Ultrino host meeting to promote senior housing stability

MALDEN – Representative Steve Ultrino (D-Malden) joined community organizations and providers in hosting a forum addressing senior housing and homelessness concerns and sharing resources for Malden’s seniors.

“Many of Malden’s seniors have lived in our community for decades, while others are just getting to know our city,” said Representative Ultrino. “These people are our friends and neighbors, and they deserve services that fit their needs and allow them to continue to live with dignity.”

Representative Ultrino emphasized that helping seniors is a major priority for him in the legislature, citing his work on the recent FY17 House budget, as well as his service on the Legislature’s Joint Committees on Elder Affairs, Public Health, and Health Care Financing. He also is a member of the board of Monsignor Neagle, a low-income housing complex also in Malden.

The event, Building Elder Housing Stability, was held at the Malden Senior Center, where Malden seniors came to listen and ask questions to a panel which included Representative Steve Ultrino and representatives from organizations such as Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD), the Malden Housing Authority, Boston Medical Center, Mystic Valley Elder Services, and Mass Senior Action Council. The panel discussed issues surrounding senior mental health, homelessness, rising health care and prescription drug costs, and securing permanent housing.

The panel brought awareness to various resources that their organizations provide in regards to these issues. They also highlighted areas of improvement and ways in which providers and policymakers could better serve this growing population.

“With the expected rapid increase of the senior population in Massachusetts, it is important that we start to invest more in homecare and finding ways to help seniors now,” said Representative Steve Ultrino. “Mental health and housing costs both contribute to the growing elderly homeless population. We need to tackle both and provide the necessary resources in order better serve our seniors.”

英語能力有限的房屋業主應受到平等待遇

英語能力有限的房屋業主應受到平等待遇

於近日所發佈的一篇調查報告中 , 非牟利組織全美金融改革聯盟(AFR) 及其成員齊聲促請聯邦監管部門, 對於英語能力有限者(Limited English Proficiency, 簡稱LEP)，在瞭解及使用金融財政系統方面應由難轉易, 特別是在房屋抵押貸款行業。

在 2014 年, 英語能力有限的美國居民已高達兩千五百三十萬,佔全國總人口的百分之九。這些英語能力有限的借款人特別容易遭遇詐騙及 掠奪式貸款陷阱。該文同時指出“許多金融業玩家在市場研究中針對英語能力有限的社區, 量身打造一套推銷手法, 包括使用每個種族自己的語言去做廣告推銷金融產品”。不過一旦產品成功售出, 通常消費者所收到的跟進聯絡信函及文件, 包括內容複雜的房屋抵押貸款選項及條款,  則完全只用英文。

同時發表的一篇附加文稿提及有幾個英語能力有限的房屋業主, 他們很遲才發現自己的房屋抵押貸款竟然有非常不利於己的條文, 使得他們在調整貸款時困難重重。其中有一對講西班牙文的夫妻, 他們一向自以為所借貸的房屋抵押貸款是固定利率分期攤還的, 在經過了付款 十年之久以後, 他們才發現其房貸只是在償還利息, 對貸款本金毫無影響。而且情況更糟的是, 他們每月的還款額即將要從$1,983 調升到 $3,350 。這對夫妻有一個朋友, 以前在向他們推薦貸款公司後就成為 他們的口譯員, 現在事後才得知, 這個朋友其實和他們所使用的貸款公司、產權公司以及售屋成交律師, 均可能有財務方面的關聯。

其實聯邦監察機構是具備公權力改善相關問題的。該文特別促請聯邦 的消費者金融保護機構(Consumer Financial Protection Bureau), 以及 其它監管部門採取各項特別措施, 包括應將貸款主要文件至少印製成 八種語文以供所需 (西班牙文,中文, 越南文, 韓文, 菲律賓文, 俄文, 阿拉伯文, 以及海地克里奧爾語); 改善消費者向聯邦監管部門提出投訴及申請諮詢的多語服務管道; 向各個金融機構提出多語服務的標準; 以及在全國範圍內全面改進對房貸申請人首選語言的記錄追蹤。

*** 此次共同參與研究寫作上述兩篇報告,而且向政府監管部門提出呼籲的各大組織包括:
National Consumer Law Center (全國消費法律中心), National CAPACD (美國亞太裔社區發展全國聯盟), National Council of La Raza, Empire Justice Center, National Housing Resource Center (全國住房資源中心), Consumer Action (消費者行動), National Fair Housing Alliance (全國公 平住房聯盟), 和 MFY Legal Services (MFY 法律服務).

全美金融改革聯盟(Americans for Financial Reform 簡稱 AFR) 是一個不 分黨派的非牟利聯盟組織, 其加盟成員超過二百個組織, 提供各類不 同服務, 其範圍包括: 民權、消費者、勞工、商業、投資者、宗教團體, 以及民間團體和社區團體等等。AFR 成立於 2008 年金融危機之後, 其宗旨即為建立一個強壯、穩定、符合倫理道德的金融財政系統, 使其效益普及整體經濟，並且服務全國上下。

頂大學人論壇2016第二場談藝術，老年照護

紐英崙中華專業人員協會與駐波士頓教育組合辦的第二場「2016年頂尖大學訪問學人暨菁英學子學術論壇」，5月21日在麻省理工學院請來在哈佛大學研究訪問的劉巧楣教授及麻省理工學院訪問學人黃銀山教授，以新英格蘭藝術巡禮及日本的老年照護實例為主題，分享心得。

從事藝術史研究的劉巧楣教授，以其親身造訪經驗，推薦大家許多週末假日即可到達的新英格蘭鄰近美術館，欣賞藝術品。劉教授首先介紹其博士論文研究的塞尚作品，從畫風及筆觸解釋塞尚作品因與大家耳熟能詳印象派主義大師莫內作品風格迥異，而有塞尚究屬印象派或後印象派主義的討論。她接著介紹最近進行的研究：畫家馬內的兒童印象及馬蒂斯作品。劉教授除分享觀賞四處欣賞畫作的心得，也提了一則知名畫作的趣事。她說馬內畫風常被視為抑鬱沉重，沒想到馬內某幅畫作經美術館人員專業清洗後，色彩竟變明亮，看來得重新評價馬內畫風的小故事，聽眾也驚訝地發現原來畫作也需要定期保養清洗，才能保持畫作原有的色彩。劉教授鼓勵聽眾多利用美國新英格蘭地區及鄰近的美術館，欣賞其豐富的收藏品，透過多接觸這些畫作，與畫作互動，漸漸熟悉這些藝術品，也就能慢慢地能體會畫家想表達的想法或所看到的畫面。

第二位講者是專長為工業機械的黃銀山教授，他則分享國民長壽位居世界第一的日本如何照護眾多老年人口的實例，由機械角度探討如何協助老年人口的預防照護。根據世界衛生組織的調查，日本國民平均年齡為84歲，而臺灣同樣也面臨類似問題，進入高齡社會。黃教授提出日本照護政策的一項概念是「預防照護」，希望可以延後老年需要照護的年齡，如從85歲延長至87歲，而黃教授帶領學生從機械角度，設計可幫助老人家適度運動，加強平衡感的器具，由學生帶領老年人使用這些器具，訓練與加強長者的平衡感，希望藉此防止老人跌倒，引發一系列骨折住院等惡性循環。黃教授也分享這些受測長者經過訓練後，手掌握力、爬樓梯時間等數據進步的結果，同時黃教授說，因為現在大家每天都長時間坐在電腦前打字，長時間維持同一姿勢，有礙健康，鼓勵在座的聽者平日可做些簡單的運動伸展，有益身體健康。

演講活動結束後，聽眾紛紛與講者交流討論，互相分享經驗，討論熱絡。紐英崙中華專業人員協會與駐波士頓育組合作的頂尖大學訪問學人暨菁英學子學術論壇系列，第三場活動將在6月11日登場，下次主題將是「世界走一圈」，將隨著講者一起從德國柏林暢遊到臺灣，歡迎新英格蘭地區的民眾與學生來和講者一起環遊世界。（經文處教育組提供）

劉巧楣教授(前右四)、黃銀山教授(前右三)及駐波士頓
教育組組長黃薳玉與部分聽眾會後合影。（教育組提供）

Mass Health Care Price Variation Measure reached consensus

Governor Baker, House Speaker DeLeo, Senate President Rosenberg Announce Consensus On Health Care Price Variation Measure

BOSTON – Today, Governor Charlie Baker, House Speaker Robert DeLeo and Senate President Stan Rosenberg announced they reached a consensus solution that aims to avoid a ballot question concerning healthcare pricing. The measure reforms the Special Commission to Review Variation in Prices among Providers, adjusts MassHealth rates and provides additional support for community hospitals.

“Working across the aisle with legislative leaders to work out a consensus agreement is important to addressing the issues raised by the proposed ballot question and I am thankful for the cooperation of the Speaker and Senate President,” said Governor Baker. “I am pleased that we were able to reach these solutions together and I look forward to the Legislature taking up this matter.”

“On behalf of the House, I’d like to express my appreciation to Governor Baker and Senate President Rosenberg in working to forge consensus on this price variation agreement. It is my hope that this plan will avert a costly and divisive ballot initiative and lend assistance to our community hospitals, which serve our most underserved residents,” said House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo (D-Winthrop). “I look forward to the work of the commission.”

“This framework establishes a path to a long term solution on the issue of price variation that will protect consumers, provide stability in the healthcare marketplace, and help put all of our hospitals on solid financial footing,” said Senate President Stan Rosenberg (D-Amherst).  “It is my hope that this consensus effort by the Legislature and Baker Administration will avoid a costly ballot question.”

Price Variation Commission:

Reforms the “Special Commission to Review Variation in Prices among Providers” by adding the Chairs of the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing as co-chairs to the Commission, giving the organization increased ability to examine this important issue for the healthcare industry.

MassHealth Rate Relief:

Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders to expend up to $15 million in additional rates to be returned to hospitals -- in addition to the $250 million hospital assessment proposal already included in the FY17 state budget. The additional funds will follow the same distribution formula as used for the distribution of the $250 million – sun setting after five years. 

Community Hospital Reinvestment Trust Fund:

The Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) will administer a new $45 million Community Hospital Reinvestment Trust Fund over a period of five years.

The Trust Fund will be financed by redirecting existing assessments that now fund CHIA’s  budget.  The legislation will transfer $5 million from the CHIA appropriation to the Trust Fund in FY17 and $10 million each year thereafter in FY18-FY21.

The resulting $45 million in revenue will be distributed through a series of annual relief payments over a five year period.  All hospitals with relative prices below 120% of the statewide median price will be eligible for this funding.  Such annual payments would be weighted and allocated proportionally so that those hospitals with lower relative prices would receive relatively higher payment awards.