Free Valley event offers help to low-income patients in need of hearing aids, screenings. Here’s how to sign up

BY VIVIENNE AGUILAR l January 19, 2024 vivienne@cvjclocaljournalism.org

University of the Pacific first-year doctor of audiology student Iliana Jaramillo jumped at the opportunity to represent her field and the Spanish-speaking community at this weekend’s hearing screening on the Stockton campus.

The Lodi Sunrise Rotary Club and University of the Pacific’s Hearing and Balance Center will host a free hearing screening event from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday at 757 Brookside Road. Parking on the campus will be free for the event.

Parents with children as young as 5 are welcome to attend.

“I know how it is,” Jaramillo said, “A lot of Spanish-speaking people don’t like going to the doctor because they worry there won’t be a translator, or that the translator won’t be accurate.” 

She was excited to hear Stockton’s event needed a Spanish-speaking audiology student and immediately volunteered because of it. 

“I know I’ll be able to help them feel comfortable and show them they’re not alone,” Jaramillo said. “I’m glad this event is targeting the Hispanic community.”

Jaramillo is a UOP student based at the school’s San Francisco campus, along with 13 other graduate volunteers. The community event doubles as a learning experience for them.

Audiology students are required to volunteer during their first and second years in the program to fulfill their screening hours.  

As of Thursday afternoon, nearly 200 people registered for the screening, out of the 300 people limit, Audiology Dr. Gail Amornpongchai said. 

Limited funding set aside

The Hearing Aid Assistance Program has $20,000 set aside for financial assistance, Lodi Sunrise Rotary Club board member Richard Ross said.

Ross said the club will give out applications during the event to people who are in need of financial help to get hearing aids. 

The average cost of a pair of hearing aids can range from $2,000 to $6,000, Amornpongchai said. MediCal can cover the aids, but MediCare doesn’t, she said, adding that most people have to pay out of pocket.

“(The Lodi Sunrise Rotary Club) has some funds set aside for people who find themselves in the situation where their income is too high to qualify for financial assistance in some cases, but still have a need,” Ross said. 

Noticing hearing health

Anyone 65 years old and up should regularly schedule checkups for hearing, Amornpongchai said. 

Hearing loss is commonly noticed when a loved one points it out. It can negatively affect a person’s physical and mental health. 

For children, it can lead to social isolation and decline in cognitive health since they’re less able to absorb new sounds around them, Amornpongchai said. 

Loud sounds are not necessarily a bad thing, but the doctor said everyone should wear ear plugs if you know you’ll be doing loud activities like hunting or attending a rock concert. 

The most ideal sound level is at 85 decibels, the measurement of loudness, for eight hours. With every five point increase, the time duration should be cut in half.

You can register for the event at https://www.upacifichearing.com/rotary-hearing-screening-event/ or drop in to the center.

Vivienne Aguilar is the health equity reporter for the Central Valley Journalism Collaborative, a nonprofit newsroom based in Merced, in collaboration with the California Health Care Foundation (CHCF).

Jan. 31 Is Deadline for Signing Up for Health Insurance in California

Edward Henderson | California Black Media | January 23, 2023

The open enrollment period for Californians to secure health insurance plans ends this week on Jan. 31,

Depending on your situation, there are multiple options to explore when searching for a plan that is best for you through Covered California.

Covered California is the state’s health exchange marketplace created to get Californians quality health insurance through brand name plans like Kaiser Permanente, BlueCross BlueShield, Cigna and many others.

One option is to buy a plan through Covered California. If you qualify for a tax credit to help offset your premiums, you may want to buy a plan through the marketplace. Qualifying usually depends on your income and household size. Your total household income must be between 128% and 400% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL).

Another option is to renew or change your current plan. During the open enrollment period, you can renew your existing plan. You won’t have to do anything if you want to keep what you have. But if your current plan is changing — for instance, your Primary Care Physician (PCP) is leaving the network, or your drugs aren’t in the list of covered medications — then you may want to switch to a plan that best suits your current needs. If you need to change policies, the open enrollment period is the best time.

You can also enroll in Medi-Cal. If your income is below 128% of the FPL, you qualify for Medi-Cal, which is Medicaid for Californians.

“The pandemic took a toll on us in so many ways, including our behavioral and mental health, which are critical to our ability to live happy, healthy and productive lives,” said Jessica Altman, executive director of Covered California. “Getting the right behavioral health care starts with making sure people have health insurance with access to quality providers, and that can be done right now through Covered California’s open enrollment.”

Cameron Nelson is an artist and painter living in San Diego who plans to enroll with Covered California.

“As an independent artist I am the one responsible for finding healthcare since I don’t have a traditional job where it’s provided for me. Many of my friends who make a living off their art don’t have plans because they think it is too expensive to cover on their own. I’ve found the options the state provides to be helpful in my situation and I hope that my example can encourage other sole proprietors to do the same.”

The only other way to buy an insurance plan outside of open enrollment is to qualify for special enrollment. This timeframe is called the Special Enrollment Period (SEP). This exception allows you to apply for health insurance if you’ve had certain qualifying life events, such as losing your job, moving to a new state, getting married or divorced, becoming a widow or widower, aging off your parent’s plan or having a new baby.

You won’t be eligible for special enrollment if you lost your previous health plan because you failed to pay your monthly premiums or if you voluntarily cancelled the coverage.

Visit Health for California to get more information on plans that work best for you before the deadline arrives.

Combating Sickle Cell Disease

By CVV News l June 10, 2022

(NAPSI)—If you or someone you care about is among the estimated 100,000 Americans with sickle cell disease, here’s information that could be important:

One Man’s Story
Chris Ruffin Jr. never knows when extreme pain will strike. Since birth, Ruffin’s had sickle cell disease, an inherited condition that causes extreme pain when red blood cells become hard, crescent-shaped and have difficulty carrying oxygen to the rest of the body.

“It’s like having a charley horse,” said Ruffin. “It’s just a throbbing pain to the point where you can barely walk. It’s like your whole body hurts but you can’t do anything about it.”

The pain can strike at any time. A sickle cell pain crisis can suddenly occur in the back, knees, legs, arms, chest or stomach and last several hours to several days.

What Can Be Done
After suffering a stroke at six years old due to complications of the disease, Ruffin began receiving monthly blood transfusions to prevent further complications. Over the course of 22 years, he has received more than 3,130 units of blood through monthly red cell exchanges.

Individuals with sickle cell disease can require frequent blood transfusions throughout their lifetime—needing as many as 100 units of blood each year—to treat complications of the disease. Unfortunately, frequent transfusions can make finding compatible blood types even more difficult if patients develop an immune response against blood from donors that is not closely matched to the blood of the recipient.
That’s why on World Sickle Cell Day, June 19th, the American Red Cross wants to raise awareness about sickle cell disease and the challenges patients face while battling the chronic condition.

Through its Sickle Cell Initiative, the Red Cross has expanded its blood donation testing to include sickle cell trait screening on all donations from self-identified African American donors. This additional screening helps the Red Cross identify compatible blood types more quickly for patients with sickle cell.

Ruffin, an Emmy Award-winning senior news producer, credits a strong support system, good doctors, generous blood donors, and a consistent diet, exercise and rest routine as key factors to him succeeding with sickle cell.
“I didn’t always know how important blood was,” said Ruffin. “Based on the one hour it takes to donate blood, someone like me can live years longer and live a full life.”

How You Can Help
Eligible individuals who are feeling well can make an appointment to donate blood by visiting RedCrossBlood.org/OurBlood, using the Red Cross Blood Donor App or calling 1-800-RED-CROSS.