SITUATION: The Trump administration launched a plan to move up to 30 million seniors and disabled people into Direct Contracting Entities without their knowledge or consent.  These DCEs are private, for-profit corporations which would be able to pocket up to 40% of what they charge Medicare, compared to 2% by Traditional Medicare providers.

SITUATION: The Biden administration is continuing this process!

 THIS IS EGREGIOUS FOR MANY REASONS! Here are just a few:

• DCEs would generate profits by denying care and charging more.
• They would have no Congressional oversight.
• This is part of a movement to completely privatize Medicare by 2030.

ACTIONS:

CONTACT Speaker Pelosi at and insist she call for a halt to this process and hold hearings:

90 7th Street, Suite 2-800
San Francisco, CA 94103
phone: (415) 556-4862
https://www.speaker.gov/contact

CONTACT your own Representative and tell her/him to insist Pelosi hold hearings while forcing a pause in this process which is already underway:

https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative

CONTACT Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and thank him for pausing the process and sounding the alarm:

HHS Headquarters
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C.  20201
Phone: (877) 696-6775
xavier.becerra@hhs.gov

IMPORTANT:

Urge your friends across the country to
contact their own Representatives, and tell them to
STOP THE ATTACK ON MEDICARE!

SITUATION: In 2020, the Trump Administration launched a new policy “experiment” designed to privatize traditional Medicare. Under this model, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) could move more than 30 million traditional Medicare beneficiaries into mostly commercial, for-profit plans called Direct Contracting Entities (DCE) without the enrollees’ understanding or consent.

In ways similar to commercial Medicare Advantage plans, DCEs have the potential to interfere with care decisions and waste taxpayer money when compared with the efficiency of traditional Medicare.

The Biden Administration is moving the DCE program forward, threatening the future of Medicare as we know it.

ACTIONS: 

DON’T PRIVATIZE MEDICARE, SUPERSIZE IT!

1. Call your member of Congress, Democrat or Republican: House Capital Switchboard 202-225-3121 and tell them to sign Representative Jayapal’s letter to Secretary Becerra. He has the power to end Direct Contracting Entities and protect Medicare for everyone!

2. Call the Secretary yourself: Comment line is (202) 205-5445. Put an end to Direct Contracting Entities and stop the privatization of Traditional Medicare.

3. Sign the petition to HHS Secretary Becerra:  https://pnhp.salsalabs.org/DCEpetitionSeptember2021/index.html

4. Please pass this on to your family and friends. 

EQUAL JUSTICE UNDER LAW

SITUATION: The California Racial Justice for All Act prohibits the State from seeking or obtaining a criminal conviction, or from imposing a sentence, based on race, ethnicity or national origin (AB2542). This landmark Act made it possible for a person charged or convicted of a crime to challenge racial and other specified bias in their case, but it did not apply to judgments or actions before January 1, 2021.  

AB256, as Amended would remove this limitation and allow those impacted by unfair convictions and sentences prior to January 1, 2021 to seek redress.

ACTION:  Everyone deserves equal justice under the law. Tell the California Senate to pass AB256 when it reconvenes in 2022.

ACTION: Please encourage California friends and colleagues to support this important upcoming legislation.

SITUATION:  People with disabilities and seniors need shelters and seating while waiting for public transportation. At this time, only 34% of current bus stops have seating, and these are distributed inequitably, with the northern half of the city twice as likely to have shelters as the southern half, particularly Bayview/Hunters Point.

ACTION:  Contact the SFMTA Board of Directors and tell them that:
1) Bus shelters and seats should be distributed equitably throughout San Francisco,
2) Bus shelters with seats are especially needed to accommodate seniors and people with disabilities.

CONTACT: 
Office of the SFMTA Board of Directors
Phone: 415.646.4470
Email: MTABoard@SFMTA.com

SITUATION: The State of California, since July, 2021, has denied 109 permits for fracking.  The Older Women’s League is part of the campaign to end fracking because it uses enormous quantities of water, injects chemicals into our water supply, and promotes use of fossil fuels.

SITUATION: Executive Director Rev. Deborah Lee and the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity need OWL’s support to, among other things, address the root causes of human migration from Honduras, as well as the transfer of released green card holders from prisons to ICE–for deportation–after completion of their sentences.

ACTION: Open the links below, provided by Rev. Lee after her November 20, 2021 presentation on immigration at the OWL monthly meeting.

PHASE OUT FOSSIL FUELS NOW —Some success, more needed!

SITUATION: After years of advocacy from environmental justice frontline leaders and allies (including OWL), Governor Newsom announced a draft rule to impose a 3200-foot setback for new oil and gas operations near sensitive receptors, like homes and schools.

This is great news for California’s children and frontline communities.

However, this rule must apply to ALL new wells, not just those “with new surface locations” and the state must also protect the millions of residents living near existing wells.

ACTION: After taking a moment to celebrate this forward progress, please join Mothers Out Front CA in calling on Governor Newsom to do more.

Help us flood his office with calls!

ACTION: Urge Governor Newsom to finalize a rule that ends ALL neighborhood drilling and all permitting for fossil fuels.

http://ca.mothersoutfront.org   CALL 877-434-0011

ACTION: Please join Senior and Disability Action and SIGN THIS PETITION that will go to the AT&T Western Region President: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/we-need-free-wifi.  This petition provides more information and a way for you to express your concerns and needs for fast and reliable Internet access.

ACTION: There will be a rally and action on Monday, October 18, 12:45 pm at the AT&T flagship store at Powell and Market, San Francisco. For more information, CLICK HERE .

SITUATION: The U.S. Senate is currently working on a Reconciliation Package, including $400 billion for Medicaid Home and Community Based Services (HCBS), funds which will allow seniors and people with disabilities to age in place, but the amount allocated to HCBS is in jeopardy, with opposition proposing less than half those funds, $150 billion.

The full $400 billion will:

• Increase federal matching funds to states for HCBS
• Expand and strengthen caregiving jobs for workers who provide these services and have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, a workforce which is predominately female, low-wage and BIPOC

A lower figure is simply inadequate to address the entrenched issues in the HCBS service system.

ACTION: Call our U.S. Senators ASAP to tell them we need the full $3.5 Trillion Reconciliation Package, especially the $400 Billion for HCBS.

ACTION: Send this email to friends and family in the U.S.

Contact information for California Senators:

Senator Dianne Feinstein
One Post Street, Suite 2450
San Francisco, CA 94104
Phone: (415) 393-0707
click here to email Dianne Feinstein

Senator Alex Padilla
333 Bush Street, Suite 3225
San Francisco, CA 94104
Phone: (415) 981–9369
click here to email Alex Padilla

 Advocating for Vaccine Global Equity

SITUATION:  The United Nations General Assembly meets tomorrow, September 14, and continues until September 30.

High on its agenda is ensuring fair and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines around the world.  Global vaccine equity is the best way to make sure that this deadly virus is eradicated for good.

ACTIONS:  

1) Please urge President Biden to strongly support worldwide vaccinations at the UN General Assembly through their partnerships with WHO, COVAX, UNICEF and others–and to encourage other nations to do the same.

2) Ask President Biden to scale up vaccine production in the USA, share excess vaccine with countries that do not have vaccines, and encourage voluntary sharing of intellectual property rights worldwide during this global crisis.

Call the White House at: (202) 456-1111

Email the White House by clicking HERE

Write to the White House at:

The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20500

SUPPORT TAX CREDITS FOR UNPAID FAMILY CAREGIVERS AND STUDENTS

• Expanding the definition of work to make unpaid family caregivers eligible (work largely done by women)
  
• Expanding the age range for this eligibility to include anyone 18 years or older
  
• Including low income college students who struggle to support themselves while learning

U.S. REPRESENTATIVES, San Francisco and surrounding area:

Congressman Ro Khanna

YOUR CALIFORNIA VOTE IS CRUCIAL SEPTEMBER 14th!

Your mail-in ballot for California’s September 14th Gubernatorial Recall Election will arrive very soon.
Your vote is crucial!
Here is why:

The recall election will present voters with two questions.
The first will ask whether Gavin Newsom should be recalled from the office of governor.
A simple majority of votes will win for this issue.
If people do not exercise their right to vote, this decision could be made by a minority of voters.

The second will ask who should succeed Newsom if he is recalled.
The candidate with the most votes on the second question would win the election, no majority required.
There are 46 candidates on the ballot to replace Newsome if the recall passes.
This makes it possible for someone with less than 3% of the vote to become our next governor.

And this is at a time in the U.S when laws limiting voting rights are being enacted in states across the country.
EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE!!!

Please help us encourage every registered voter in California to participate in this election!

For more information, see California Recall Election Details.

One Post Street, Suite 2450
San Francisco, CA 94104
Phone: (415) 393-0707

TELL GOVERNOR NEWSOM TO STOP FRACKING NOW!

SAN FRANCISCO 2021/2022 AND 2022/2023 BUDGET 

SITUATION:  San Francisco Mayor London Breed has submitted the Mayor’s Proposed Budget for 2021/2022 and 2022/2023. The Board of Supervisors is currently considering adjustments to the Mayor’s Proposed Budget.  Now is the time for public input.  The Senior and Disability Action (SDA) organization has identified the following three items that need to be included in the budget to benefit Seniors and Persons with Disabilities:

1. $3,000,000.00 to fund an existing rental subsidies program for Seniors and Persons with Disabilities to avert evictions and homelessness.

2. $3,000,000.00 to expand the existing Senior Operating Subsidies program that provides funding for Seniors whose income is Social Security or SSI so they can afford rental units in Senior Housing.

3. $900,000.00 for desktops, laptops, internet service, and digital training for Seniors and Persons with Disabilities.

ACTION:  Call and/or e-mail your Supervisor by June 25, 2021 and ask for inclusion of these items in the City’s budget.

CONTACTS:

District 1: Connie Chan – (415)554-7410; ChanStaff@sfgov.org

District 2: Catherine Stefani – (415)554-7752; Catherine.Stefani@sfgov.org

District 3: Aaron Peskin – (415)554-7450; Aaron.Peskin@sfgov.org

District 4: Gordon Mar – (415)554-7460; Gordon.Mar@sfgov.org

District 5:  Dean Preston: – (415)554-7630; Dean.Preston@sfgov.org

District 6: Matt Haney – (415)554-7970; Matt.Haney@sfgov.org

District 7: Myrna Melgar – (415)554-6516; MelgarStaff@sfgov.org

District 8: Rafael Mandleman – (415)554-6968; MandlemanStaff@sfgov.org

District 9: Hillary Ronan – (415)554-5144; Hillary.Ronen@sfgov.org

District 10: Shamann Walton – (415)554-7670; Shamann.Walton@sfgov.org

District 11: Ahsha Safai -(415)554-6975; Ahsha.Safai@sfgov.org

Fight Back Against Pollution in the Bay Area

SITUATION: Big Oil Lobbyists are trying to kill a landmark rule before the Air District Board to demand installation of “scrubbers” to remove harmful particles, gases, or chemical byproducts from the industrial smokestacks of the Bay Area’s oil refineries.

ACTIONS: 

1. Call, email or write Supervisor Shamann Walton (the most pivotal SF member) urging him to vote in favor of the “strict scrubber rule for refineries.” 

Shamann Walton, Dist. 10, 415-554-7670, Shamann.Walton@sfgov.org

2. Call the Air District Board of Directors.

Leave a message (press option #5) at (415) 749-4900

Here’s a suggestion of your message

Dear Supervisor Walton / Board of Directors,

I’m counting on your vote to adopt the STRICT rule for scrubbers on Bay Area oil refineries.  This technology is already in use at most refineries in the US.  I know that you are concerned about the frontline communities who are most impacted by particulate air pollution.  Please help us protect them and ourselves!