AAPI community leaders seek solutions...

alleged bullying from his coworkers and long working hours.

Regardless of the motive, Asian American leaders across the country recognize the presence of military-grade firearms in both events, sparking eerily familiar conversations about the gun epidemic in the United States.

According to Gun Violence Archive, there have been 40 mass shootings in the U.S. in 2023: more than there have been days in the year so far. (The organization categorizes a mass shooting as an event where three or more people are shot.)

Statistically, the United States dominates the world in the number of gun-related deaths and homicides. In 2020, those in the U.S. were responsible for 79% of gun-related killings; that same year, Canada was responsible for 37%, Australia for 13%, and the United Kington for 4%, according to data from the U.S. CDC, UK House of Commons, Statistics Canada, and the Australian Institute of Criminology.

Gun ownership is also significantly higher in the U.S. than in any other country, with an estimated 120.5 firearms per 100 residents — this is up from 88 per 100 in 2011, according to a Small Arms Survey.

“Only in America do we see this kind of carnage, this kind of chaos, this kind of disruption of communities and lives,” California Governor Gavin Newsom said last week.

According to AAPI Victory

Alliance Executive Director Varun Nikore, 70% of Asian Americans support stronger gun control legislation but noted that interest in gun ownership among AAPIs, along with the U.S. population in general, has increased since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Like the many mass shootings that reach national and international attention, urgency toward stronger legislation that makes it harder for the wrong people to get guns occurred almost immediately in the aftermath of the Monterey Park shooting.

“No one policy will solve this issue, but an assault weapons ban will dramatically reduce these mass shootings,” said Po Murray, co-founder and chairwoman of gun control group Newtown Action Alliance and Newtown Action Alliance Foundation.

Murray also stressed the importance of stronger restrictions and practices in purchasing firearms in general.

Currently, lawmakers in the U.S. Congress are pushing for safer storage solutions for firearms and permit requirements to purchase guns.

In addition to gun control legislation, Asian American community leaders also believe that mental health should a priority and that counseling services for Asian immigrants should be more accessible.

A Stanford University panel in 2022 stated that in one study, less than 9% of Asian Americans sought mental health services or intervention over one year compared to 18% of the entire U.S. population. It’s unconfirmed whether either the Monterey Park or Half Moon Bay shooter was diagnosed with a mental disorder, but mental health is a usual suspect in mass shooting investigations.

Dr. Brett Sevilla, a Filipino American medical director at the Los Angeles-based Asian Pacific Counseling and Treatment Centers (APCTC), told Ethnic Media Services that elderly Asian immigrants are not as likely to prioritize mental health counseling as a solution.

“Plenty of elderly Asian immigrants have unserved psycho-social support needs, but there is an intense stigma related to mental illness,” Sevilla said, noting that the collectivist thinking of many AAPI families can make one person’s struggle a reflection of the entire family.

“Most families will try to contain it within the family or may reach out to clergy. A psychiatrist is very low down the list.”

According to Dr. Sheila Wu, director of APCTC, it’s common for elderly Asians, especially men, to portray themselves as strong and silent, which often belies what’s really going on mentally.

“In our culture, a man in his 60s is a father figure, who does not become vulnerable, share his feelings, or say he needs things. He would feel a lot of shame if he did,” Wu said.

The investigations into both shootings are ongoing. g

World Bank to lend PH $600M for...

The Philippine economy took a hit at the onset of the pandemic. The economy sank to lows unseen since World War II as the Duterte administration imposed mobility restrictions to prevent the spread of the virus.

Catastrophe insurance

As it is, the World Bank noted that the new loan program will aid the development of the country’s catastrophe insurance market.

This relatively-new financial instrument could prevent the public from sliding into poverty if natural disasters strike. As it is, catastrophe insurance products are designed to protect households, assets, and businesses against natural disasters.

The Southeast Asian archipelago sits within the Pacific Ring of Fire, which leaves the Philippines vulnerable to a host of natural disasters annually. Likewise, the developing nation is at the receiving end of the climate crisis, as its wildly vulnerable to the effects of a warming planet.

Diop noted that catastrophe insurance will enable the national government to use its limited resources to support communities and Filipinos who need it most.

On the other hand, the development policy loan will

Millions to lose coverage during...

reapply to renew their eligibility.

Erzouki says enrollment in Medicaid grew to 89 million-plus people since February of 2020, an increase of 30%. It was the biggest experiment in universal health care since the 2010 Affordable Care Act (ACA) was passed in 2010.

“Access to coverage and healthcare services has been critical during this time of increased hardship. At the same time, this continuous coverage policy has meant that most Medicaid enrollees probably have not had contact with their Medicaid agencies in three years, and in some cases, even longer,” she said.

also expand financing access for the public and businesses through digital technologies.

The World Bank indicated that development policy loans are sources of quick-disbursing assistance to countries pursuing reforms. As it is, this type of loan supports policy and institutional changes to foster an environment for equitable growth within a country’s development priorities.

That said, the World Bank stood as the country’s thirdlargest source of official development assistance in 2021 according to data from the National Economic and Development Authority. (Philstar.com)

Erzouki said that people would have to do the paperwork in order to keep their medical coverage. People have moved during the pandemic or may not receive their renewal notice in the mail.

Erzouki said in the coming months Medicaid agencies are going to be overwhelmed processing cases and documents. She estimated seven million people could lose their coverage due to paperwork issues although they are still eligible.

“They need to make sure that their Medicaid agency has updated contact information for them,” said Laura GuerraCardus, CBPP’s Director of State Medicaid Strategy.

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid have dubbed the end of expanded health coverage an “Unwinding.”

The Biden Administration could extend the date of the Public Health Emergency (PHE) for another 90 days and the continuous coverage requirement would remain for another three months. However, at some point it would end.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) projects that some 8.2 million Medicaid recipients who reapply will no longer qualify and will have to transition to another source of coverage. Another 6.8 million will lose Medicaid coverage despite still being eligible.

“Check your mail,” says Guerra-Cardus. People could receive letters at some point from either Medicaid or CHIP and they should complete the renewal forms if they get one, she says. If they don’t qualify, they may be able to get affordable coverage through the Affordable Care Act marketplace and can learn more by visiting www.healthcare.gov

“However, people are given a pretty limited time after they lose Medicaid coverage to transition to the ACA. So the concern there is that people won’t have enough time to enroll in the marketplace after they lose Medicaid coverage without experiencing some sort of gap in coverage,” she said. Eligibility and income requirements vary widely by state. So contacting non-profit groups can help you fill out state-specific applications forms. For local help filling out an application go to: https://widget. getcoveredamerica.org

Children (5.3 million) and young adults (4.7 million) will lose CHIP/Medicaid coverage. Nearly one-third of those predicted to lose coverage are Latino (4.6 million) and 15% (2.2 million) are Black, according to CMS. Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program, covers 15 million people regardless of immigration status.

“One third of our population use this as insurance for children.

Over half of all California children have coverage through Medi-Cal,” says Kristen Testa, Health Director at The Children’s Partnership.

“So this unwinding will have a tremendous effect on all those families. Every one of them is going to have to renew,” she said.

Calling this period “an all hands on deck situation,” Testa noted there are community-based organizations all over California that are trained and given grants to help with enrollment.

“There’s also the California