Originally published in SFGate. By Victoria Colliver May 2, 2014 Millions of low-income Californians on Thursday regained many of the dental services they lost five years ago during state budget cuts that virtually eliminated non-emergency dental benefits for adults. When the state's fiscal health improved, Gov. Jerry Brown last year agreed to resume funding Medi-Cal dental benefits, [...]

Originally published in SFGate. By Stephanie M. Lee October 21, 2013 Getting blood drawn should have been an easy part of Selesi Alatini's checkup. But on this day, the nurses at Havenscourt Health Center in East Oakland were struggling to find a vein in her arm. "I don't really see anything that I'm comfortable about," Karen [...]

Originally published in SFGate. By Kristen V. Brown August 27, 2013 500,000 uninsured get coverage before law takes effect For years after Rachelle Hammond was diagnosed with COPD - chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - her routine treatment strategy was a visit to the emergency room. Hammond, 54, was uninsured and could not afford the necessary [...]