As Americans struggle with the aftermath of the health care reform bill, and try to determine exactly what it means for themselves and their families, the homeless population is often ignored. Most assume that homeless Americans get free medical care, but that is not necessarily the case. Even those who do have government-sponsored health care are forced to make difficult choices when health must compete with food, shelter, and transportation. This ongoing series of stories will detail the plight of the 'sick and homeless' in Riverside, California.
(cross-posted and edited from the original version posted in DiabetesMine)
For journalists, the topic of health care disparities — particularly in Los Angeles — is a familiar concept. Exploring the discrepencies in care between various socioeconimic and ethnic groups often leads down a road of dismal statistics and frustrating realities.
But what happens if we refocus our gaze away from the patients and onto the providers?
Nursing homes in California have reaped $880 million in new funding from a 2004 state law designed to help them hire more caregivers and boost wages. But many homes did just the opposite.
A conference on health disparities for an audience of journalists is bound to produce lots of story ideas, and the one under way in Washington, organized by the National Association of Black Journalists, is no exception.
Here are some ideas for stories that have emerged from two days (so far) of discussions:
In the middle of the week that is likely to determine the outcome for President Obama’s health reform effort, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius took time out from the fray on Thursday to talk to journalists about health disparities.
Veteran journalist Dan Weintraub today launches a new website dedicated to helping Californians better understand and talk about public health and community health, broadly defined. Supported by The California Endowment, the state’s largest health philanthropy (which also supports ReportingonHealth), HealthyCal.org will also examine land use, transportation, poverty, food and criminal justice issues as they relate to health.
Originally posted on Doc Gurley: Posts From an Insane Health Care System.
Part 2: Researchers trying to find why people with disease fail to act against it.
