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In Fresno, Legislators Hear Solutions to Doctor Shortages
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By David Taub, Senior Reporter
Published 5 years ago on
July 15, 2019

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Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into a law a bill that will allow illegal immigrants between the ages of 19-25 to receive Medi-Cal benefits.
That will add an estimated 90,000 to the California health care rolls, at a cost of $98 million to taxpayers.
Where will the doctors come from to care for that 90,000? A state Senate committee pondered that question at a special meeting Monday in Fresno City Hall.
“It’s a challenge that we have and we have to address,” Sen. Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger) said after the event. “I can’t say that I have an answer at the moment. But I think this is part of getting to an answer of how we are going to meet the needs, the demand of the communities.”

Committee Hears from Experts


“It’s a challenge that we have and we have to address … I can’t say that I have an answer at the moment.”Sen. Melissa Hurtado
The Senate Select committee on the Social Determinants of Children’s Well-Being heard from two panels in a three-hour session.
Sens. Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles), Hurtado, Susan Rubio (D-Baldwin Park), Cathleen Galgiani (D-Stockton) along with Assemblyman Joaquin Arambula (D-Fresno) and state Secretary of Health and Human Services Mark Ghaly listened to ideas from medical professionals.
Janet Coffman, a health policies professor at UC-San Francisco, noted there only are 45 primary care physicians per 100,000 in the Central Valley. The state average is 57. The only region with less  is the Inland Empire with 39.
Her recommendations included giving more authority to nurses, increasing funds for psychiatric programs, and targeting increases at UC medical schools.
Mitchell, the committee chairwoman, said she hopes some of the conversation can lead to solutions for health care access.
“The point of us being here today was to talk about making sure we have access across the state in an equitable way to health care providers,” Mitchell said. “We have to build capacity.”
Arambula says help is on the way.
“I have witnessed the shortage of primary care doctors and the challenges faced by underserved communities in areas like the Central Valley. I believe it is important to address the growing shortage of primary care doctors by providing concrete solutions,” Armabula said.
He noted the state budget included nearly $60 million to help medical students pay off student debt if they agree to provide care to California’s poorest patients.
“Providing a significant financial incentive should go a long way in helping to recruit doctors to our most underserved areas,” Arambula said.

Helping Immigrant Children

The second panel discussed the well-being of children.
America Hernandez, social services coordinator for Kids in Need of Defense, noted the difficulties faced by immigrant children — especially those unaccompanied at the border. She said adapting to a new school while not being comfortable speaking English was one problem. Another was transportation. Immigration hearings are in San Francisco, Hernandez said, which presents difficulties for children and adults to get there.
Hernandez noted that most of the state funds for unaccompanied minors are spent in the Bay Area, and not in the Central Valley.

Holly Mitchell, Larry Salinas
Sen. Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles) chats with Fresno State official Larry Salinas after a special Senate hearing Monday at Fresno City Hall. (David Taub/GV Wire)

Bringing Committee to Fresno

Hurtado said it was a learning experience to have the committee hearing in her home district.
“There’s a lot in common between the two districts that we represent,” Hurtado said of Mitchell. “There are shared challenges that we have.”
An audience in a nearly full city council chamber seemed glad to share their stories about health care.
“This is something that is very important to the district. Health care is very important to the region. It was extremely important to have this hearing here and hear from everybody that came out,” Hurtado said.
Note: The original story presented information from Janet Coffman relating to physicians per 10,000. It is per 100,000. I has now been corrected.

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David Taub,
Senior Reporter
Curiosity drives David Taub. The award-winning journalist might be shy, but feels mighty with a recorder in his hand. He doesn't see it his job to "hold public officials accountable," but does see it to provide readers (and voters) the information needed to make intelligent choices. Taub has been honored with several writing awards from the California News Publishers Association. He's just happy to have his stories read. Joining GV Wire in 2016, Taub covers politics, government and elections, mainly in the Fresno/Clovis area. He also writes columns about local eateries (Appetite for Fresno), pro wrestling (Off the Bottom Rope), and media (Media Man). Prior to joining the online news source, Taub worked as a radio producer for KMJ and PowerTalk 96.7 in Fresno. He also worked as an assignment editor for KCOY-TV in Santa Maria, California, and KSEE-TV in Fresno. He has also worked behind the scenes for several sports broadcasts, including the NCAA basketball tournament, and the Super Bowl. When not spending time with his family, Taub loves to officially score Fresno Grizzlies games. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Taub is a die-hard Giants and 49ers fan. He graduated from the University of Michigan with dual degrees in communications and political science. Go Blue! You can contact David at 559-492-4037 or at Send an Email

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