If someone is being denied an abortion they need, what can they do?

While being denied abortion care you know you’re entitled to will be an intensely fraught experience, Wonnacott said it’s nonetheless important for patients to “seek the care they need” — even if that means getting to another health center or hospital as an alternative to the provider denying care.

While advocating for yourself in medical situations is ideal, Wonnacott also acknowledged that “a patient’s experience with the medical system can vary greatly,” and “that may not be a comfortable space for patients and their historical experience” — for example, in the context of medical racism. Therefore, “trying to find a provider that is responsive to listening to their concerns is important in these situations,” she said — and that may mean moving on as swiftly as possible to another provider to get yourself the care you need.

What about religious objections to providing abortions?

For years, activists have sounded the alarm over Catholic hospitals denying procedures during emergencies across the country.

The Attorney General’s Office said that “healthcare providers are allowed to refuse to perform abortions for moral, ethical or religious reasons.” But California law does not allow religious objections to take precedence in an emergency situation, such as an emergency abortion, Bonta said.

In his Sept. 30 announcement of the state’s suit against Providence St. Joseph Hospital, Bonta confirmed that religious objections don’t apply when it comes to California’s Emergency Services Law, which mandates that hospitals provide care “necessary to relieve or eliminate the emergency medical condition.”

California’s lawsuit alleges that Providence St. Joseph Hospital denied the patient an emergency abortion her doctors recommended because “fetal heart tones” could be detected. But state law, Bonta said, “applies generally to all emergency care providers.”

“It is not a suggestion or a recommendation; it is the law, and you are duty-bound to follow it,” Bonta said. “You can’t make up your own standard.” Ultimately, however, the patient in the Providence St. Joseph case said she was forced to seek the life-saving treatment at another nearby medical facility.

How can someone report being denied abortion care in California?

After securing the abortion care they need, a patient can then judge whether or not they want to report the experience to any officials.

Attorney General Rob Bonta — California’s top lawyer and law enforcement official — has emphasized his commitment to monitoring cases of denied abortions, especially as his office gears up to fight the incoming Trump presidency. Bonta’s office also encouraged people to reach out to them about abortions they may have been denied by emailing abortion.access@doj.ca.gov.

If “a patient feels comfortable, our office would like to hear their story,” a California Department of Justice (DoJ) spokesperson told KQED by email.

The DoJ is specifically interested in hearing about cases where “you were denied an abortion you needed in a medical emergency, or if you were denied any other emergency or reproductive medical care,” the spokesperson said.

“Please note that you may or may not be contacted after writing to this email address, depending on the needs of the investigation,” the spokesperson said.

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) — The California Highway Patrol says there is an increase in accidents this time of year because people get complacent after a summer without fog.

A wall of dust rolled over Madera County Monday leading to a massive pile-up on Highway 152.

“We slowed down to a stop, and then all the cars just kept coming and hit us,” said Delissa Fulce, an Oakhurst local.

“We got hit three times by the cars behind us, and I think they got hit behind us. So it was probably a 20-car pileup.”

“Our friend, which is now in the hospital, is like, we’re going to get hit again,” said Julia Parra Pintado, Crash victim. “Like, be prepared. And we get and we got hit up by the back.”

California Highway Patrol said the massive crash likely would’ve been hard to avoid with how quickly the dust moved in.

While we might not see dust storms daily, we have entered fog season and many drivers will face the Tule Fog as they head out most mornings.

Dust and fog can lead to similar conditions on the roadway and California Highway Patrol says you should take similar precautions if you run into either.

“Reduce your speed,” said Mike Salas, California Highway Patrol. “If you cannot see, don’t try and risk it. Pull over off where it’s safe, turn those emergency flashers on, remain in your car, seat belted, and hopefully you can wait until that issue subsides.”

CHP spokesman Mike Salas said you can even turn on your emergency flashers while you’re driving to make yourself more visible.

When it comes to your headlights choose the low beams over high beams.

“The high beams, all it does is it’s a mirror effect, so it kind of blinds the driver, especially in the evening hours,” said Salas.

If your car has automatic headlights Salas said don’t depend on the car to pick the right setting, especially during the day and know the forecast before you hit the road.

“Delay your trip at all possible, if not,” said Salas.

“If you’re stuck in a situation where you feel that it’s going to be a danger to you or someone else on the road, pull over off of the road well enough where you won’t become a hazard if someone comes up from behind you.”

For news updates, follow Kate Nemarich on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

A Bay Area consumer-advocacy group claims California’s Department of Insurance is violating state public-records law by refusing to hand over important data on consumer complaints about life insurance.

The Pleasant Hill-based non-profit Life Insurance Consumer Advocacy Center called the department’s purported violation of the California Public Records Act “inexcusable.”

The department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Numbers and types of consumer complaints about life insurance and annuities, plus the reports and data the department used for the complaints section of its 2023 annual report, would help the non-profit promote the interests of life insurance customers, and provide key information to establish a baseline on consumer complaints.

“Why is (the department) trying to hide this information?” said the group’s executive director Brian Brosnahan.

Of particular interest to the group is assessing consumers’ responses after passage this year of California Senate Bill 263, which imposes requirements for agents selling life insurance, including that they not put their own interest ahead of a customer’s. The group alleges that the the bill, now law, lets agents “falsely tell” a consumer they do not have conflicts of interest with the consumer, even if they stand to make substantial commissions if the customer follows their guidance.

The Department of Insurance’s alleged stonewalling has gone on for months, the group said in a news release Tuesday. An initial request in August drew a response from the department that it did not have the information, according to the group, which responded by pointing out that the department’s annual report contained charts showing total complaints and the top 10 complaint topics. The department “obviously did possess the requested information,” the group claimed.

Another back-and-forth followed, with the department saying the requested data was “not maintained by the Department,” the group said.

“This statement is obviously false since (the department) necessarily maintains the underlying data and reports from which the charts in the Annual Report were generated,” the group claimed.

In October, the department “finally admitted that it possessed the requested data,” the group said, but now is refusing to provide it, saying it is confidential, the group said.

Originally Published: November 12, 2024 at 3:40 PM PST