Health
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WASHINGTON, DC – On Thursday, Congressman John Garamendi (D-Fairfield, CA), who served eight years as California’s Insurance Commissioner, voted in favor of H.R. 2, the Medicare Access and CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program) Reauthorization Act of 2015.
The bill passed the House of Representatives on an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 392-37. President Obama has said he would sign the legislation.
It is supported by a broad coalition of advocacy groups.
“Today, we came together, not as Democrats or Republicans but as Americans, to uphold our obligation to society’s most vulnerable citizens, including our seniors, children in lower-income families, and Americans who live in rural underserved communities,” said Garamendi.
“This bipartisan bill ensures seniors’ access to their doctors. H.R. 2 replaces a broken Medicare payment formula that routinely threatened seniors’ ability to see their doctors with a new formula that provides certainty for seniors and Medicare physicians. This improved Medicare formula rewards value in health care delivery, ensures accuracy of payments, and improves quality of care.
“After a lifetime of work, seniors should have affordable health care. That is why this bill will permanently extend the Qualifying Individual program, which helps low-income seniors pay their Medicare Part B premiums.
“The Children’s Health Insurance Program provides health coverage to more than eight million children in families that earn too much for Medicaid but are unable to afford health insurance. H.R. 2 would extend funding for this vital program for two years. The legislation would be also renew funding for the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting program.
“Americans living in rural communities face significant challenges in accessing medical care. As a state legislator, I authored a law to extend health care services to more than a million rural Californians. H.R. 2 secures critical funding for community health centers over the next two years, expanding a crucial investment in rural and other underserved communities. The bill would also extend for two years the Secure Rural Schools program, which provides funding for counties near national forests, including Colusa, Lake, and Glenn counties.
“As the principal author of welfare reform in California, I am proud to announce that H.R. 2 would permanently extend the Transitional Medical Assistance program, which helps families on Medicaid maintain their coverage for one year as they transition from welfare to work.
“I urge the Senate to pass this legislation without delay. The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act is a solid bipartisan compromise that strengthens our health care system so it can better serve the American people,” Garamendi concluded.
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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Citing Health Rankings by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation that show Lake County coming in last place in California for health outcomes, officials at Adventist Health and St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake (SHCL) are getting serious about addressing the issue of Lake County’s low health ratings.
To that end, a new community wellness director position has been created and filled.
Shelly Mascari joined St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake in this new role on March 16.
Mascari, who has lived in Lake County for the past decade, has worked as communications director for the Lake County Office of Education for the last seven of them.
She also developed and launched The Hero Project, a parenting program that has gained momentum over the past year, focused on supporting parents in making their children the top priority, thereby improving school readiness and child health and wellness.
“Shelly has demonstrated a commitment and a passion for improving outcomes for Lake County citizens. Her strong relationships with individuals and agencies throughout the County will benefit our organization as we seek to support and inspire transformation that leads to improved health and wellness for all of our citizens,” said David Santos, CEO for St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake.
Tie this new position into the introduction of the hospital’s new Employee Wellness Center and experienced wellness coach, Lara Keyser, and you begin to see a trend. The hospital’s goal is to get its community healthy and fit, starting from within.
“We want to encourage our own employees to make their health a top priority. We want to lead by example,” said Santos in describing these new additions to the hospital.
There is a bigger picture to all this wellness taking place at St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake. Soon, the hospital will be inviting the community to take part in fitness challenges and to track their progress with the support of their parent company, Adventist Health.
The first corporate challenge is to Adventist Health employees: a 10-day no-sugar diet with incentives built in through their optional “Engaged!” health insurance plan.
As one patient put it recently, “the exercise program at Live Well [St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake’s lifestyle and wellness program] has really helped me feel alive. After my workout I feel energized and happy. I’m getting stronger and in less pain.”
That’s the kind of outcome St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake’s leaders have in mind for all the residents of Lake County, patients or not.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – Sutter Lakeside Hospital is introducing Derrick Barnes, M.D., to its Sutter Lake County team.
Dr. Barnes is a board-certified obstetrics and gynecology physician who comes from a private practice in Matthews, North Carolina.
Dr. Barnes started at the Sutter Lakeside Community Clinic in March.
A West Coast native, Dr. Barnes was drawn to Sutter Lakeside for several reasons, including the opportunity to work with underserved populations.
“I feel Lake County is a place where I can grow my practice and build a solid patient base,” he said. “We also have family in the area and enjoy the great outdoors, so we’re excited to get back to the California sunshine.”
In Matthews, Dr. Barnes worked in a call rotation with five private-practice physicians who averaged 700 deliveries each year.
He has extensive inpatient and outpatient care experience and is proficient in leading-edge office-based procedures, including laparoscopic and robotic surgery.
Dr. Barnes received his doctor of medicine degree from the University of Virginia School of Medicine in 2004.
He completed his residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the Medical University of South Carolina in 2008.
He’s married with one daughter and two sons; one is a foster child and the adoption is under way.
“I hope the Lakeside community will join me in welcoming Dr. Barnes,” said Sutter Lakeside Hospital Chief Administrative Officer Siri Nelson. “We feel very fortunate to have him as part of the Sutter family.”
To learn more about Sutter Lakeside, visit www.sutterlakeside.org/ .
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SACRAMENTO – California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Director and State Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith has warned consumers that the consumption of unpasteurized (raw) dairy products may cause serious illness. Six Northern California residents have recently been diagnosed with campylobacteriosis, a bacterial infection that can come from consuming contaminated raw milk.
A recent investigation conducted by CDPH identified multiple bottles of Claravale Farm raw milk that tested positive for Campylobacter.
Under the direction of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), Claravale Farm has initiated a recall of the affected product. (See CDFA Announces Recall of Raw Milk Products at Claravale Farm of San Benito County news release.)
Campylobacteriosis may cause diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, nausea, and vomiting within two to five days after exposure to the organism.
Illness can last for up to a week or more and can be especially severe for those who have weakened or compromised immune systems, and for young children and the elderly. Although most people who get campylobacteriosis recover completely, some patients do suffer long-term effects, including arthritis and paralysis.
Raw milk is milk from cows, goats, sheep, or other animals that has not been pasteurized (heat treated) to kill harmful germs.
A wide variety of germs that can make people sick have been found in raw milk, such as Brucella, Campylobacter, Listeria, Mycobacterium bovis, Salmonella, and Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, including E. coli O157. E. coli O157 can cause hemolytic uremic syndrome, which is a sometimes deadly cause of anemia and potentially permanent kidney failure.
Raw milk contaminated with disease-causing bacteria does not smell or look any different from uncontaminated raw milk, and there is no easy way for the consumer to know whether the raw milk is contaminated.
Over the past decade, CDPH, other states, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have investigated numerous outbreaks of foodborne illness associated with consumption of raw milk and raw milk products.
These have included outbreaks of illnesses due to Campylobacter, E. coli O157:H7, and Salmonella. Many involved young children. Illnesses associated with raw milk continue to occur.
Although the sale of raw milk from some dairies is legal in California, CDPH does not recommend drinking raw milk or raw milk products or giving raw milk, colostrum, raw cream or other raw milk products to children. Raw milk products sold in California are required to carry a warning label:
"WARNING: Raw (unpasteurized) milk and raw milk dairy products may contain disease-causing microorganisms. Persons at highest risk of disease from these organisms include newborns and infants; the elderly; pregnant women; those taking corticosteroids, antibiotics or antacids; and those having chronic illnesses or other conditions that weaken their immunity."
Consumers experiencing any ill effects after consuming raw dairy products should consult their health care provider.
For additional information, visit www.cdph.gov .