In summary
Over the past decade, more than 50 hospitals in California have halted deliveries, limiting obstetric care options in both rural and urban areas.
Welcome to CalMatters. We are the only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to issues that affect all Californians. Sign up for WhatMatters to receive the latest news and commentary on the Golden State’s most important issues.
In the face of rapidly disappearing obstetric care, Gov. Gavin Newsom this weekend vetoed a bill aimed at delaying the closure of birthing wards, but not allowing communities to plan for the loss of that service. signed a bill that increases the amount of time it takes to create a
At least 56 maternity units across California have closed since 2012, CalMatters reports. Closures have occurred in both rural and urban areas, resulting in longer car journeys for patients and crowding of obstetric departments in nearby areas. At the same time, maternal mortality and morbidity rates are also increasing.
The new law, Senate Bill 1300, authored by Democratic Sen. Dave Cortese of Campbell, requires hospitals to notify county governments 120 days before closing labor and delivery or psychiatric units. The notice will also include a public hearing.
Hospitals are currently required to give 90 days’ notice of impending closure. Cortese said the idea behind expanding that frame is to create a more transparent process and give the community adequate notice.
“By requiring private hospital corporations to disclose such information, public health and hospital systems will be better informed and better equipped to absorb losses in services by private providers. , patients will no longer lose potentially life-saving health care services,” Cortese said in a statement ahead of Newsom’s signing.
Newsom vetoed a second bill, Assembly Bill 1895, authored by Democratic Rep. Akira Webber of La Mesa, which would require hospitals to notify the state if they are at risk of losing obstetric services. Ta. Hospitals would have been required to report staffing and financial information to the state, and the state would have been required to assess how potential closures would impact surrounding communities.
In his veto message, Newsom said that some of the information the bill requires hospitals to report to the state duplicates information hospitals already must provide. He said it would add costly administrative requirements to the state and is unlikely to change state policy. Hospital management decisions. Instead, Newsom pointed to a recent $300 million loan program approved last year that provided relief loans to 17 financially distressed hospitals as an example of efforts to maintain health care services.
Weber, the La Mesa obstetrician, said he hopes the bill will give the state a chance to avoid a shutdown. Weber said a major obstacle state regulators and lawmakers currently face is that they often learn about cuts to hospital services at the same time as the public.
))> Become a CalMatters member today to stay informed, power nonpartisan news, and spread knowledge across California.
“The community is looking at us and asking, ‘What can we do as a nation?’ It’s really hard to jump into that conversation late in the game,” Weber said before the veto. “This is one way countries can act as partners.”
Neither proposal would require states to prevent potential maternity unit closures, but early warning could allow lawmakers to consider relief measures such as emergency loans or workforce enhancement programs. There is.
Hospital administrators say high costs, labor shortages and declining birth rates are spurring closures. Although the number of births has fallen to the lowest level on record in the past 30 years, health advocates and clinicians say that doesn’t mean access isn’t an issue. Although most of the state’s population lives within 30 minutes of a birthing hospital, 12 counties do not have one.
The new law comes as California health officials work to reduce pregnancy-related deaths. Between 2019 and 2021, 226 patients died during pregnancy, labor, or shortly after birth, according to data from the California Department of Public Health.
State Surgeon General Dr. Diana E. Ramos recently announced an education campaign aimed at patients and health care providers about the factors that contribute to pregnancy-related deaths. The majority of maternal deaths in California are caused by heart disease, hemorrhage, sepsis or other infections, according to state data.
Supported by the California Healthcare Foundation (CHCF). The foundation works to ensure people have access to the care they need, when they need it, at an affordable price. For more information, please visit www.chcf.org.
))> “CalMatters sets the bar high, offering dedicated reporting and expert reporters who ask the tough questions and hold leaders accountable.”
Montrose, Marisela
Featured CalMatters Members
Our members make our mission possible.
div{flex-basis: unset ! important;flex-grow: 1 ! important;}.single-post .cm-cta.cm-cta-testimonial h6{text-align: left;}.cm-cta.cm-cta -testimonial .cm-cta-center-col{align-items: center ! important;gap: 12px;}.cm-cta.cm-cta-testimonial .primary-cols.wp-block-columns{gap: 40px;} .cm-cta.cm-cta-testimonial .btn-col{flex-basis:fit-content;flex-grow:0;}.cm-cta.cm-cta-testimonial .cm-cta-center-col > div {flex-basis: auto;}.cm-cta.cm-cta-testimonial .wp-block-buttons{min-width: 98px;}@media screen and (max-width: 782px){.single .cm-cta .cm-cta-testimonial .cm-cta-center-col > div{flex-basis: min-content;}.cm-cta.cm-cta-testimonial > .wp-block-group__inner-container{grid-template- Column: auto;}.cm-cta.cm-cta-testimonial .wp-block-button.btn-light .wp-block-button__link{Padding: 7px 24px;}div.cm-cta.cm-cta-testimonial{ Padding: 16px;}.cm-cta.cm-cta-testimonial h6{text-align: left;}.cm-cta.cm-cta-testimonial .primary-cols.wp-block-columns,.cm-cta. cm-cta-testimonial .cm-cta-center-col.is-not-stacked-on-mobile{gap: 16px;}.cm-cta.cm-cta-testimonial .btn-02-detail-05{font- Size: 12px;line-height: 16px;}.cm-cta.cm-cta-testimonial .mob-p-12{Padding: 12px;}})))))>))>
Source link
