The lack of dentists and specialists in rural Californian counties is leading to high rates of tooth decay and preventable dental emergencies, especially among low-income residents.
safety net
Nearly six in ten low-income Californians say they would be interested in switching health care providers if they had a choice, according to a new, independent survey of poor and near-poor state residents. And if the federal health reform passed last year is implemented as planned, many of those Californians will get that choice. That new freedom could reshape the health care landscape in ways large and small. One thing it would do is force community clinics and health
centers to be more responsive to patient needs, since many of those patients would have the ability to go elsewhere with federal subsidies and a state health insurance exchange open for business.