The Medicaid eligibility review set to begin in April of this year puts millions at risk of losing their health coverage in the U.S.
Three years into the COVID-19 pandemic and since the creation of the Medicaid program that provides health coverage to low-income people, an eligibility review process will finally be carried out for the 86.7 million people enrolled in the program, which could leave up to 15 million fewer beneficiaries, among which are communities of color.
"Research predicts that Latinos, Asians, Native Americans, African Americans, and Pacific Islanders will lose coverage by nearly 40 percent, respectively, and between 3 and 4 million children," said Farah Erzouki, senior policy analyst at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities at a press briefing organized by Ethnic Media Services where experts met to discuss the implications of this review process.
The problem doesn't stop there, however. Erzouki estimates that another 7 million people could lose health coverage for other reasons such as delays in paperwork even if they remain eligible, so she recommended that beneficiaries make sure their contact information is up to date.
"People who have moved in the last three years are at risk of not receiving notices or other important information," he warned.
Laura Guerra-Cardus, director of State Strategy for Medicaid, recommended —as did Farah Erzouki— that people keep an eye on their emails, since beneficiaries can receive letters for renewal from Medicaid at any time and the states of the country will have one year to begin renewals, so it is likely that notices will be sent throughout the year.
She also noted that those who are no longer eligible can obtain affordable health coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA), however those who lose Medicaid coverage have a very short period of time to make their transition to the ACA, so it is essential that those who are at risk of losing their coverage consult information on www.healthcare.gov.
California struggles to maintain coverage
In California, at least one-third of the population uses coverage as insurance for their children and more than half of this sector of the population has Medi-Cal coverage, however they are at risk of losing it due to the review.
Although California passed a continuous coverage law for young children last year, it will not go into effect until 2025, meaning thousands will lose coverage during that time. However, to prevent this from happening, they are pushing for the policy to be implemented as soon as possible.
Kristen Testa, director of health at The Children's Partnership, said, "This process is going to have a tremendous effect on all of those families. Every single one of them is going to have to renew," and she stressed the importance of reaching out to the community and informing them where they should go for renewals.
"There are county offices where medical applications are renewed and there are also community organizations and health plans that can help families with their renewal," she said.
Remember that in each State the eligibility requirements are different, you can check them at www.medicaid.gov
San Mateo County will support business launches and growth after the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to invest nearly $1.5 million to help entrepreneurs launch and grow businesses.
The funds, they said, will also help job seekers gain the skills they need to compete for in-demand careers.
Programs including how to access capital will be launched through the North Fair Oaks Economic Advancement Center.
“This will be an important step in moving families and individuals closer to economic independence by giving them the right tools and training to move forward,” said Supervisor Warren Slocum, who represents the Fourth District which includes North Fair Oaks, parts of Menlo Park including Belle Haven, East Palo Alto and Redwood City.
“We know that there is a lot of talent and treasure within our vulnerable communities and with the right services, they too can become small entrepreneurial businesses here or get jobs in some of our local companies. It is also about equity and giving opportunities to others,” she added.
The investment builds on ongoing work over several years to develop the entrepreneurial spirit of residents in the North Fair Oaks area and to help job seekers gain valuable skills.
It should be noted that two service provider organizations were selected and grants approved to begin the work of the North Fair Oaks Economic Advancement Center.
Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center was selected to provide services to local small businesses and entrepreneurs. Its work will be funded with a $500,000 grant from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and federal American Rescue Plan Act funding.
JobTrain will provide employment services, including job training, to individuals, households and small businesses in North Fair Oaks.
Classes, tutorials, and materials will be available in English and Spanish with a focus on women’s programs; skills development and industry-specific workshops (finance, marketing, operations); technology training; website development; and legal workshops on small business topics (leases, intellectual property, contracts).
The program will also provide targeted assistance for entrepreneurs seeking grants for Latino-owned businesses and information on accessing COVID-19 relief grants for microenterprises in California.
Until a site is located and leased for the North Fair Oaks Economic Advancement Center, the Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center and JobTrain will begin work at Casa Círculo Cultural in North Fair Oaks.
Kakey Cheng, a migrant from Taiwan, and Enrique Aquino, a migrant from Mexico, celebrate in a very particular way tolerance, respect and love for all those who come to their restaurant, My Breakfast House, a delicious space in the heart of San Carlos that serves breakfast in a relaxed and inclusive environment against discrimination.
The small restaurant that has become a favorite among residents and that Kakey opened 11 years ago and now shares with Enrique, who is also her partner, has not suffered from bad experiences in terms of hate crimes or discrimination, however, they know that they are not exempt from what has happened in the Bay Area in recent years.
“I’m very lucky to have lived here for almost 50 years and we’ve never had those bad experiences of discrimination. I’m very shocked to see all those people attacking Asians,” Cheng told Peninsula 360 Press in an interview. “I’m very cautious about that. I don’t like walking down the street with my phone in my face, I’m always aware of my surroundings.”
According to Stop AAPI Hate, a national coalition addressing anti-Asian racism in the U.S., between March 19, 2020, and March 31, 2022, there were 11,500 hate incidents reported to the organization's reporting center.
The mix of cultures in the Bay Area is perfectly displayed in this space that feeds everyone who comes to the place with great quality.
My Breakfast House, which is open daily from 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., is run by Cheng and Aquino, who as a couple have experienced discrimination together elsewhere.
"Only once as a couple did we have a bad experience going out to dinner at an expensive place. Some people have stereotypes that Asians and Latinos don't tip, so they don't get served properly," they said.
However, in their space it is not like that, because for them, "service is fundamental," says Kakey, "it is treating their clients like family, having a personal touch in the service."
Enrique, who has at least a couple of decades of experience in the hospitality industry such as restaurants, hotels, etc., learned from the bottom up, which allowed him to apply best practices in this space, offering excellent quality, without forgetting his roots.
A Taiwanese and a Mexican are an explosion of flavors and cultures, so Kakey and Enrique have had to overcome obstacles. The main challenges when working together was the language, since their English is not the best, but love, patience, respect and tolerance have led them to success. “We communicate very well.”
The other challenge was food, deciding where to go to the restaurant and what to eat, but now she eats a little spicy food and likes Mexican food. Whereas when he went to her home country, she told him he could eat whatever he wanted but please don't tell him what it was.
For Enrique, there are not many differences between Latin and Taiwanese culture. “We are almost the same, however, Kakey had heard that Mexicans and Latinos in general are very party-goers and that if they earn 10 dollars they spend 9. “That was my first concern when I met him, but everything has gone very well and we even have very similar food and very similar family traditions.”
But, like any couple, they found many things in common: a love of working and the importance of family and parents in particular. "How we take care of our parents when they are old is very different from the American culture, which dumps them in nursing homes."
"We invite you to come and try our breakfasts, which are delicious. I'm not the ones saying it, the people are," says Enrique.
After the capture of Ovidio Guzmán López, one of the most wanted drug traffickers in Mexico and the United States, son of Joaquín Guzmán Loera "El Chapo", in an operation in the city of Culiacán, Sinaloa, on January 5, experts describe the arrest as a clear message to the Sinaloa Cartel.
"The Mexican government calculated well and it worked out in its favor without the help of the DEA and the U.S. authorities. I think the authorities did not intend to cause too much violent damage, but rather to send a message to the Sinaloa Cartel," said Ricardo Raphael, a Mexican writer, journalist and radio and television host, who in an interview with Península 360 Press stressed that it is important to note that Ovidio is not the most powerful member of the Sinaloa Cartel, but he is the most visible.
Ricardo Raphael, Mexican writer, journalist and radio and television presenter. Photo: ricardoraphael.com
Raphael believes that "although Ovidio was arrested, the bosses of the Mayo Zambada cartel continue to operate in Tijuana."
However, "The Mexican government has learned that organized crime is better than disorganized crime."
This was explained to Península 360 Press by Eduardo Guerrero, director of Lantia Intelligence, a consultancy specialising in violence and risk mitigation.
“There have been many protests in Culiacan against the Mexican government for failing to protect innocent families caught in the crossfire during arrest operations. The cartel blocked roads, burned trailers and trucks, and even set fire to local businesses. I believe these reactions will last for the next few weeks and slowly fade away. Since Ovidio is an isolated attack, the cartel will stabilize and the spike in violence should subside,” he stressed.
Eduardo Guerrero, director of Lantia Intelligence, a consultancy specializing in violence and risk mitigation. Photo: Twitter Eduardo Guerrero
Ovidio Guzmán has not been the only isolated arrest in recent months, Guerrero says,
«Antonio Oseguera was arrested a few weeks ago as one of the key members of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, as well as Gerardo Treviño, alias “El Huevo”, leader of the Cartel del Noreste. This means that there have been three targeted attacks in the last month. The government is interested in maintaining a positive political appearance before the presidential elections.»
Paradoxically, on Tuesday, January 17, a court in Brooklyn, New York, began investigating former Mexican Secretary of Public Security Genaro García Luna, an alleged member of the Sinaloa Cartel since 2001, accused not only of corruption charges, but of a crime perhaps even more serious.
During the war on drugs declared by former President Felipe Calderón (2006-2012), García Luna possibly adopted a selective strategy of capturing and killing drug lords and their lieutenants, in order to weaken rival Sinaloa cartels in exchange for millions of dollars.
During his tenure, García Luna was in charge of the most significant drug-related efforts in Mexico, leading to the massive escalation of violence and homicides the country has experienced ever since.
García Luna's Ministry received millions of dollars from the United States through the so-called Mérida Initiative, in the form of military aid, equipment, training, as well as intelligence.
In this regard, Eduardo Guerrero believes that during this trial "there will be many surprises and unprecedented revelations. I believe that García Luna was associated not only with criminals, but with important businessmen and influential political figures in certain states. There will be many scandals after this trial."
He explained that the Mexican government now has to choose whether it wants to pursue a strategy of selective arrests to please the U.S., or a different type of strategy that would force them to target many drug traffickers from the same cartel at once, the only way to truly weaken a criminal organization.
However, pursuing the latter strategy has proven fruitless in the past, especially during the Calderón administration, when there was a massive escalation of violence. The options for Mexico are not simple.
As Ricardo Rafael says, the Mexican government has to play a delicate game: on the one hand, please the United States and make it seem that the government and the armed forces are still capable of maintaining order and containing the cartels, and on the other, send the message to the criminal organizations that the Mexican government will not launch an all-out war against them, since this strategy can backfire.
Adjustments and readjustments
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mexico has been engulfed in drug-related violence, most likely related to shifts and accommodations among criminal organizations that have been filling the void left by the capture and trial of the country’s most notorious drug lord, Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, currently held in a maximum security prison in Colorado, and the rise of a ruthless criminal organization called the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
The latest developments in this violent saga involve an outbreak of violence and terror in the city of Culiacán in the first week of the year, in response to the capture of El Chapo's son, Ovidio Guzmán López. The arrest occurs in the context of renewed efforts to improve diplomatic relations between Mexico and the United States.
The unrest in the capital of Sinaloa state included roadblocks, shootings and burning of vehicles. On January 6, at least 29 people were killed, including 10 soldiers.
Mexico currently has most of the most violent cities in the world, including Tijuana and Acapulco, with homicide rates above 100 per 100,000 inhabitants ‒ for comparison, Oakland currently has a rate of 16 homicides per 100,000.
This is not the first time that the city of Culiacán has been taken over and occupied by organized crime, trying to capture Ovidio Guzmán. The last time, in 2019, drug trafficking organizations were so powerful that they forced the hand of the Mexican president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador ‒AMLO‒, and it was the Mexican army itself that freed the son of “El Chapo” under the pretext of “avoiding more bloodshed in that city.”
On this occasion, just days before AMLO's trilateral summit with US President Joseph Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, held on January 10, Ovidio Guzmán was not released, but rather forcefully transferred to Mexico City, and is expected to be extradited without delay to be tried in the United States.
Mexico's cooperation with the United States in the fight against drug trafficking has been a complex process since the beginning of AMLO's administration, who has proposed a new policy of what he colloquially calls "hugs, not bullets." It is clear that the policy has not worked.
California gun owners may soon have to purchase liability insurance to own a gun.
Last week, two state senators introduced amended legislation to require such insurance for the negligent or accidental discharge of a gun.
Senate Amendment Bill 8 was introduced by Sens. Nancy Skinner, D-Oakland and Catherine Blakespear, D-Encinitas, following mass shootings across the state in January.
"Victims of gun violence and their families suffer serious economic, mental and physical harm, but have little or no recourse to receive compensation for that harm," Skinner said in a statement.
"Insurance is our society's method of compensating people harmed by, for example, car accidents, medical malpractice, or defective consumer products. Requiring gun owners to carry liability insurance puts the burden where it should be: on the gun owner," he added.
If SB 8 becomes law, California would be the first state in the nation to enact such a law.
San Jose has a gun insurance law, the first such law in the nation. SB 8 will be modeled after San Jose's law, which went into effect earlier this year.
Statewide, 31 people have been killed this month in mass shootings that occurred in Oakland, Half Moon Bay, Monterey Park and, among others, Goshen, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which tracks the numbers. Twenty-four more people were injured in those shootings, according to the same source.
“This bill is a common-sense approach to improving community safety,” Blakespear said. “Under current laws, the victims of gun violence and society at large are the ones who bear the cost of gun violence. This must change.”
Furthermore, he said, “Guns are similar to cars in that they are inherently dangerous and widely circulated. If a car accidentally causes injury to a person or property, the insurance policy will compensate the victim. The same approach should be applied to injuries caused by handguns.”
SB 8 would be like car insurance. Gun owners would be held civilly liable for property damage, injury or death caused by their gun. Gun owners would also have to have proof that they own the gun and keep it with them. If questioned by police, a gun owner would have to show the officer proof.
Blakespear introduced a version of SB 8 last year. The latest version of SB 8 will be like last year's SB 505, which was designed by Skinner. Anthony Portantino, D-La Canada Flintridge, will also be the lead author of the latest version of SB 8.
The city announced that emergency shelter beds in Redwood City for severe weather conditions are being activated in anticipation of frigid nights.
So, beginning tonight, January 30, emergency shelter beds can be used by those in need due to an overnight minimum forecast of 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below, with a less than 50 percent chance of rain.
Families or individuals who need shelter due to cold temperatures or inclement weather can call the Fair Oaks Community Center at 650-780-7500 or go directly to 2600 Middlefield Road, Redwood City, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. :00 to 17:00 hours.
If it is after 5:00 p.m. or during the weekend, those in need can call 650-780-7100 to access the emergency shelter.
The National Weather Service The NWS said the Bay Area and much of Northern California, especially coastal areas, will experience much cooler temperatures Sunday night through midweek.
Frost is likely across the region, at least through Wednesday morning. A freeze warning will be in effect for most areas from Monday night through Tuesday morning. Conditions will be extremely dangerous for people without shelter.
San Mateo County residents will now be eligible for federal disaster assistance after the area was included in the Major Disaster Declaration for the State of California after being affected by storms since December 27, 2022.
That was announced by Reps. Anna Eshoo, D-Menlo Park, and Kevin Mullin, D-San Mateo, who said disaster relief from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will help residents and business owners facing losses from the storms.
They therefore encouraged homeowners and renters who suffered damage or loss as a direct result of the storms to apply for FEMA assistance before the March 16, 2023 deadline.
Disaster assistance may include grants to help pay for temporary housing and essential home repairs, as well as other serious disaster-related needs such as medical and dental expenses, transportation, child care, and moving and storage costs.
“This will be a huge help to individuals and business owners who suffered losses during the severe storms that dumped 13 inches of rain on the county in December and January,” Mullin said. “My colleague Anna Eshoo and I will do everything we can to help our constituents as they recover and rebuild.”
Notably, Eshoo and Mullin wrote to President Joe Biden on January 23 to request an amendment to include San Mateo County in the Major Disaster Declaration issued for California.
San Mateo County residents can now access individual FEMA assistance by phone at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov to cover basic needs.
The declaration allows FEMA to provide direct support to individuals and households in nine counties: Calaveras, Merced, Monterey, Sacramento, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz.
Officials said that if you have insurance, you should first file a claim with your insurance provider. FEMA provides assistance to uninsured and underinsured applicants for serious disaster-related expenses and needs.
There are several ways to apply for FEMA assistance under the Individual Assistance program:
Visit DisasterAssistance.gov
Download the FEMA mobile app
Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. Help is available in many languages. If you use Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone service, or other services, provide FEMA with the number for that service. Helpline operators speak many languages and lines are open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. Press 2 for Spanish. Press 3 for an interpreter who speaks your language.
You can also visit a Disaster Recovery Center and meet with FEMA staff and representatives from other federal and state agencies who can provide you with information about disaster assistance. To find a recovery center near you, visit the DRC Locator (fema.gov).
These are the local news from January 21 to 27 that you need to know to stay up to date.
The heinous mass shootings that took place on Monday, January 23, where 7 people lost their lives and another was injured at a farm in Half Moon Bay, have left not only a county, but the entire state of California in shock and concern about the increase in these violent acts.
Just a couple of days before this tragedy, a 72-year-old man opened fire in the middle of a dance hall where the Lunar New Year was being celebrated, resulting in 11 people dead and 9 injured.
From Peninsula 360 Press, we offer our condolences to the families and friends of the victims of these shootings that, we know, make no sense.
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The San Mateo County Department of Emergency Management is asking residents for help in assessing recent storm damage in unincorporated areas.
For this reason, the City Council has created a survey, which is available in English and Spanish, which will determine if the county qualifies for state or federal disaster assistance due to the storms that began on New Year's Eve 2022.
Please note that completing the survey does not guarantee that the region or property owner will be eligible for disaster assistance.
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Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sunday issued a proclamation declaring the Lunar New Year and ordered flags at all state buildings to be flown at half-staff in honor of the victims of the Monterey Park mass shooting.
"As people across the country and around the world welcome the Lunar New Year today, California stands with our Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities reeling from the tragedy in Monterey Park," the official said in the proclamation.
He added that hearts go out to all those lost and those injured in this horrific act of gun violence on what should have been a night of joyous celebration.
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After shootings were reported on Monday afternoon in Half Moon Bay, a city in San Mateo County, police arrested the suspect of perpetrating the crime.
The shooting suspect was identified as 67-year-old Zhao Chunli and was arrested after being located in his car in the parking lot of a sheriff's office substation in Half Moon Bay, the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office said.
The San Mateo Sheriff's Department responded to the shooting in the area of State Route 92 and the Half Moon Bay City limits, the Sheriff's Office said on Twitter at 3:50 p.m.
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After a 67-year-old man opened fire on a farm Tuesday afternoon, killing seven people, members of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors mourned the deadly shooting in Half Moon Bay and called for more to be done to prevent such tragedies.
Supervisor Dave Pine, chairman of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, said on behalf of the board that he was sickened by what had happened.
For his part, Supervisor Ray Mueller, of District 3, spoke of the shock caused by the shooting that left families devastated.
Despite what recently happened in Half Moon Bay, this celebration comes as a breath of fresh air, as it reminds us to celebrate life and the beginning of a lunar new year, this time ruled by the water rabbit.
The celebration will take place next Saturday, February 4th at the Palace of Justice Plaza, located at 2200 Broadway in Redwood City from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
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Sheriff Christina Corpus, along with San Mateo County District Attorney Steven Wagstaff, provided an update on the tragic mass shooting that occurred yesterday afternoon in Half Moon Bay, which they called a possible act of workplace violence.
The suspect, identified as 66-year-old Chunli Zhao of Half Moon Bay, was taken into custody by Sheriff's personnel in the parking lot of the Half Moon Bay Police Department Substation.
The arrested perpetrator is the only suspect in the incident and there is no pending threat to the public, authorities said.
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The Mexican Consulate in San Francisco confirmed that two Mexicans were among those killed in mass shootings in Half Moon Bay on Monday afternoon, January 23.
"The Consulate General of Mexico in San Francisco regrets to inform that in the shooting that occurred in the town of Half Moon Bay, in San Mateo County on January 23, 2023, it has been confirmed that two of the deceased persons are of Mexican nationality," states the text issued by the Mexican representation in the city of San Francisco.
He also said that another Mexican person was injured and is being treated in a hospital in the city of Palo Alto, while personnel from the Consulate General in San José are already assisting him.
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The California Victim Compensation Board (CalVCB) said victims and witnesses of the shootings in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay may qualify for compensation, including lost income, medical expenses and mental health treatment.
Family members of those killed and injured in the Half Moon Bay shooting on Monday, January 23, along with those who witnessed the mass shooting, may qualify for up to $70,000 in compensation for services.
Covered services include emotional support, emotional support, medical appointments, and loss of income.
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As grief, amazement and fear linger over what happened Monday afternoon, January 23, at two Half Moon Bay farms, San Mateo County has made post-shooting mental health resources available to its residents.
Behavioral Health and Recovery Services' Crisis Response Team (CRT) has been meeting with families at the reunification center and other locations in Half Moon Bay, county officials said.
They also noted that CRT staff are trained in crisis response, suicide prevention and other mental health interventions.
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The most recent graduates of Online High School (COHS) were honored with a ceremony at the most recent Redwood City Council meeting to celebrate their accomplishments.
The three graduates who earned their diplomas through Smart Horizons Career Online High School with the help of the program were inspired to enroll by the family who went through the program and in turn, look to inspire their own family members to attend.
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Remembrance events for the victims of the shooting in Half Moon Bay earlier this week will be held in the coming days, city officials said.
Seven people were killed in shootings at two farms in the area on Monday. A fellow farmworker has been arrested and charged in the deaths.
U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Palo Alto, spoke on the House floor Friday about the mass shooting in Half Moon Bay, where seven people were killed earlier in the week.
The seven victims who died in Monday's shootings have been identified as Zhishen Liu, 73, Aixiang Zhang, 74, Qizhong Cheng, 66, Jingzhi Lu, 64, Marciano Martinez Jimenez, 50, Yetao Bing, 43, and Jose Romero Perez, 38. A co-worker at one of the farms, Chunli Zhao, has been arrested and charged with the murders.
Eshoo, whose congressional district includes Half Moon Bay, spoke on the House floor about the coastal community being “as American as it gets.”
She said: “It’s a bucolic community on the magnificent California coast. It’s known for its pumpkin festival, it’s known for its Maverick competition in terms of surfers, but it’s also known for over a century for its floriculture and its agriculture.”
Eshoo said the killings allegedly committed by Zhao were “intentional, they were targeted, it was an execution. And the children witnessed this.”
He called on his fellow members of Congress to consider their conscience in the wake of the tragedy, one of dozens of mass shootings across the country that have already occurred in the first weeks of 2023.
“When the number one cause of death for children in our nation is gun violence, we have to stop and examine our conscience,” Eshoo said. “We say ‘home of the brave, land of the free’; my prayer today is that we will be the home of the safe.”
A candlelight vigil is planned for 5 p.m. Friday at Mac Dutra Plaza on Main Street in Half Moon Bay. More community memorial events are planned next week, according to the city.
The City’s CARES Team is available seven days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. by calling 988 or (650) 713-5467 for anyone seeking mental health resources. The San Mateo County Crisis Response Team is also available to provide mental health assistance by calling (800) 686-0101.
Those interested in donating to an emergency campaign created for farmworkers affected by the recent flooding and mass shootings in Half Moon Bay can visit https://gofund.me/ff938946The Farmworker Caravan group, which helps farmworkers in the region, had raised more than $65,000 in the campaign as of Friday afternoon.
