Two Vitalant donors in November will win $10,000

Antioch Blood Drives Oct. 31, Nov. 14

By Kevin Adler, Communications Manager, Vitalant

Every two seconds, a patient in the U.S. needs blood but fewer donors give as end-of-year holiday activities start to fill calendars. That’s why nonprofit Vitalant is urging all eligible donors to give thanks for their good health and make an appointment to give blood this November. Just an hour time commitment helps ensure every patient’s blood need can be met all through the holidays.  

It takes donors of all blood types to keep the blood supply stable, especially type O and platelet donors. O-negative blood can help any patient. O-positive, the most common blood type, can help anyone with a positive blood type.

Blood Helps Even the Littlest of Patients

November is also National Prematurity Awareness Month. Premature infants commonly have anemia and need blood transfusions to help them thrive. The National Institutes of Health cites more than 80% of extremely preterm infants need at least one transfusion in their first month.

Vitalant is thanking donors in November with a chance to win one of two $10,000 prepaid gift cards in the Shopping Spree Giveaway.

Learn more and make an appointment to give by visiting vitalant.org, download the Vitalant app or call 877-25-VITAL (877-258-4825).

Upcoming Blood Drives in Contra Costa County

October 31, Friday – Antioch, Dozier-Libbey Medical High School, 10:00 AM – 1:45 PM

November 4, Tuesday – Walnut Creek, Mt. Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church, 10:00 AM – 2:30 PM

November 11, Tuesday – Pleasant Hill, Stokley Properties, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

November 12, Wednesday – Martinez, Alhambra High School, 9:00 AM – 1:30 PM

November 19, Wednesday – Antioch, Kaiser Sand Creek, 9:00 AM – 1:15 PM

November 22, Saturday – El Cerrito, Sycamore Christian Preschool, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

These are just a few of the nearly 100 community blood drives being held in November. Donors can also give at any of the six Vitalant donation centers in the area.

About Vitalant

Vitalant (Vye-TAL-ent) is one of the nation’s largest nonprofit blood and biotherapies healthcare organizations, providing hospitals and patients across the U.S. a safe blood supply, specialized laboratory services, transfusion medicine expertise and world-renowned research. Individuals generously donating blood, volunteering and giving financially are essential to our lifesaving mission. Learn more at vitalant.org.

AB 692 will prohibit ‘stay-or-pay’ contracts that trap nurses and other workers in exploitative debt arrangements with employers

By California Nurses Association

California Nurses Association (CNA), the largest union of registered nurses in the state of California, applauds Governor Gavin Newsom for taking action to protect workers from employers’ use of predatory debt contracts and signing Assembly Bill 692 (A.B. 692) into law on Monday, Oct. 13. A.B. 692 prohibits employers from requiring workers to pay a debt, fee, or penalty if the workers wants to leave their job, expressly making these kinds of exploitative workplace debt arrangements unlawful.

“California is taking a proactive step forward to support the thousands of nurses and nearly one in 12 workers who are in exploitative stay-or-pay contracts,” said Sandy Reding, RNand CNA president. “We are grateful for Assemblymember Kalra championing this bill and to Governor Newsom for stepping up with the labor movement to stand up to Trump’s assaults on worker protections. California leads the rest of the country by signing this bill into law.”

A.B. 692 was authored by Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San Jose) and sponsored by CNA, as well as a broad coalition of co-sponsoring organizations, including the California Federation of Labor Unions, California Employment Lawyers Association, Protect Borrowers, and the American Economic Liberties Project.

“It has been an honor to work with CNA in abolishing exploitative stay-or-pay contracts and stopping employers from creating debt to trap and intimidate workers,” said Assemblymember Kalra. “I am grateful Governor Newsom signed A.B. 692, ensuring workers are not coerced into employment debt agreements and can be empowered to leave bad jobs.”

“Today, Governor Newsom signed an important bill to ban employer debt traps and protect nurses, actors, athletes and so many other workers. Employers use training repayment schemes to trap workers in jobs with low wages, unsafe conditions, and abusive managers,” said California Labor Federation President Lorena Gonzalez. “It doesn’t matter if you work in a hospital or play professional sports, no worker should have to pay an employer back if they leave a job. We are proud of California’s progress that will help workers level the playing field.”

A.B. 692 addresses the growing number of employers that are using debt as an exploitative tool to trap workers in jobs, often with low wages and substandard working conditions, and to bust unions. Sometimes called “stay-or-pay” contracts, employers coerce workers into predatory arrangements that require the worker to pay an alleged debt or other financial penalty to their employer if the worker leaves their job before a prescribed period of time–whether the worker is fired, laid off, or quits. With the threat of having to pay back a debt or fee to their employer, “stay-or-pay” contracts indenture workers to remain at a job and chills workers from seeking better wages or working conditions.

California Nurses Association/National Nurses United is the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the nation with more than 100,000 members in more than 200 facilities throughout California and more than 225,000 RNs nationwide.

For more than 4,700 frontline healthcare workers across Northern California, securing progress on staffing, pay, working conditions 

By Jennifer Kelly, Media Relations, SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW)

OAKLAND, CA – As of Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, frontline healthcare workers at eight Sutter Health facilities across Northern California have reached a tentative contract agreement with Sutter executives, averting the strike workers had overwhelmingly authorized. The new agreement addresses critical issues around staffing and working conditions by ensuring fair pay and benefits for frontline healthcare workers, allowing them to continue serving patients without disruption. (See related article)

“This tentative agreement shows that when we stand united, we can win improvements that protect both healthcare workers and our patients,” said Dinora Garcia, a dietary clerk from Sutter Lakeside. “Reaching this agreement wasn’t easy but we stood together to advocate for worker and patient safety, improved staffing levels, and fair wages and benefits that reflect the vital work we do every day.”  

The tentative contract agreement needs to be voted on and approved by the members before it is final. If approved, the agreement will provide 14 percent across-the-board raises for workers. The agreement also protects healthcare and retirement benefits for these frontline healthcare workers. 

The tentative agreement averts a strike at eight Sutter Health facilities in Oakland, Santa Rosa, Roseville, Berkeley, Lakeport, Vallejo, Antioch, Castro Valley and San Francisco, where thousands of workers had been preparing to strike.   

SEIU-UHW represents a variety of workers across Sutter Health, including nursing assistants, respiratory therapists, licensed vocational nurses, environmental services, food services, x-ray technicians, respiratory therapists and others. The ratification vote will be scheduled for later this month. 

Sutter Health Issues Statement

According to a Sutter Health spokesperson, “Sutter Health and SEIU-UHW reached tentative agreements for new contracts on Saturday covering more than 4,400 employees at eight hospitals. 

The parties have negotiated in good faith since July for an agreement that recognizes and rewards employees while supporting our ability to deliver safe, high-quality care. We believe the tentative agreements meet those goals. 

SEIU-UHW will soon hold a ratification vote for its membership. We encourage all eligible employees to participate in the vote and support this fair contract offer.”

About SEIU-UHW

SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW) is a healthcare justice union of more than 120,000 healthcare workers, patients, and healthcare activists united to ensure affordable, accessible, high-quality care for all Californians provided by valued and respected healthcare workers. Learn more at www.seiu-uhw.org. 

About Sutter Health

Sutter Health’s integrated, not-for-profit system of associated clinicians, employees and volunteers support more than 3 million patients in diverse communities across two dozen counties. Headquartered in Northern California, Sutter provides access to high quality, affordable care through its hospitals, medical foundations, ambulatory surgery centers, urgent and walk-in care centers, telehealth, home health and hospice services.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Workers demand public health department investigations into claims of unsafe staffing, unsanitary conditions, dangerous care practices

Fresnenius denies workers’ allegations, Satellite does not respond

By Renée Saldaña, SEIU, Press Secretary, SEUI – United Healthcare Workers West

CALIFORNIA –  Dialysis healthcare workers in counties across California delivered complaints to local Departments of Public Health on Tuesday and Wednesday that detail alarming and persistent violations inside dialysis clinics operated by Satellite Healthcare and Fresenius Medical Care in Stockton, Santa Rosa, San Diego, Imperial Valley, Riverside, San Bernardino, Sacramento, and the Bay Area, including a location in Antioch.

The complaints, filed by members of SEIU–United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW), outline conditions that workers say create unsafe working conditions and put vulnerable dialysis patients at serious risk, including chronic understaffing, infection control failures, unsanitary facilities, and unsafe equipment.

“Dialysis patients deserve safe, quality care – but instead, we’re seeing clinics where workers are stretched so thin that even basic safety protocols can’t be followed,” said Mike Badilla, a patient care technician at Satellite Healthcare in Gilroy. “We’re speaking up because these conditions are unacceptable for workers and our patients. These companies know what the problems are. They’ve been warned before. But until they’re forced to change, patients will keep paying the price.”

The complaints detail a disturbing pattern of systemic issues across multiple facilities, including:

• Unsafe staffing levels leaving workers responsible for more patients and tasks than can be safely managed, leading to skipped safety checks, improper infection control procedures, and missed treatments.
• Equipment failures and unsafe environments such as broken Hoyer lifts requiring firefighters to move patients, leaking water treatment rooms, broken air conditioning systems, and debris left around treatment areas during renovations.
• Infection control lapses including visible blood stains in patient areas, improper disinfection procedures, and insufficient time between treatments to safely clean equipment.

“Our clinics are understaffed, under-resourced, and run by executives more focused on profits than worker and patient safety,” said Bonnie Oconer, a patient care technician at Fresenius Medical Care in Riverside. “We’re calling on public health departments to investigate these conditions and hold these companies accountable.

Dialysis workers have been raising alarms for years about unsafe conditions in the dialysis industry. Despite past citations from state inspectors, similar safety failures continue, and caregivers say that without stronger enforcement and meaningful changes from employers, workers and patients will remain at risk.

SEIU-UHW represents more than 700 dialysis caregiversat Fresenius, Satellite Healthcare and U.S. Renal in various job classes, including registered nurses, patient care technicians, licensed vocational nurses, certified clinical hemodialysis technicians, dietitians, social workers, clinical administrative coordinators, and receptionists.

SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW) is a healthcare justice union of more than 120,000 healthcare workers, patients, and healthcare activists united to ensure affordable, accessible, high-quality care for all Californians, provided by valued and respected healthcare workers. Learn more at www.seiu-uhw.org.

UPDATE: Fresenius Responds, Denies Workers’ Allegations

In response, Kirsten Stratton, Senior Manager for Media Relations, Global Communications of Fresenius Medical Care provided the following company statement:

“SEIU-UHW’s allegations are not supported by facts. Objective government quality metrics routinely demonstrate that our dialysis centers in California lead and outperform the rest of the industry.

The latest Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 5-star quality ratings showed that our California centers have a higher ratio of 4- and 5-star ratings than any other dialysis provider across the country. Our employee hiring and retention far outpace California and nationwide trends. From 2022 through 2024 in California, our average time to fill a position improved by 22%, open positions by 68%, and voluntary turnover from 22% to 10%.

As has been the case throughout this process, our focus will be on bargaining in good faith and providing high-quality, life-sustaining care.”

An effort to also reach Satellite Healthcare for comment was unsuccessful prior to publication time. Please check back later for any additional updates.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

96% vote in favor of a strike, claim Sutter Health management refuses to bargain in good faith in order to fix working conditions and short staffing

“Sutter Health has been bargaining in good faith with SEIU–UHW since July and we remain committed to reaching a fair and sustainable agreement.” – Sutter Health

By Renée Saldaña, Press Secretary, SEUI – United Healthcare Workers West

OAKLAND, Calif. – Frontline healthcare workers from eight different Sutter Hospitals and Medical Centers across Northern California have voted to authorize a strike over unfair labor practices. The workers overwhelmingly approved the strike with a 96% vote in support, citing bad faith bargaining by Sutter executives. Workers have not yet chosen dates and will continue trying to bargain with Sutter executives at upcoming sessions on October 9 and 10.

In August and September, these same caregivers held a series of rolling pickets at the sites of the possible future strike, including a march and rally at Sutter Health’s Sacramento Medical Center that drew over 1,000 frontline healthcare workers calling for safer staffing, fair pay, and investment in underserved communities across the giant healthcare system. 

“We don’t want to go on strike, but we feel like we have to,” said Nikki Moorer of Sutter Solano. “We need management to stop bargaining in bad faith and listen to us to fix working conditions and short staffing. Procedures get canceled, and patients are sent home because there aren’t enough staff to properly stock the equipment we need. That’s not care. That’s a crisis.”

Healthcare workers at Sutter Health facilities in Oakland, Santa Rosa, Roseville, Berkeley, Lakeport, Vallejo, Antioch, Castro Valley, and San Francisco say that despite their dedication to provide the best patient care, management refuses to invest in the staff who make that mission possible. Turnover has forced employees to take on multiple roles and work longer hours as experienced caregivers leave for higher-paying jobs. Staffing shortages are stretching the remaining workforce thin and putting patient care at risk. Despite this, Sutter executives refuse to listen to frontline healthcare workers to negotiate for a contract to help solve these problems.

At the same time, Sutter is paying its top executives millions each year, including Sutter Health CEO Warner Thomas, who earned over $11 million in 2023, while refusing to invest in staffing and patient care. The health system also plans to replace the aging Alta Bates Ashby campus with a smaller facility in Emeryville, leading to a loss of services in the communities that need them most.

The strike votes apply to a variety of job classes, including nursing assistants, respiratory therapists, licensed vocational nurses, environmental services, cooks, technicians, and more.

Sutter Health Responds

Sutter Health responded by issuing the following statement: “Sutter Health has been bargaining in good faith with SEIU–UHW since July and we remain committed to reaching a fair and sustainable agreement.

“It’s common for unions to take a strike authorization vote as part of the bargaining process, but SEIU–UHW has not called a strike.

“We look forward to being at the table next week to continue working toward a resolution that’s best for our employees, our patients and the communities we serve.”

Sutter Health’s spokesperson also provided the following link to additional information on the 2025 SEIU-UHW and Sutter Health Labor Negotiations: Get the Facts | Vitals.

About SEIU-UHW

SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW) is a healthcare justice union of more than 120,000 healthcare workers, patients, and healthcare activists united to ensure affordable, accessible, high-quality care for all Californians provided by valued and respected healthcare workers. Learn more at www.seiu-uhw.org.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

 By Elissa Harrington, Sr. Media Relations & PR Rep, Kaiser Permanente Northern California

A mobile medical vehicle provides routine and urgent care for a community recovering from a flood.

A modern community food hub opens in a struggling neighborhood, so residents don’t go hungry.

And a high school wellness room offers teenagers a welcome respite from the stresses of daily life.

These are just three examples of programs that Kaiser Permanente recently supported as part of its mission to improve health in the communities it serves. The Kaiser Permanente Northern California Community Health Snapshot includes brief stories about these programs and much more.

In 2024, Kaiser Permanente invested $1.7 billion in Northern California communities and $89 million in the Diablo Service area, which includes Antioch and Walnut Creek, to support community health. A major part of that investment helped people access high-quality health care through Kaiser Permanente’s participation in Medi-Cal and its own Medical Financial Assistance program.

Kaiser Permanente also worked with many local organizations throughout Northern California to address the biggest factors that shape people’s health. The report is titled “Connection is Everything,” in recognition of the connections we make in the communities we serve to improve health.

“We partnered with community organizations to address deep-rooted barriers that keep people from being healthy, such as not having a safe place to live, enough food to eat, or money to cover life’s essentials,” said Yvette Radford, vice president, External and Community Affairs for Kaiser Permanente Northern California. “When we help keep people and communities healthy, the health care system works better for everyone.”

You can learn more about our work to improve health in your community by exploring Kaiser Permanente Northern California’s 11 local Community Health Snapshots. Go to our Northern California page and scroll down to the “Communities we serve” section.

Includes Medicare and commercial health plans according to NCQA

By Elissa Harrington, Sr. Media Relations & PR Rep, Kaiser Permanente Northern California

OAKLAND, Calif. – Based on national assessments of overall patient experience and clinical quality, Kaiser Permanente Northern California is once again recognized as having the highest-rated health plans in California and among the highest in the nation.

Kaiser Permanente’s Medicare and commercial health plans in Northern California each received 5 out of 5 stars – the highest rating possible, according to the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) 2025 Health Plan Ratings. This is the 10th ratings period that Kaiser Permanente Northern California has received this designation.

Nationally, only 11 health plans are rated 5 stars. NCQA also ranks Kaiser Permanente Northern California health plans as best in the state for treatment outcomes and prevention efforts.

“These national ratings speak to the high-quality care Kaiser Permanente Northern California provides to its members and patients every day and our efforts to improve health care outcomes,” said Mike Bowers, FACHE, interim president of Kaiser Permanente’s Northern California region. “Our focus on treatment, prevention, and an overall exceptional patient care experience is why our health plans are recognized as best in the state and among the top health plans nationally.”

For 2025, NCQA rated nearly 1,000 plans – commercial, Medicare, and Medicaid – for quality and service nationwide. All of Kaiser Permanente’s commercial and Medicare plans received the highest rating, or were tied for the highest rating, in all the geographic regions we serve. Kaiser Permanente had more 5-star or 4.5-star plans than any other health care organization for the tenth ratings cycle in a row. 

“Our highly-skilled clinicians are consistently delivering world-class, high-value care to our patients,” said Maria Ansari, MD, FACC, CEO and executive director of The Permanente Medical Group. “We continue to be recognized as a national leader because of our commitment to driving better health results through innovation, evidence-based treatments, and patient-centered care.”

NCQA is a national, private not-for-profit organization that surveys health plans for performance in a wide range of clinical service measures including consumer experience,  prevention, population health, and treatment.

NCQA primarily used the 2024 Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set, or HEDIS®, to establish its ratings. HEDIS is the most widely used performance measurement tool in health care.

The 2025 ratings and methodology are posted on the NCQA’s website at https://reportcards.ncqa.org/health-plans.

About Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve nearly 12.6 million members in 8 states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists, and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery, and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education, and the support of community health. For more information, go to about.kp.org.

NCQA annual report card gives the HMO 4.5 out of 5 stars

The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), the national evaluator of health insurance plans, has once again recognized Contra Costa Health Plan (CCHP) as one of the highest rated health plans in the nation and among the best in California for patient experience and quality of care. 

Among health maintenance organizations (HMOs) offering Medi-Cal, CCHP was one of the top three plans in California to be awarded 4.5 out of 5 stars, the highest level awarded this year, on NCQA’s annual report card. 

CCHP was also one of just 14 Medicaid plans in the United States to receive 4.5 out of 5 stars, achieving exceptionally high marks among patients for treatment and preventative care including children and women’s care and cancer screening. 

“Being recognized among the nation’s top health plans is a huge accomplishment for our staff, providers and partners,” said Supervisor Candace Andersen, Chair of the Board of Supervisors. “This rating shows that our community trusts and values the care that we provide and encourages us to keep pushing towards our goal to deliver high-quality care and improve the health of our community.”

For over 50 years, Contra Costa Health has provided high-quality, affordable coverage through CCHP. CCHP was the nation’s first federally qualified, state-licensed, county-sponsored HMO. 

“I’m so proud of the work this team has done to enable us to get this excellent rating and to serve the people of Contra Costa County,” Contra Costa Health CEO Dr Grant Colfax said. “We will continue to address community health priorities,and we look forward to what we can accomplish together in this next year.” 

CCHP’s high marks and recognition by NCQA are a direct result of the exemplary care and patient support provided by Contra Costa Regional Medical Center and Health Centers, community clinics in CCHP’s community provider network, and CCH’s Public Health and Behavioral Health divisions. Altogether, CCHP touches about 271,000 members, including 265,000 Medi-Cal enrollees. 

Visit Contra Costa Health Plan to learn more about CCHP, including how to enroll if you need healthcare, or call 1-800-211-8040 weekdays. 

About NCQA: NCQA is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations. It also recognizes clinicians and practices in key areas of performance. NCQA’s Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®) is the most widely used performance measurement tool in health care. NCQA’s website (ncqa.org) contains information to help consumers, employers and others make informed health care choices. NCQA can also be found at Twitter/X @ncqa and on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/ncqa.