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As a home health professional, I am disappointed to see Medicare again proposing to cut home health. The proposal includes $1.33 billion in cuts in 2023 and more than $2 billion in cuts in 2024 and beyond, totaling more than $18 billion over the next decade.
Fortunately, dozens of bipartisan lawmakers are taking action to prevent these devastating cuts from harming home health patients and their providers by sponsoring the Home Health Access Protection Act.
I have seen firsthand how the clinically advanced, cost-effective care we provide can help members of our community who are out of home. I hope our state legislators in Washington, DC will recognize the importance of home health and take action to protect access to care for our most vulnerable neighbors.
Charles Obiala, West Loop
Immigrants should work immediately
John Farrell made a good point in a recent letter about the perfect fit between immigrants looking for work and employers needing help.
It should be noted, however, that federal law prohibits asylum seekers from working legally for six months after applying for asylum. Because those forms are complex and often require legal assistance, it can take longer before an individual has the legal right to work.
The common sense solution is to give asylum seekers the right to work immediately after they are allowed to enter the country.
Without this permit and federal benefits, immigrants are forced to live without family, friends and charities, or risk deportation by working under the table.
Conversely, if he gets the right documents, employers can fill jobs and these individuals can become productive, tax-paying members of American society.
Patricia Motto, Elmhurst
Vote for mental health on November 8
There is an urgent crisis in Illinois when it comes to mental health, substance abuse and developmental disabilities. With a tragedy like the Highland Park shooting, there are cries for more mental health services, but little progress. Illinois ranks 35th for mental health spending and 43rd for developmentally disabled spending.
This November, residents of Vernon and Wheeling can make a difference. There is a referendum on the Nov. 8 ballot to establish community mental health boards in every city, which would collect and allocate tax dollars for mental health, substance abuse and developmental disability services.
The funds are taxed locally and stay locally; They are not passed through the federal government, state or local governments. These boards cater to the specific needs of their communities.
In the city of Vernon, the average homeowner pays just $49 a year to support the mental health board, but it raises nearly $1.5 million.
Passing this referendum:
- Improve the ability to act quickly when families are in crisis.
- Reduce gaps in services, such as long waiting lists or arbitrary cut-off limits.
- Increase screenings for prevention and early detection.
- Providing comprehensive services tailored to the needs of the local community, ensuring that preventive and therapeutic programs are integrated, accessible and affordable.
Similar referendums are in Addison, Lisle, Naperville, Schumburg, Winfield and Wheeling cities and other elections in Will County.
More than 90 mental health boards currently operate in Illinois, some dating back to the 1960s. Instead of just talking about mental health, let’s do something about it.
Joan Johnson, Buffalo Grove
Chairman, vote yes for the Community Mental Health Board in the City of Vernon
There are no additional barriers between CPD and residents
After the second shooting at a Chicago police facility in a week, police Supt. “There’s a lot we can do,” David Brown said in a recent Sun-Times article, noting that other police departments across the country have glass barriers and high desks.
Note to Supt. Brown: We have a lot of barriers between the community and the Chicago police. We don’t want more. And if police officers aren’t adequately equipped to face bulletproof glass and high counters on dangerous city streets – something they do every day now … I don’t even know how to finish this sentence.
My suggestion to Supt. Brown: Keep watching.
Ari Weiner, New East Side
Residents affected by the flood should move to another place
I disagree with letter writer Kathleen Melia. Instead of appreciating the resilience of those rebuilding in the path of hurricanes, he says, “Get out there, ASAP. As climate change intensifies, it will only get worse!”
Bindi Bitterman, Uptown
Don’t reward Putin’s bad behavior
To those who say Vladimir Putin’s annexation of Ukraine should be recognized, I ask what they would say if he tried to annex the Aleutian Islands, the farthest reaches of Alaska.
The only thing limiting Putin’s progress is the Ukrainians and the weapons they are given. Their definition of victory is the expulsion of the Russian aggressors; They do not want to join any part of Russia. Putin should not be rewarded for their “bad behavior”.
Larry E. Nazimek, Logan Sq
Thanks to the former Sox manager
We’ve been hearing White Sox fans lament how our year ended, but let’s take a moment and remember how devastated we were to lose Tony La Russa.
We can’t ignore that he was a Hall of Fame manager. We will miss him for many reasons. Regardless of the team’s record, we know Tony gave it the old college try and was a good diplomat.
We wish Tony all the best, good health and love.
Louise Bajorek, Burbank
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