-p273888/",
"rss": "http://feeds.themoth.org/themothpodcast"
}
},
"the-new-yorker-radio-hour": {
"id": "the-new-yorker-radio-hour",
"title": "The New Yorker Radio Hour",
"info": "The New Yorker Radio Hour is a weekly program presented by the magazine's editor, David Remnick, and produced by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker. Each episode features a diverse mix of interviews, profiles, storytelling, and an occasional burst of humor inspired by the magazine, and shaped by its writers, artists, and editors. This isn't a radio version of a magazine, but something all its own, reflecting the rich possibilities of audio storytelling and conversation. Theme music for the show was composed and performed by Merrill Garbus of tUnE-YArDs.",
"airtime": "SAT 10am-11am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-New-Yorker-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/tnyradiohour",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-new-yorker-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1050430296",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/New-Yorker-Radio-Hour-p803804/",
"rss": "https://feeds.feedburner.com/newyorkerradiohour"
}
},
"the-sam-sanders-show": {
"id": "the-sam-sanders-show",
"title": "The Sam Sanders Show",
"info": "One of public radio's most dynamic voices, Sam Sanders helped launch The NPR Politics Podcast and hosted NPR's hit show It's Been A Minute. Now, the award-winning host returns with something brand new, The Sam Sanders Show. Every week, Sam Sanders and friends dig into the culture that shapes our lives: what's driving the biggest trends, how artists really think, and even the memes you can't stop scrolling past. Sam is beloved for his way of unpacking the world and bringing you up close to fresh currents and engaging conversations. The Sam Sanders Show is smart, funny and always a good time.",
"airtime": "FRI 12-1pm AND SAT 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/The-Sam-Sanders-Show-Podcast-Tile-400x400-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.kcrw.com/shows/the-sam-sanders-show/latest",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "KCRW"
},
"link": "https://www.kcrw.com/shows/the-sam-sanders-show/latest",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://feed.cdnstream1.com/zjb/feed/download/ac/28/59/ac28594c-e1d0-4231-8728-61865cdc80e8.xml"
}
},
"the-splendid-table": {
"id": "the-splendid-table",
"title": "The Splendid Table",
"info": "\u003cem>The Splendid Table\u003c/em> hosts our nation's conversations about cooking, sustainability and food culture.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Splendid-Table-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.splendidtable.org/",
"airtime": "SUN 10-11 pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-splendid-table"
},
"this-american-life": {
"id": "this-american-life",
"title": "This American Life",
"info": "This American Life is a weekly public radio show, heard by 2.2 million people on more than 500 stations. Another 2.5 million people download the weekly podcast. It is hosted by Ira Glass, produced in collaboration with Chicago Public Media, delivered to stations by PRX The Public Radio Exchange, and has won all of the major broadcasting awards.",
"airtime": "SAT 12pm-1pm, 7pm-8pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/thisAmericanLife.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "wbez"
},
"link": "/radio/program/this-american-life",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=201671138&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"rss": "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/podcast/rss.xml"
}
},
"tinydeskradio": {
"id": "tinydeskradio",
"title": "Tiny Desk Radio",
"info": "We're bringing the best of Tiny Desk to the airwaves, only on public radio.",
"airtime": "SUN 8pm and SAT 9pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/300x300-For-Member-Station-Logo-Tiny-Desk-Radio-@2x.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/series/g-s1-52030/tiny-desk-radio",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/tinydeskradio",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/g-s1-52030/rss.xml"
}
},
"wait-wait-dont-tell-me": {
"id": "wait-wait-dont-tell-me",
"title": "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!",
"info": "Peter Sagal and Bill Kurtis host the weekly NPR News quiz show alongside some of the best and brightest news and entertainment personalities.",
"airtime": "SUN 10am-11am, SAT 11am-12pm, SAT 6pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Wait-Wait-Podcast-Tile-300x300-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/wait-wait-dont-tell-me",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/Xogv",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=121493804&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Wait-Wait-Dont-Tell-Me-p46/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/344098539/podcast.xml"
}
},
"weekend-edition-saturday": {
"id": "weekend-edition-saturday",
"title": "Weekend Edition Saturday",
"info": "Weekend Edition Saturday wraps up the week's news and offers a mix of analysis and features on a wide range of topics, including arts, sports, entertainment, and human interest stories. The two-hour program is hosted by NPR's Peabody Award-winning Scott Simon.",
"airtime": "SAT 5am-10am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Weekend-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/weekend-edition-saturday/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/weekend-edition-saturday"
},
"weekend-edition-sunday": {
"id": "weekend-edition-sunday",
"title": "Weekend Edition Sunday",
"info": "Weekend Edition Sunday features interviews with newsmakers, artists, scientists, politicians, musicians, writers, theologians and historians. The program has covered news events from Nelson Mandela's 1990 release from a South African prison to the capture of Saddam Hussein.",
"airtime": "SUN 5am-10am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Weekend-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/weekend-edition-sunday/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/weekend-edition-sunday"
}
},
"racesReducer": {},
"racesGenElectionReducer": {},
"racesGenElection2026Reducer": {},
"racesGenElection2026PresidentialReducer": {},
"radioSchedulesReducer": {},
"listsReducer": {
"posts/stateofhealth?category=policy": {
"isFetching": false,
"latestQuery": {
"from": 492,
"size": 12
},
"vitalsOnly": false,
"totalRequested": 12,
"isLoading": false,
"isLoadingMore": true,
"total": {
"value": 824,
"relation": "eq"
},
"items": [
"stateofhealth_16310",
"stateofhealth_16294",
"stateofhealth_16267",
"stateofhealth_16164",
"stateofhealth_16149",
"stateofhealth_16090",
"stateofhealth_15987",
"stateofhealth_15880",
"stateofhealth_15853",
"stateofhealth_15820",
"stateofhealth_15809",
"stateofhealth_15783"
],
"complete": true
}
},
"recallGuideReducer": {
"intros": {},
"policy": {},
"candidates": {}
},
"savedArticleReducer": {
"articles": [],
"status": {}
},
"newslettersReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"newsletters": {},
"isSubscribing": false,
"isUnsubscribing": false,
"subscribedNewsletters": {}
},
"termsReducer": {
"about": {
"name": "About",
"type": "terms",
"id": "about",
"slug": "about",
"link": "/about",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"arts": {
"name": "Arts & Culture",
"grouping": [
"arts",
"pop",
"trulyca"
],
"description": "KQED Arts provides daily in-depth coverage of the Bay Area's music, art, film, performing arts, literature and arts news, as well as cultural commentary and criticism.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts",
"slug": "arts",
"link": "/arts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"artschool": {
"name": "Art School",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "artschool",
"slug": "artschool",
"link": "/artschool",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"bayareabites": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "bayareabites",
"slug": "bayareabites",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"bayareahiphop": {
"name": "Bay Area Hiphop",
"type": "terms",
"id": "bayareahiphop",
"slug": "bayareahiphop",
"link": "/bayareahiphop",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"campaign21": {
"name": "Campaign 21",
"type": "terms",
"id": "campaign21",
"slug": "campaign21",
"link": "/campaign21",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"careers": {
"name": "Careers",
"type": "terms",
"id": "careers",
"slug": "careers",
"link": "/careers",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"checkplease": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "checkplease",
"slug": "checkplease",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"education": {
"name": "Education",
"grouping": [
"education"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "education",
"slug": "education",
"link": "/education",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"elections": {
"name": "Elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "elections",
"slug": "elections",
"link": "/elections",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"events": {
"name": "Events",
"type": "terms",
"id": "events",
"slug": "events",
"link": "/events",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"event": {
"name": "Event",
"alias": "events",
"type": "terms",
"id": "event",
"slug": "event",
"link": "/event",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"filmschoolshorts": {
"name": "Film School Shorts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "filmschoolshorts",
"slug": "filmschoolshorts",
"link": "/filmschoolshorts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"food": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "food",
"slug": "food",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"forum": {
"name": "Forum",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/forum?",
"parent": "news",
"type": "terms",
"id": "forum",
"slug": "forum",
"link": "/forum",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"futureofyou": {
"name": "Future of You",
"grouping": [
"science",
"futureofyou"
],
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "futureofyou",
"slug": "futureofyou",
"link": "/futureofyou",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"jpepinheart": {
"name": "KQED food",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/food,bayareabites,checkplease",
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "jpepinheart",
"slug": "jpepinheart",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"liveblog": {
"name": "Live Blog",
"type": "terms",
"id": "liveblog",
"slug": "liveblog",
"link": "/liveblog",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"livetv": {
"name": "Live TV",
"parent": "tv",
"type": "terms",
"id": "livetv",
"slug": "livetv",
"link": "/livetv",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"lowdown": {
"name": "The Lowdown",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/lowdown?",
"parent": "news",
"type": "terms",
"id": "lowdown",
"slug": "lowdown",
"link": "/lowdown",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"mindshift": {
"name": "Mindshift",
"parent": "news",
"description": "MindShift explores the future of education by highlighting the innovative – and sometimes counterintuitive – ways educators and parents are helping all children succeed.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift",
"slug": "mindshift",
"link": "/mindshift",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"news": {
"name": "News",
"grouping": [
"news",
"forum"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "news",
"slug": "news",
"link": "/news",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"newsletters": {
"name": "newsletters",
"type": "terms",
"id": "newsletters",
"slug": "newsletters",
"link": "/newsletters",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"perspectives": {
"name": "Perspectives",
"parent": "radio",
"type": "terms",
"id": "perspectives",
"slug": "perspectives",
"link": "/perspectives",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"podcasts": {
"name": "Podcasts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "podcasts",
"slug": "podcasts",
"link": "/podcasts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"pop": {
"name": "Pop",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "pop",
"slug": "pop",
"link": "/pop",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"pressroom": {
"name": "Pressroom",
"type": "terms",
"id": "pressroom",
"slug": "pressroom",
"link": "/pressroom",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"quest": {
"name": "Quest",
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "quest",
"slug": "quest",
"link": "/quest",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"radio": {
"name": "Radio",
"grouping": [
"forum",
"perspectives"
],
"description": "Listen to KQED Public Radio – home of Forum and The California Report – on 88.5 FM in San Francisco, 89.3 FM in Sacramento, 88.3 FM in Santa Rosa and 88.1 FM in Martinez.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "radio",
"slug": "radio",
"link": "/radio",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"root": {
"name": "KQED",
"image": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"imageWidth": 1200,
"imageHeight": 630,
"headData": {
"title": "KQED | News, Radio, Podcasts, TV | Public Media for Northern California",
"description": "KQED provides public radio, television, and independent reporting on issues that matter to the Bay Area. We’re the NPR and PBS member station for Northern California."
},
"type": "terms",
"id": "root",
"slug": "root",
"link": "/root",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"science": {
"name": "Science",
"grouping": [
"science",
"futureofyou"
],
"description": "KQED Science brings you award-winning science and environment coverage from the Bay Area and beyond.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "science",
"slug": "science",
"link": "/science",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"stateofhealth": {
"name": "State of Health",
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth",
"slug": "stateofhealth",
"link": "/stateofhealth",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"support": {
"name": "Support",
"type": "terms",
"id": "support",
"slug": "support",
"link": "/support",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"thedolist": {
"name": "The Do List",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "thedolist",
"slug": "thedolist",
"link": "/thedolist",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"trulyca": {
"name": "Truly CA",
"grouping": [
"arts",
"pop",
"trulyca"
],
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "trulyca",
"slug": "trulyca",
"link": "/trulyca",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"tv": {
"name": "TV",
"type": "terms",
"id": "tv",
"slug": "tv",
"link": "/tv",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"voterguide": {
"name": "Voter Guide",
"parent": "elections",
"alias": "elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "voterguide",
"slug": "voterguide",
"link": "/voterguide",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"guiaelectoral": {
"name": "Guia Electoral",
"parent": "elections",
"alias": "elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "guiaelectoral",
"slug": "guiaelectoral",
"link": "/guiaelectoral",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"stateofhealth_category_policy": {
"isLoading": true
},
"stateofhealth_14": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth_14",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "14",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Policy",
"description": "Actions by people in power – lawmakers, regulators and the like – can make a difference to your health, for better or for worse. We keep you informed",
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": "Actions by people in power – lawmakers, regulators and the like – can make a difference to your health, for better or for worse. We keep you informed",
"title": "Policy Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 14,
"slug": "policy",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/stateofhealth/category/policy"
},
"stateofhealth_11": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth_11",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "11",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Community Health",
"description": "\r\n\r\nFrom rural California to urban neighborhoods, where you live affects your health",
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": "From rural California to urban neighborhoods, where you live affects your health",
"title": "Community Health Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 11,
"slug": "place-matters",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/stateofhealth/category/place-matters"
},
"stateofhealth_313": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth_313",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "313",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "HIV/AIDS",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "HIV/AIDS Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 314,
"slug": "hivaids",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/stateofhealth/tag/hivaids"
},
"stateofhealth_21": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth_21",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "21",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "air pollution",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "air pollution Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21,
"slug": "air-pollution",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/stateofhealth/tag/air-pollution"
},
"stateofhealth_99": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth_99",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "99",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Medi-Cal",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Medi-Cal Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 99,
"slug": "medi-cal",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/stateofhealth/tag/medi-cal"
},
"stateofhealth_618": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth_618",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "618",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "personal belief exemption",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "personal belief exemption Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 619,
"slug": "personal-belief-exemption",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/stateofhealth/tag/personal-belief-exemption"
},
"stateofhealth_31": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth_31",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "31",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Vaccines",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Vaccines Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 31,
"slug": "vaccines",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/stateofhealth/tag/vaccines"
},
"stateofhealth_96": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth_96",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "96",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Children's Health",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Children's Health Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 96,
"slug": "childrens-health",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/stateofhealth/tag/childrens-health"
},
"stateofhealth_104": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth_104",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "104",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Healthy Families",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Healthy Families Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 104,
"slug": "healthy-families",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/stateofhealth/tag/healthy-families"
},
"stateofhealth_15": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth_15",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "15",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Obamacare",
"description": "The Affordable Care Act celebrates its seventh birthday this year. California has embraced the law, but will it survive a new Congress and President? \r\n",
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": "The Affordable Care Act celebrates its seventh birthday this year. California has embraced the law, but will it survive a new Congress and President?",
"title": "Obamacare Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 15,
"slug": "reform",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/stateofhealth/category/reform"
},
"stateofhealth_38": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth_38",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "38",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Affordable Care Act",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Affordable Care Act Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 38,
"slug": "affordable-care-act",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/stateofhealth/tag/affordable-care-act"
},
"stateofhealth_645": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth_645",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "645",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Insurance Cancellations",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Insurance Cancellations Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 646,
"slug": "insurance-cancellations",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/stateofhealth/tag/insurance-cancellations"
},
"stateofhealth_461": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth_461",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "461",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Science",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Science Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 462,
"slug": "science",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/stateofhealth/tag/science"
},
"stateofhealth_2746": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth_2746",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "2746",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Public Health",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Public Health Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2755,
"slug": "public-health",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/stateofhealth/category/public-health"
},
"stateofhealth_2925": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth_2925",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "2925",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Election 2016",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Election 2016 Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2934,
"slug": "election-2016",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/stateofhealth/tag/election-2016"
},
"stateofhealth_75": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth_75",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "75",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Soda Tax",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Soda Tax Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 75,
"slug": "soda-tax",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/stateofhealth/tag/soda-tax"
},
"stateofhealth_266": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth_266",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "266",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Sugar-Sweetened Beverages",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 266,
"slug": "sugar-sweetened-beverages",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/stateofhealth/tag/sugar-sweetened-beverages"
},
"stateofhealth_13": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth_13",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "13",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Tests & Treatments",
"description": "Information and new research about advances in discovering and treating diseases and conditions.",
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": "Information and new research about advances in discovering and treating diseases and conditions.",
"title": "Tests & Treatments Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 13,
"slug": "tests-treatments",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/stateofhealth/category/tests-treatments"
},
"stateofhealth_643": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth_643",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "643",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Addiction",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Addiction Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 644,
"slug": "addiction",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/stateofhealth/tag/addiction"
},
"stateofhealth_141": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth_141",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "141",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Pain Treatment",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Pain Treatment Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 141,
"slug": "pain-treatment",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/stateofhealth/tag/pain-treatment"
},
"stateofhealth_236": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth_236",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "236",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Shared Decision Making",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Shared Decision Making Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 236,
"slug": "shared-decision-making",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/stateofhealth/tag/shared-decision-making"
},
"stateofhealth_335": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth_335",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "335",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Underserved Communities",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Underserved Communities Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 336,
"slug": "underserved-communities",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/stateofhealth/tag/underserved-communities"
},
"stateofhealth_166": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth_166",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "166",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "KQED blogs",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "KQED blogs Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 166,
"slug": "kqed-blogs",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/stateofhealth/category/kqed-blogs"
},
"stateofhealth_12": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth_12",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "12",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Living Healthy",
"description": "Health is about much more than medicine. We show you what's new to help you attain and maintain a healthy life",
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": "Health is about much more than medicine. We show you what's new to help you attain and maintain a healthy life",
"title": "Living Healthy Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 12,
"slug": "living-healthy",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/stateofhealth/category/living-healthy"
},
"stateofhealth_438": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth_438",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "stateofhealth",
"id": "438",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Sugar-Sweetend Beverages",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Sugar-Sweetend Beverages Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 439,
"slug": "sugar-sweetend-beverages",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/stateofhealth/tag/sugar-sweetend-beverages"
}
},
"userPermissionsReducer": {
"wpLoggedIn": false
},
"eventsReducer": {},
"fssReducer": {},
"tvDailyScheduleReducer": {},
"tvWeeklyScheduleReducer": {},
"tvPrimetimeScheduleReducer": {},
"tvMonthlyScheduleReducer": {},
"userAccountReducer": {
"user": {
"email": null,
"emailStatus": "EMAIL_UNVALIDATED",
"loggedStatus": "LOGGED_OUT",
"loggingChecked": false,
"articles": [],
"firstName": null,
"lastName": null,
"phoneNumber": null,
"fetchingMembership": false,
"membershipError": false,
"memberships": [
{
"id": null,
"startDate": null,
"firstName": null,
"lastName": null,
"familyNumber": null,
"memberNumber": null,
"memberSince": null,
"expirationDate": null,
"pfsEligible": false,
"isSustaining": false,
"membershipLevel": "Prospect",
"membershipStatus": "Non Member",
"lastGiftDate": null,
"renewalDate": null,
"lastDonationAmount": null
}
]
},
"authModal": {
"isOpen": false,
"view": "LANDING_VIEW"
},
"error": null
},
"youthMediaReducer": {},
"checkPleaseReducer": {
"filterData": {
"region": {
"key": "Restaurant Region",
"filters": [
"Any Region"
]
},
"cuisine": {
"key": "Restaurant Cuisine",
"filters": [
"Any Cuisine"
]
}
},
"restaurantDataById": {},
"restaurantIdsSorted": [],
"error": null
},
"userAgentReducer": {
"userAgent": "Mozilla/5.0 AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko; compatible; ClaudeBot/1.0; +claudebot@anthropic.com)",
"isBot": true
},
"requestOutcomesReducer": {
"notFound": []
},
"navPromosReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": true,
"promos": {
"news": {
"name": "2026 Voter Guide",
"link": "/voterguide",
"imageURL": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Nav-News-Nov2026ElectionCoverage@2x-7bd4aad4.png",
"description": "Get informed in minutes with our Voter Guide for California’s November 3 election."
},
"podcasts-radio": {},
"video-tv": {},
"events": {},
"support": {}
}
}
}