Page 4 - Dinuba Sentinel 6-13-19 E-edition

Opinion
A4 | Thursday, June 13,, 2019
In My Opinion
MIoving forward, common sense
f you’ve already read the drug cartels as well. commentary piece on the front Many worry page of last week’s newspaper, about those who
Fred Hall
are allowed to pass through who are criminals in their home country and the chaos they bring to America, but
one of the biggest
concerns is the sudden outbreak of exotic diseases
which have become virtually non- existent here. Routine medical care and vaccinations have eliminated diseases from which many of these migrants suffer. Add to that there
is the increased chances of the ebola virus because of reports that many of these people are not only from Mexico and Central America but from African nations as well.
I would ask the Democrats in Congress, the ever expanding cast of Democrat candidates for President
in 2020 as well as California state politicians, exactly what is wrong with slowing down this mass at our border so that we might be able to do a more effective job of screening them?
An answer which is composed of commonsensewouldbewelcome. We’re not talking about a picture of children in “cages” which appeared
on CNN and provably goes back to 2014 when it was originally taken.
To my best recollection, Obama was President then. Perhaps that is the reason it was never shown during his administration. That very sort of “fake news” is what helped get us where we are!
All any American could ask is
the application of common sense immigration laws which require that people be self-responsible, learn the native language, obey all laws of this country and assimilate. When we see that the state of California continues
to ignore federal law and provide a lengthy list of official free handouts to those who are newly arrived, perhaps there is a perverted sense of logic
after all. Where can a sign up for free health care as well as all of the other “entitlements” and go back to speaking my native language, which is “Okie!” It doesn’t seem too much to ask the use of common sense for our government officials.
That word entitlement always bothered me. What the hell did these people ever do to be entitled to the fruits of the labor of hard-working taxpayers?
Seems like welfare any say you parse
it.
But, as always, that’s only one man’s
opinion.
Fred Hall is publisher of the Dinuba Sentinel.
Guest Column
Fred Hall - Publisher Rick Curiel - Editor
you already know that this weekly publication is about to get bigger and more interesting to fulfill your need for knowledge of what is happening right here in the Valley. On July
4, Independence Day, we will be combining The Sanger Herald, The Dinuba Sentinel and The Reedley Exponent into one regional package to cover this portion of the Central Valley.
Not only will you be kept up to
date on what’s happening in your hometown, but you’ll be kept abreast of every event and news story involving your neighbors in nearby towns.
Over time people have become less provincial and more interested in those surrounding them. Commute time
has been so dramatically reduced that people often work or shop in one of those neighboring towns. We believe that a single issue, covering all of
those towns and cities, will bring the communities even closer.
The Opinion pages with our familiar traditional columns and opinions—love them or hate them—will continue in combination. We hope they will spur discussionandfeedback. Nothing serves small newspapers such as ours quite as well as public journalism. Your input and letters to the editor
are welcomed and encouraged. All opinions and positions are welcomed, guided only by the standards of the libel laws. Unlike the internet, there are still standards of decency and honesty which govern that which we are allowed to put in print.
Moving along to what is the general thrust of these missives each week, we need to return to the life altering episodes, which are occurring in our national politics. The 2020 election is still far away but is stirring up a
lot of controversy with seemingly du jour topic of socialism and how the Democrat candidates and their young minions feel it would be so great for America. An other item for discussion is the damage being inflicted on
this country on a daily basis by the Democrat party, who have chosen to ignore the harm being wrought by out-of-control illegal immigration.
For some unknown reason Democrat politicians feel that the entire mess will redound to their benefit. That simple act places political party above the general good.
Border Patrol and other immigration officials are being pulled off their positions of safeguarding the security of this country and are being literally forced to provide child care and other ancillary services because of the overwhelming crush of immigrants. Not only are huge holes in the border left for the benefit of illegals but the
Guest Column
CTap Medicare Part D patient cost
he U.S. House of 800,000 Part D Representatives health enrollees spent committee unveiled a $5,000 or more
WRemember the fatherless this Father's Day
e are acutely aware of the impact of very serious situation. We’re doing fatherlessness. Its scars mark our cities and something right now that’s as nation in ways that few maladies have. In important as anything we’ve ever
recent years the research community has detailed and documented the negative social sequelae associated with father absence and abuse, and their report is alarming.
Though fatherlessness has never been confined to
one generation, it has haunted civilization for centuries. Even the prophet Jeremiah wrote of the impact of fatherlessness, saying: “Our inheritance has been turned over to aliens, our homes to foreigners. We have become orphans and fatherless, our mothers are like widows.”
Yet, although this is still a crisis in our nation, this Father’s Day there is a ray of goodness shining on a facet of fathering worthy of celebration. When fathers are absent, have abandoned or even abused their esteemed role of being a dad, father figures are emerging and standing in the fatherless chasm, providing incredible leadership.
Longitudinal research from the National Center for Fathering has identified this growing group of father figures who are gracing us with a fresh expression of fathering, and we must applaud them. They include: grandfathers, great-grandfathers, older brothers, uncles, extended family members, teachers, coaches, stepfathers, faith community leaders, and neighbors. And when biological fathers are not present as dads mature in years, other fathers—including peers and co-workers—can provide modeling and add depth to the meaning and purposes of committed fatherhood.
One of the fastest growing familial demographics are grandfathers and great-grandfathers who are raising their grandchildren full-time. Gerry is a retired Navy pilot, but at the age of 78, when one family member fell on hard times because of poor choices, he was thrust into a role he never imagined. He and his wife are raising their eight- year-old grandson, who has severe ADHD—something Gerry had never heard of when he was raising his own children years ago.
As he reflects on his role, he says: “I know guys my age who are retired, sitting down in their easy chair, reading the paper and watching a lot of TV. Here I am overseeing homework, managing prescriptions, and helping our great-grandson who otherwise would probably be in a
Ken Canfield
done.”
Grandfathers and father figures
are having a life-saving impact on children who need a helping hand, a home base and an encouraging word. The best evidence of their work flows from the hearts of the children they influence.
This Father’s Day, we can
confront the anguish of fatherlessness
by recognizing the positive expressions of fathering all around us—especially these heroic father figures. In addition, let’s boldly enlist other men into the service and care of children and grandchildren. Let’s designate them as the new heroes of future generations: men who are willing to quietly forgo power, prestige, position, and their own desires to extend a helping hand to children who need them.
Who might these heroes look like? Go look in the mirror. They are men like you, who may consider themselves ordinary and nothing special, but are extraordinary in the eyes and hearts of children.
Through the years, the National Center for Fathering has collected more than a million essays written by children about how their fathers and father figures influenced their lives through our “Father of the Year Essay Contest”. These essays were written in partnership with local schools in Fresno in response to the question: “What does your father or father figure mean to you?”
Those essays can be found on the website www.fathers. com.
Ken Canfield PhD. is Founder and President of the National Center for Fathering (NCF). Since 1990 NCF has developed programming, launched community initiatives and conducted research to equip, support and challenge dads to excellence in their fathering. Their resources can be accessed at www.fathers.com and their offices are in Kansas City.
discussion draft of a new bill designed to cap a Medicare patient’s out-of- pocket spending in the “Part D” prescription drug benefit.
America’s sickest seniors should be delighted by the news. Capping patient out-of-pocket spending will ensure they can access the drugs they need to live healthy lives. Congress should see this effort across the finish line.
Medicare Part D has been the poster child of popular, budget-friendly government entitlements since its launch in 2006. Today, roughly 43 million seniors rely on Medicare Part D to access necessary medications.
Beneficiaries are largely pleased with their coverage; fully 8 in 10 seniors say their drug plan is “a good value.”
Part D’s unique structure is
one reason for this success. The government subsidizes coverage, but private insurers administer each plan. This forces insurers to compete with one another to create high-value, low-cost options to earn customers’ business.
It’s this competition that keeps prices at bay – for beneficiaries and the government. The average patient premium in 2019 is just $33.19. And Part D’s program costs were 45 percent lower than predicted after a decade.
But for some, the program isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. The sickest beneficiaries – many of whom take multiple drugs – spend a small fortune on medicines. That’s because most plans require them to pay a certain co-insurance or co-pay fee for each prescription they pick up.
Consider that in 2016, the latest year for which data is available, more than
Peter J. Pitts
at the pharmacy counter.
High out-of- pocket costs aren’t simply a financial concern; they’re also a threat to patient health. Studies show that
high out-of-pocket costs are associated with increases in medication non- adherence.
When seniors don’t take their prescriptions as directed, their conditions worsen, and they often require more expensive medical
care down the line. Medication non- adherence is responsible for 10 percent of hospitalizations across the country. It also costs our healthcare system up to $289 billion every year.
Lawmakers want to improve Part D for these patients. In their draft bill, they’ve proposed eliminating beneficiary out-of-pocket costs for seniors who have spent at least $5,100 on prescription drugs for the year.
Capping patient out-of-pocket spending would provide some serious relief to these beneficiaries. Seniors will have a financial safety net should they fall ill and require expensive medications.
The draft discussion legislation shows a lot of promise -- and it’s one that patients and lawmakers should support.
Peter J. Pitts, a former FDA Associate Commissioner, is president of the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest.
Join the discussion
The Dinuba Sentinel welcomes submissions of letters to the editor on topics of local relevance. Word limit is 350. Letters are considered once per month for each submitter.
Letters must include the author’s name, phone number and address for verification. Mail to 145 South L Street, Dinuba, CA,
93618, or e-mail to editor@thedinubasentinel.com.
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com. Word limit is 650.