She said the easiest way to change the trend would be for more states to expand Medicaid under the health law. Fourteen states have yet to do so. Though the expansion largely affects adults, as parents enroll, their children are likely to follow.

Experts acknowledge that the masks don’t block all the toxins in the air — the chemical gases, for example, released into the atmosphere when fire engulfs neighborhoods and the construction materials, cars, paint and other consumer goods that people use every day.

(Español) El Incitador en Jefe es como quien provoca un accidente mortal manejando irresponsablemente y luego pasa por la escena preguntándose qué habrá sucedido. No hay conciencia ni remordimiento.

Children’s hospitals also rely heavily on Medi-Cal, the state’s insurance program for low-income people, Kuhns said. Medi-Cal pays hospitals less than private insurance.