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- Written by: Covered California
The unprecedented move comes as COVID-19 infections and deaths surge throughout the state.
“The pandemic continues to have a devastating impact on all of our lives, and Covered California wants to give those who need health insurance as much time as possible to sign up and get coverage that starts on Jan. 1,” said Peter V. Lee, executive director of Covered California. “We know there are more than 1.2 million Californians who are uninsured right now, even though they are eligible to receive financial assistance to help to pay for their coverage, and giving them more time is the right thing to do.
Consumers who sign up by Dec. 30 will need to pay their first bill in order to have their coverage take effect on Jan. 1. Covered California also wants to note that consumers will continue to see and hear television, radio and print ads that communicate a Dec. 15 deadline over the next few days, and they should ignore that deadline given today’s announcement of an extension.
“Most of the people who are uninsured either do not know they are eligible for financial assistance, or they have not checked recently to see how affordable quality coverage can be,” Lee said. “No one should wait to sign up, and we are extending the deadline through Dec. 30 to give all of us more time to spread the word and make sure our family and friends have health insurance during this pandemic.”
An estimated 1.2 million uninsured people in the state are either eligible for financial help through Covered California, or they qualify for low-cost or no-cost coverage through Medi-Cal.
Covered California said the uninsured who are eligible for help include 139,000 residents of Northern California and the Sacramento Valley and 122,000 in the greater Bay Area.
Of those eligible for subsidies, more than half — 650,000 — are believed to be Latino.
“We want everyone to have their coverage in place, and ready for them when they need it, as early as possible,” Lee said.
Roughly nine out of every 10 consumers who enroll through Covered California receive financial assistance — in the form of federal tax credits, state subsidies, or both — which helps make health care more affordable.
California’s state subsidies, which first became available in 2020, are benefiting nearly 600,000 consumers — including more than 41,000 middle-income consumers who had previously been ineligible for financial help because they exceeded the federal income requirements.
The latest data shows that, with the combination of federal tax credits and state subsidies, the average consumer receiving financial help paid an average of $127 per month for their coverage (with federal and state assistance reducing their costs by $454 or nearly 80 percent).
The state subsidies are only available to eligible consumers through Covered California. The amount of financial help consumers receive will vary depending on their age, their annual household income and the cost of health care in their region.
Shop and compare
Those interested in applying for coverage can explore their options — and find out whether they are eligible for financial help — in just a few minutes by using the Shop and Compare Tool at www.CoveredCA.com. All they need to do is enter their ZIP code, household income and the ages of those who need coverage to find out which plans are available in their area.
Covered California has already begun to see high call volumes and is encouraging consumers to act now and not wait until the end of the month to sign up.
“Do not wait until the last minute, or let this deadline go past, without checking your options,” Lee said. “In only a few minutes at CoveredCA.com, you can see which plans are available in your area and whether you qualify for financial help to bring the price of coverage within reach.”
Getting help enrolling
Consumers interested in learning more about their coverage options can:
– Visit www.CoveredCA.com.
– Get free and confidential in-person assistance, in a variety of languages, from a certified enroller.
– Have a certified enroller call them and help them for free.
– Call Covered California at 800-300-1506.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The virtual event will include remarks from Steven Herber, MD, president and Timothy Lyons, MD, chief medical officer and Debby Hobbs, MD, an admitting hospitalist and community member.
The presentations will include a glimpse into who was behind the reopening efforts and how Adventist Health is prepared to face COVID-19.
This will be followed by celebratory events on the campus to honor the team and recognize the power of everyone working together towards the goal of reopening and resuming patient care.
Dr. Herber commented how important it is for doctors, nurses and staff to celebrate this milestone, because everyone worked so hard and they were motivated by one common goal – getting back to our patients.
“After thousands of hours of planning, hard work and a long arduous process that would make even the most patient person take a deep breath, this team deserves to be recognized. It feels great knowing that tomorrow the staff will be back together to stand ready to help our patients and community, especially during this critical time as we all face the crisis of COVID-19,” Dr. Herber said.
Adventist Health St. Helena Operations Executive Hoda Assadian added that this process was all-consuming. “Our teams have been working 24/7 to make the necessary repairs to our systems, deep cleaning the entire facility from top to bottom, replacing all supplies, flushing out the water system and removing debris. Getting all of the intricate systems and equipment cleaned, tested, retested and calibrated were onerous tasks critical to the reopening plan. We’re happy to report this hospital is now better than ever, and it’s been certified by officials that we’re safe and ready to reopen tomorrow at 7 a.m.,” Assadian said.
Despite the resources required to reopen the hospital, Adventist Health hasn’t stopped there. Their team has been busy taking care of the needs of the community with its clinics in Napa, St. Helena and Calistoga and its mobile health program.
Mobi, the mobile health unit provides access to primary care and COVID-19 testing via a mobile health van that travels to various locations throughout Napa Valley. Information about the mobile unit’s schedule is available at www.facebook.com/ahsthelena or www.facebook.com/sthelenahospitalfoundation.
Adventist Health also launched free counseling to help residents deal with stress of COVID-19 and the wildfire.
Together with SyncTALK, by Synchronous Health, the counseling service connects participants to a licensed counselor who can help residents deal with the stress and anxiety they might be feeling.
The offer includes four free sessions, each 30 minutes long, and they’re held virtually via phone or video. Residents interested in receiving this care can visit https://sync.health/napa-valley for more information or to schedule a session.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Because symptoms of the flu and COVID-19 can be hard to distinguish, limiting flu risk has never been more important.
Here is the schedule for December’s additional Free Drive-Up Flu Vaccine Events:
– Week of Monday, Dec. 7, through Friday, Dec. 11: Vaccines will be available from 3 to 4 p.m. daily.
– Week of Monday, Dec. 14, through Friday, Dec. 18: Vaccines will be available from 3 to 4 p.m. daily.
Location: 922 Bevins Court, Lakeport. Appointments are required. Please call 707-263-1090 or 800- 794-9291 to schedule, or for more information. Masks are required to participate in all clinic events.
Dates and locations subject to change. More dates will be announced if vaccine supply and staffing allow.
Can’t make it to any of these events? Flu vaccinations are available from a variety of sources, including your primary care provider and local pharmacies.
Limiting flu risk: What you can do
The flu virus is easily passed from our hands to the things we touch, and it can enter our system through the membranes of our eyes, nose and mouth.
· Get vaccinated. Again, this is especially important during the time of COVID-19. Anyone 6 months of age or older is encouraged to get a flu vaccine.
· Practice good hygiene. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or the crook of your arm if you cough or sneeze. Wash your hands often, and use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer when soap and water aren’t available. Avoid touching your face with your hands.
· Avoid close contact with non-household members. When in public, wear a mask.
· Healthy lifestyle choices help keep you well. Get enough sleep, eat nutritious foods, drink plenty of water and stay physically active; all of these help maintain your immune system.
Symptoms of the flu include a temperature of over 100 degrees F combined with a cough, sore throat, body aches, headache and a lack of energy. If you are ill, stay home to keep from infecting others.
Together, we can help decrease the spread of influenza in Lake County communities.
Más eventos móviles gratis para la vacuna contra la gripe: diciembre
Condado de Lake, CA - La División de Salud Pública del Departamento de Servicios de Salud del Condado de Lake agradece a todos los que hicieron la salud de sus comunidades una prioridad al participar en los eventos móviles gratis para la vacunación contra la gripe en noviembre. Debido a que los síntomas de la gripe y el COVID-19 pueden ser difíciles de distinguir, limitar el riesgo de gripe nunca ha sido más importante.
Este es el calendario de los eventos gratis para la vacunación contra la gripe durante el mes de diciembre:
· Semana del lunes 7 de diciembre al viernes 11 de diciembre: Las vacunas estarán disponibles todos los días de 3 a 4 p.m.
· Semana del lunes 14 de diciembre al viernes 18 de diciembre: Las vacunas estarán disponibles todos los días de 3 a 4 p.m.
Ubicación: 922 Bevins Court, Lakeport. Se requieren citas. Llame al 707-263-1090 o al 800-794-9291 para programar una cita o para obtener más información. Se requieren máscaras para participar en todos los eventos de la clínica.
Fecha y lugares sujetos a cambios. Se anunciarán más fechas si el suministro de vacunas y el personal lo permiten.
¿No puedes asistir a ninguno de estos eventos? Las vacunas contra la gripe están disponibles en una variedad de fuentes, incluido su proveedor de atención primaria y las farmacias locales.
Limitar el riesgo de la gripe: lo que puede hacer
El virus de la gripe se transmite fácilmente de nuestras manos a las cosas que tocamos y puede ingresar a nuestro sistema a través de las membranas de nuestros ojos, nariz y boca.
• Vacúnese. Nuevamente, esto es especialmente importante durante la época de COVID-19. Se alienta a cualquier persona de 6 meses de edad o mayor a vacunarse contra la gripe.
• Practique una buena higiene. Cúbrase la nariz y la boca con un pañuelo de papel o la curva de su brazo si tose o estornuda. Lávese las manos con frecuencia y use un desinfectante de manos a base de alcohol cuando no haya agua y jabón disponibles. Evite tocarse la cara con las manos.
• Evite el contacto cercano con personas que no sean miembros del hogar. Cuando esté en público, use una máscara.
• Las opciones de estilo de vida saludable lo ayudan a mantenerse bien. Duerma lo suficiente, coma alimentos nutritivos, beba mucha agua y manténgase físicamente activo; todos estos ayudan a mantener su sistema inmunológico.
Los síntomas de la gripe incluyen una temperatura de más de 100 grados F combinada con tos, dolor de garganta, dolores corporales, dolor de cabeza y falta de energía. Si está enfermo/a, quédese en casa para evitar infectar a otros.
¡Juntos podemos ayudar a reducir la propagación de la gripe en las comunidades del condado de Lake!
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
“As an infectious disease and public health physician, I am very concerned that we are seeing completely preventable complications of sexually transmitted disease (STD) infections that went undiagnosed and untreated, likely due to people not seeking care or getting routine testing during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Dr. Erica Pan, acting State Public Health Officer. “STD risk has not gone away. There are a few groups we especially want to remind to seek STD screening. If you are a sexually active female 25 years of age or younger, if you are pregnant, if you are a man who has sex with men, or if you are living with HIV, please contact your healthcare provider to get recommended testing for STDs.”
Disseminated gonorrhea infections occur when the sexually transmitted pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae spreads beyond the site of infection and invades the bloodstream traveling to distant sites in the body.
This can lead to joint pain and swelling from infected joints; small, painless red-based skin lesions that have clear fluid or pus in them; infection in the blood; or, on rare occasions, infections of the heart valves or fluid around the brain.
Most of the cases in California have presented with joint pain and infected joints. Anyone showing symptoms should immediately reach out to their health care provider.
CDPH is working with local health departments and health care providers to understand these infections, and to ensure people with STDs are tested and treated.
This includes encouraging emergency department clinicians to routinely test their patients for HIV, STDs, and Hepatitis C, and encouraging people who are at risk to make use of newly available at-home STD and HIV testing technologies.
For more information on STDs in California, visit www.std.ca.gov.