Sign on the reception desk in my Mercy Ob-Gyn office: “Medical does not cover annual exams or birth control. Birth control pills are available for $9.00 at…” My first thought: Seriously? My second thought: Seriously?? Followed closely by thoughts that are mostly made up of pointless obscenities unnecessary to print. Of all the things that ought to be covered by Medi-cal, this would be top of my list. I am not a political person, meaning, I don’t follow politics closely enough to have an intelligent discussion about who is doing what at any given time. If I’m not informed, I don’t feel I have a right to weigh in—from that perspective. But I work with people on Medi-cal every day, and

Around 20 medical marijuana supporters protested Friday in front of the Sacramento Federal Courthouse. The protest started at 10 a.m. and is scheduled to end by 1 p.m.

The State Senate Health Committee unanimously passed Assembly Bill 678 (AB678) Wednesday, bringing the possibility of millions of federal dollars for California fire departments closer to reality. Currently, fire departments that provide ambulance transportation for Medi-Cal patients are not reimbursed for the cost of the service from the federal Medicare program. These costs are instead absorbed into the fire departments’ general fund. AB678 would allow fire departments to tap into a federal program that provides a 50 percent match of those unreimbursed expenses, bringing in much-needed revenue in an economy that has forced fire department brownouts and reduced services. “First respond

In Vietnam, even when you’re in a room with air conditioning, you’re soaked with sweat within five minutes. When the temperature’s in the ’90s every day, and even the Vietnamese are telling you that they can’t stand the heat, you know you’re in for it. So, imagine this intense heat and the equally intense accompanying sweat. Imagine unfamiliar sights and sounds all around you – the pandemonium of Saigon, the capital of Vietnam, a major city in Southeast Asia. Maybe you sweat a little bit more in this new unfamiliar territory. With all of this firmly planted in your mind, now imagine performing a surgery on one of the most delicate parts of the human body, the eye, to restore sight to a p

Sacramento County’s health care benefits program for low-income or disabled people is dealing with $6.7 million in recent budget cuts from the state of California. The cuts to the county’s Medi-Cal program will likely add to the workload of county workers and cause delays in services for clients, according to supervisors who work in the program. The county has since transferred 54 employees out of the Medi-Cal program and into a food stamps program called CalFresh, according to Gladys Deloney, acting deputy director for the county’s Department of Human Assistance. The workers start training for their new positions on Monday, she said, adding that the county was able to avoid making layoff

Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento became the first hospital in the greater region to open a Hybrid Surgical Suite – a cardiovascular catheterization lab with immediate surgical capabilities designed to enable cardiologists and cardiovascular surgeons to work side by side – and the first to have a cardiology hospitalist program, providing in-hospital coverage by fully trained, board-certified cardiologists 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The goal of the new cardiology hospitalist program is to improve the quality of care in the cardiology division at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento, assist with lowering the overall length of stay for patients and, overall, to maintain the cardiac prog

MAAP, Inc. announced today that it has initiated a voluntary Chapter 11 reorganization case in the United States Bankruptcy Court. “For over 30 years, MAAP has been a strong contributor in this community through the management of essential social service programs in alcohol and chemical dependency, mental health, and HIV/AIDS,” said Lorraine Rinker, MAAP’s recently appointed President and CEO. “MAAP and its Board of Directors believe this organization is valuable to the community we serve,” said Rinker. “Going through the Chapter 11 bankruptcy process is the best way we can save this organization and remain a vital contributor of social services to the underserved population in Northern C

Effective immediately MAAP, Inc. has made the very difficult decision to close the Sacramento Community Health Center. This decision is based on the intent of improving the overall fiscal performance and strategic direction of the agency during tough economic times. Established in 2002, the clinic provided primary medical services for over 10,000 people, most of them children and youth ages one – nineteen years of age through the care of its pediatrician Dr. Francisco Aguirre. Lorraine Rinker, CEO/Executive Director of MAAP, Inc. and the senior management team are working diligently to ensure a smooth transition for the Center’s staff and patients. A large majority of the Center’s pediatr

SACRAMENTO – In a new twist to the benefit walk, area residents who support the health of our region’s children will walk Arden Fair Mall on Saturday, Oct. 17, as part of Together for Kids’ fund-raising campaign called Walk Across America. A full 100 percent of the funds raised during the local walk will go directly to the specialty care services at the Children’s Center at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento, where many of the children throughout the region and beyond receive their care from birth to 18 years old for conditions ranging from low birth weight, cancer and brain tumors to diabetes and congenital heart defects. The goal of the Sacramento walk is to help bring better health care

With all that pink, I am sure Arnold thought that he was going to look outside of the Capitol building and expect to see “girly men” raising a hissy fit. Not tonight! One t-shirt did read “Real Men Wear Pink” and they do to show support of loving family and friends who have had to fight the good fight against cancer. Tonight, over 200 breast cancer survivors and activists gathered on the West steps of the State Capitol to kick off the May 9th Komen Sacramento Race for the Cure®, and help build breast cancer awareness, as well as promote early detection. During this rally, the crowd participated in a dramatic countdown to light the entire Capitol a bright shade of pink. Sacramento’s four-y