Health

Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital and Anthem Blue Cross this week announced they have signed a new two-year agreement for commercial and employer sponsored health insurance plans. The new contract, which will take effect Jan. 1, 2024, allows people in San Benito County who are insured...

‘Everyday people across the country skip medical care because of cost. Those who do seek medical help may end up with a balance they can’t pay off. That debt can hurt people’s credit scores, resulting in long-term financial burdens. Starting Jan. 1, a new state...

Smoke from a series of large wildfires burning in Northern California and Oregon is riding steady northerly winds into the Bay Area, lowering air quality to unhealthy levels in much of the region.  The Bay Area Air Quality Management District issued a Spare the Air...

The community room of the Gilroy Library transformed into a walk-through installation on Nov. 5, depicting the life of civil rights champion and co-founder of the United Farm Workers Union, Dolores Huerta, who coined the phrase, “Sí se puede” (Yes, we can). Huerta briefly taught...

Everyone enrolled in Medi-Cal, the state’s public health insurance program, is eligible to receive free dental care. However, many patients can’t regularly make it to the dentist—or send their children to one—because they live in rural areas where services are scarce, transportation is a...

The San Benito County Board of Supervisors last week approved a resolution stating its opposition to local ballot Measure Q, and some have wondered if the action comes too close to violating state laws against using public resources to promote an election campaign. The resolution...

The San Benito Health Care District board of directors on April 8 voted not to pursue an appeal in Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital’s Chapter 9 Bankruptcy case. Instead, the board will continue to focus on finalizing a deal with Insight Health, district officials said...

The Central California Alliance for Health last week announced its collaboration with Serving Communities Health Information Organization (SCHIO), one of the oldest and most advanced multi-stakeholder health information exchanges (HIEs) in the country.  The partnership will help Alliance Medi-Cal members and providers in five counties,...

Safely dispose of unwanted tires, mattresses, electronic waste and household hazardous waste, for free, at the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office on Feb. 7.  The free Recycle Day event will take place from 9am-1pm, in the parking lot shared by the sheriff’s office and Resource...

Alzheimer’s education seminar The Community Foundation for San Benito County will host an Alzheimer’s Education Workshop on April 11 for members of the public to learn about the disease’s risk factors, warning signs, helpful resources and other information.  Presenters include Philip M. Geiger, Regional Director for...