NEWS & PHOTOS
JANUARY 2013 New Year Greetings. We can look forward to a bright and promising year for the US Medicare PH campaign. Economic and political factors are in our favor.
During these past weeks, we met with our enthusiastic partners and leaders in California and Nevada.
Filipino veterans led by Mr. Ernesto Anolin in Delano
In Los Angeles, we partnered with United Physicians International, Inc., a group of 30 doctors led by Dr. Rene Lim, a UST Medical graduate, who hails from Iloilo. His group now offers primary care services in Los Angeles and IN THE PHILIPPINES for Medicare and Medical (Medicaid) limited to Los Angeles area patients. It is under an innovative program with Easy Choice, one of the large health insurance companies in the state. They are also a partner with The Medical City Hospital, a world-class hospital institution, headed by Dr. Alran Bengzon. UPI affiliated doctors in the PH provide 3-6 months of urgent medically necessary care there. Lim joined as a founding member. Their website is www.upihealth.info. 
Above is a photo of our partnership signing with Dr. Lim of UPI and witnessed by Atty. Ramon Ocampo, our founding member and Louie Laguitao, a representative of the PH Seniors' Party at the UPI booth at the Eagle Rock Filipino mall.
We also participated in induction dinner meeting with the leaders of the L.A. Overseas Filipinos for Good Governance led by businessman Romy Baylon and Ms. Andrea Aquino, a nutritionist and a charter member of our organization.
Mr. Benito Miranda of United Healthcare Medicare Solutions (www.uhc.com) represents the largest medical insurance (Medicare Advantage & AARP sponsored) company in the United States. He reviewed with us his efforts over the past year to promote his company's UNLIMITED coverage for Medicare and Medicaid members who temporarily visit the PH. His company now handles the U.S. military TRICARE insurance plans nationwide. We were joined by Louie Laguitao of CA Home Health and Dr. Mariedel Leviste.
In Las Vegas, we met Philippine Medical Association Nevada officers Dr. Ben Calderon and Dr. Tess Melocoton. We discussed a partnership to promote joint projects with their 200 physician members. Calderon is a De La Salle Medical School graduate and practices primary medicine. Calderon has an innovative Las Vegas-based project www.FilipinoMedConnect.com to link thousands physicians in the Philippines to serve Filipino Americans and OFW patients when they return or visit. They are very interested in promoting our mutually beneficial proposal.
We also briefed Mr. Ceasar Elpidio of the Las Vegas Filipino American Veterans Families advocacy group. We consulted Ms. Rozita Lee, a White House commissioner on Asian American Affairs and Ms. Lourdes Ceballos, a well-known journalist.
In San Diego, the new officers of the Council of PH American Organizations (COPAO) led by Merly Ferrer, RN and the PNA chapter led by Erlinda Ortin, and Consul General Helen Barbers Dela Vega were enthusiastic about our mission. Petition signatures were gathered from forty community leaders. We urged them to work with their new Mayor Bob Filner, a former congressman who has agreed to support our efforts since last year. Ms. Alma Marcos, our S.D., founding member assisted us.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS 2011-12
We are entering a challenging year under the administration of President Obama. Our health care system including Medicare and Medical (Medi-Medi) will be transformed dramatically. We must optimistically meet the growing needs of our seniors and baby boomers by smartly reducing the costs of Medicare. Our proposal may offer a Billion dollars per year in savings. In this challenging climate, we must seize opportunities as they come.
To be prepared, we should recall the lessons learned and build on the productive 20 months of our official existence. We should be proud of our accomplishments: we recruited 200 prominent member leaders and 20 major partners in the US and in the PH. We have survived on a shoe-string budget during this economic recession.
On Saturday, January 19, 2013, we will hold a welcome and appreciation night dinner for our visiting leaders from California, NY and Florida at the home of our hosts: Chair Daisy Tucay & Capt. Jun Tucay. PH Ambassador Jose Cusia and his wife Vicky will join us in celebrating our new year with our dozen guest leaders led by NY philanthropist Ms. Loida Lewis, USPGG, Sarah Gonzalez of San Jose, Pat Ganio Sr. and Dick Aquino of Florida. They will be participating in the presidential inaugural events in Washington in promoting our agenda.
YES.We can win by building a winning coalition with our can-do partners.
MABUHAY to 2013!
January 6, 2012: Welcome the New Year party with Sec. Imelda NICOLAS of the PH Presidential Commission on Filipino Overseas (CFO) in McLean Virginia hosted by Daisy & Jun Tucay and USMedPH members.
CLICK for video of our Q&A w/ PH President Aquino at the January 26 Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce luncheon in Manila on his assurance to request Medicare coverage for Filipino American retirees in the top PH hospitals from President Obama when they meet in June 2012:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWbHWXzR7Cs
On Karen Davila's "Headstart" ANC television show:
http://www.frequency.com/video/anc-headstart-lachica-on-campaigning-for/32560391
http://opinion.inquirer.net/23597/%e2%80%98medicare-portability%e2%80%99-for-fil-ams
December 28, 2011: Fundraiser at Loida Lewis home in NYC
June 2011 Global Filipino Mini-summit NYC
