Jondi Gumz

As the March 15 deadline approaches to buy a 2014 health plan at the state exchange, Santa Cruz County residents are on their own to figure out which doctors are in the three Covered California plans available to them.

A retired doctor wonders why Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz is sponsoring a visit by a private company that does screening tests that US experts do not recommend for the general population.

With 20 days to go before people can buy health insurance to comply with the Affordable Care Act mandate, insurance agents have qualms and one predicted chaos. A Covered California spokesman is confident in their readiness.

Ask people who sell health insurance for a living if they are prepared to explain the Affordable Care Act policies coming into the market on Oct. 1, and you will get an earful. Agents must be certified to explain and compare options for customers but so far, none in California is certified.

For Roze Johnson, who gave birth at Dominican Hospital in March, the letter saying her Dignity Health bill was sent to an collections agency was the last straw. Johnson is among thousands dealing with fallout from a Dignity Health billing error.

Nina Lutz, 18, is the third teen in Santa Cruz in 5 years to be stricken with osteosarcoma, a bone cancer so rare it affects just 400 children a year. A talented artist, she created illustrations for a children's book during her nine months of treatment, and she's selling the book to raise money.

Laura Vollset, a Santa Cruz mother of twins, agreed to share her story of recovery from postpartum depression to encourage other mothers to see help.

In 2 years, only 200 people in Santa Cruz County have signed up for California's Preexisting Condition Insurance Program. For Eva Lopez, it was a lifesaver.

<p>The story about a potential hike malpractice premiums was prompted by a doctor's phone call. I hadn't heard about it because the discussions had been taking place in connection with the local hospital negotiating a contract with emergency physicians, and those discussions take place behind closed doors.</p>