Health
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Sutter Health and Blue Shield of California have agreed to expand their network relationship with a focus on improving health outcomes, enhancing patient experience and improving care for patients with chronic illness.
The new multi-year agreement between the two leading healthcare organizations extends the current one that was set to expire at the end of this year. The early signing of the agreement provides stability and certainty for community members, many who are now considering their health plan options during open enrollment.
This means patients enrolled in Blue Shield’s commercial HMO, EPO and PPO plans will continue to receive in-network care from Sutter’s trusted team of doctors, nurses and clinicians — all part of a connected network dedicated to delivering high-quality, comprehensive care across Northern California and the Greater Central Coast, including Santa Barbara.
“We are taking a more collaborative approach in how we develop relationships and contract with payors — one that’s directly focused on serving our shared patients, members and communities,” said Warner Thomas, president and CEO of Sutter Health. “Through our new process, we successfully reached a timely, comprehensive agreement with Blue Shield that ensures patients keep seamless access to the doctors, clinicians and nurses who care for them, as together we focus on care coordination, quality, affordability and the overall healthcare experience.”
“As a nonprofit health plan, Blue Shield’s top priority is to provide our members access to quality, affordable care. Strong provider-health plan partnerships are critical to achieving that,” said Mike Stuart, president and CEO of Blue Shield of California. “This partnership with Sutter Health demonstrates how collaboration enables health care that works for members and their loved ones.”
The new network relationship also includes collaborations to improve patient experience and health:
• Better health outcomes: The new agreement focuses on recognizing and rewarding excellence in clinical outcomes — ensuring patients receive consistently high-quality care across Sutter Health.
• Enhancing patient experience: Expansion of electronic health record access between Blue Shield and Sutter Health to support better care coordination, minimize delays and elevate the overall healthcare experience for patients.
• Expanding care for chronic conditions: In collaboration with Blue Shield, Sutter is participating in an accountable care organization (ACO) designed to serve HMO and PPO patients managing multiple chronic conditions — aiming to improve care quality and make health care more affordable.
For a full list of Blue Shield plans that include access to Sutter’s doctors, hospitals and services, visit sutterhealth.org/health-plan. Blue Shield members with questions can call the toll-free number on the back of their member ID card for help.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
LAKEPORT, Calif. — Sutter Lakeside Hospital, part of Sutter Health’s not-for-profit integrated healthcare delivery system, announced it has launched infusion services onsite, marking a major step forward in expanding access to advanced cancer care in Lake County.
The launch comes as part of Sutter Health’s Rural Oncology Program in partnership with its Advanced Cancer Services, designed to bring the same innovative treatments and coordinated care available in metropolitan areas to patients in rural communities.
“With these critical cancer services now available right here in our hospital, patients no longer need to travel over the mountain for life-changing treatment,” said Tim Stephens, CEO of Sutter Lakeside Hospital. “This brings high-quality care closer to home for our community and strengthens healthcare access in Lake County.”
Sutter Lakeside Hospital’s new infusion center, located within the hospital, features six treatment bays — two private and four semi-private — and delivers vital cancer therapies, including immunotherapy and other targeted treatments. Chemotherapy services will begin in early 2026.
The newly renovated space provides a calm, comforting environment for patients and is staffed by an advanced practice clinician, or APC, alongside specially trained nurses and pharmacists.
Together, the team offers additional related services such as hydration and transfusions, as infusions can last anywhere from a few hours to most of the day. The goal of these therapies is to help manage or eliminate disease, control symptoms and support patients through their journey.
Previously, Sutter patients in Lake County who needed infusion services traveled 65 miles one way to Sutter Health’s Santa Rosa Oncology and Infusion Clinic, or even farther to Sacramento. In winter, snow and ice made these long drives especially difficult.
With the new infusion center now based locally, patients can receive care within their own community, providing easier and safer access year-round.
Expanding Sutter cancer care in Lake County
Cancer services at Sutter Lakeside Hospital expanded this summer with the arrival of long-time area oncologist Dr. Mark Turrill.
Since his joining, the hospital has been able to care for more patients with cancer. In preparation for the new infusion center, the hospital also introduced 26 new medications and connected patients with Sutter’s Specialty Pharmacy, providing convenient and reliable delivery of outpatient treatments.
Looking ahead, in early 2026, Sutter Lakeside Hospital will continue to expand its cancer care services for patients in collaboration with Sutter Medical Group of the Redwoods, based in Santa Rosa.
“This will bring additional physician expertise and local advanced practice clinician-led care to patients, expand access to virtual visits and inpatient consults, and grow the hospital’s breast cancer program in partnership with Sutter Santa Rosa Oncology,” said Dr. Michael Magnotti, CEO of Sutter Medical Group of the Redwoods.
Shared scheduling and authorization processes across the Sutter system will also further streamline care.
Sutter Health is a recognized leader in cancer care. Each year approximately 17,000 people newly diagnosed with cancer seek care within the Sutter Health system. Its unique model of comprehensive, integrated and connected care is driven by expert teams, innovative technologies and pioneering research.
“By expanding cancer services in Lake County, Sutter Lakeside is helping support our rural patients to benefit from that same depth of expertise, right in their own community,” said Dr. Amanda Wheeler, chair of Sutter’s Cancer Services. “We’re redefining cancer care from prevention to survivorship, today and for the future.”
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Partnership HealthPlan of California has been awarded Health Equity Accreditation by the National Committee for Quality Assurance, or NCQA.
“This accomplishment reflects the dedication of our teams and our mission to improve the health and well-being of the communities we serve,” said CEO Sonja Bjork following the announcement last month.
The NCQA Health Equity Accreditation is a nationally recognized designation that evaluates an organization’s ability to: create a culture of equity; collect and analyze data to identify disparities; and work with providers and community partners to reduce them.
Partnership began its preparation for accreditation in January 2023, conducting a gap analysis and implementing systemwide improvements to meet NCQA’s rigorous, evidence-based standards.
The accreditation also meets a key California Department of Health Care Services requirement that all managed care plans obtain Health Equity Accreditation by Jan. 1, 2026.
Partnership’s Director of Health Equity Dr. Mohamed Jalloh said, “This designation means that we have the systems, culture and partnerships in place to identify and address health inequities, ensuring that every member has access to the care they need. It’s also inspiring to join other local health plans that have achieved this accreditation, demonstrating a unified dedication to serving Californians.”
NCQA is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations. It also recognizes clinicians and practices in key areas of performance.
Partnership is a community-based, safety-net health care organization that contracts with the state to administer Medi-Cal benefits. Partnership provides quality care to over 900,000 Medi-Cal members. Starting in Solano County in 1994, Partnership now serves 24 Northern California counties — Butte, Colusa, Del Norte, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Marin, Mendocino, Modoc, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Yolo and Yuba.
Learn more about Partnership at PartnershipHP.org.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Due to recent rule changes made by the federal government, Covered California enrollees who are part of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program will have their Affordable Care Act health insurance terminated on Aug. 31, 2025.
The federal rule will affect more than 2,300 DACA recipients in California.
The decision comes from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the federal agency that oversees Affordable Care Act marketplaces.
In its updated Marketplace Integrity Rule published in June, CMS changed the definition of “lawfully present” to exclude DACA recipients. Covered California is required to comply with this new rule.
“Covered California is deeply disheartened by the updated rule issued by this federal administration, which targets DACA recipients who are working to provide for their families and secure access to essential health insurance,” said Covered California Executive Director Jessica Altman. “The decision is deeply unfair to hard-working, tax-paying individuals in California who trusted that they would have health insurance for 2025, only to have it stripped away eight months later. While we had hoped for a different outcome for DACA recipients, we must comply with federal law. In anticipation of this rule change going into effect, Covered California is doing everything we can to support DACA recipients with information and resources to understand what is happening and find other health insurance options.”
Covered California is working to contact every individual affected by this federal decision through letters, emails and calls and will continue to be a resource for people to find health insurance outside the marketplace.
Covered California encourages all DACA recipients to explore health insurance options and stay covered to protect against financial hardship in the event of an emergency.
Options for coverage may include:
• See if you qualify for Medi-Cal by visiting CoveredCA.com or contacting your local county social services office or county Medi-Cal office.
• Purchase a plan directly through a health insurance company.
• Contact your employer to see if there is an employer-based insurance option available.
Enrollees with questions or concerns about their enrollment status should contact Covered California for help. They can also contact legal aid or consumer assistance programs if they need help understanding their rights or addressing coverage concerns.
Additionally, the California Department of Social Services’ Immigration Services Bureau keeps a list of qualified nonprofit organizations to provide services to immigrants who reside in California. For more resources and information, please visit the Immigration and California families webpage.
Covered California contact information:
• Call Center (Spanish): (800) 300-0213.
• Call Center (English): (800) 300-1506.
As an organization, Covered California said it will continue to support policies that help everyone access the health care they need and will provide additional information as it becomes available.
They have also developed information in English and Spanish to help people navigate the ongoing changes.
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