NaFFAA condemns brutal attack on 75-year-old in Nevada

The National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) calls for the justice after a Filipino elder was mercilessly attacked in Nevada last May without any provocation.

Amadeo Quindara, a 75-year-old elderly Filipino American and a son of a U.S. Army veteran, is still traumatized after he was starkly attacked by his neighbor on May 30, 2023, in Clark County, Nevada.

While Mr. Quindara survived the attack, he will forever be traumatized by the suspect, 44-year-old Christian Lentz, who in a video evidence yelled racial slurs and told the senior to “be on a ventilator” and saying ‘die’ multiple times before walking away. He believes that Lentz’s attack was rooted in racism and that he intended to kill him.

“The only thing I could do is shout,” Quindara recalled as the beating left him with deep cuts on his head, a black eye due to multiple punches from the suspect, and an emotional suffering – that he says can’t be treated. “Physically, you could recover from that but if you keep thinking about what happened, that is the thing that hurt me most.” in a statement, the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) reoterates that it stands in solidarity with the Quindara Family in their ongoing fight for justice. Desert Mountain Regional President Sally Balecha commented, “Filipino Americans should not live in fear, particularly our manongs and manangs. They have been through a lot already, and Tatay Amadeo does not deserve to be treated like this.”

Jacque de Joya, Nevada State President, added, “We ask for help from our elected leaders and local authorities in the Las Vegas area and ensure justice is served. We call for increased protection for our elderlies to avoid this from happening again.”

Mindie Lloyd of Bamboo Bridges, NaFFAA’s partner organization that builds collaborations among Asian-Pacific American communities, shared, “We stand with the victims and their families. This senseless violence fueled by hate has to stop now.”

NaFFAA President Mariela Fletcher, who will be fly- ing to join the rally on Thursday, also added, “It will take a collaborative effort among Asian American groups to empower more than 4.2 million Filipino Americans and combat Asian hate in this country. Let us work together to end this!”

Based on reports, Lentz was initially arrested for felony residential burglary but was also later released by the police. Quindara, who believes that the charge was too light, is worried that his 44-year-old neighbor will come back to attack him again.

On June 16, that charge was upgraded as a hate crime enhancement, and he was also charged with elder abuse as a hate crime.

However, former Clark County District Attorney Da- vid Roger is not optimistic that more can be done on the charges and gave insight why.

“The problem that we have here is that it does not appear that police had sufficient evidence to prove a felony against this victim. It’s not that they didn’t want to,” Roger opined explaining that, “because the actual alleged beating wasn’t caught on camera, and Quindara didn’t have what classifies as ‘substantial bodily harm’ under Nevada law, officers had limited options.” newal form when it arrives to keep your coverage.

Arrest and investigation: Lentz was arrested for residential burglary and has since been released from jail. Quindara, who believes that the charge was too light, is worried that his 44-year-old neighbor will come back to attack him again.

Redetermination process. What is the threshold for Medicaid in CA?

Recently, NAPCA’s Senior Assistance Center has received several calls regarding Medicaid Redetermination. We want to share some of the questions in this month’s column. If you have additional questions on Medicare, Medicaid, Affordable Care Act Health Insurance

Marketplace, Social Security Retirement Benefit, Supplemental Security Income, or COVID/Flu vaccination, there are 3 ways you can reach us today. Call our Senior Assistance Center at: (English) 1-800-336-2722, Email: askNAPCA@napca.org

Mail: NAPCA Senior Assistance Center, 1511 3rd Avenue, Suite 914, Seattle, WA 98101

1. What does Medicaid Redetermination mean?

Prior to the pandemic, states were required to renew coverage for people with Medicaid coverage at least once a year and to disenroll individuals who no longer qualified for coverage. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress acted to ensure Americans did not lose access to critical health care by preventing states from terminating a person’s Medicaid coverage, even if they no longer qualified. Now that the PHE (public health emergency) has ended, federal law requires states to restart regular Medicaid renewals. This means that over the next 12 months, everyone with health care coverage through Medicaid will renew their coverage.

2. What do I need to do for Medicaid Redetermination?

For people with Medicaid coverage:

• UPDATE your contact information with your state Medicaid agency.

• RESPOND to the Medicaid re-

• CONSIDER OTHER COVERAGE OPTIONS: If you are no longer eligible for Medicaid, check if you can get coverage through your employer, through the Affordable Care Act Marketplace at HealthCare.gov, or through Medicare.

3. What do I do if I lose Medicaid coverage though the Redetermination process?

If you are no longer eligible for Medicaid, you can transition to another form of health coverage, such as the Affordable Care Act Marketplace, employersponsored coverage, or Medicare. You can re-apply for Medicaid to find if you still qualify. Some options open their own Special Enrollment Period and Signup timeframe window. Please contact us if you have any questions about the SEP.

4. I am currently enrolled in Medicaid in CA. Recently I got a part-time job, and I am worried that I may lose my Medicaid coverage after the Medicaid

Medicaid is a State run program for certain people with limited income and assets. It means each state has its own eligibility. In the case of CA, you are still eligible for Medicaid,

• if you are single and your income is below $1,677 per month, or

• if you are a married couple and your household income is below $2,268 per month.

If you are 65 or older, you have an asset limit as well that is $130,000 for single or $195,000 for couple.

Please contact us to get the information about Medicaid eligibility or contact your local Medicaid office to check your Medicaid eligibility in the state where you live.

National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (NAPCA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of AANHPI older adults and their families. We operate a NAPCA Senior Assistance Center for Older Adults and Caregivers and is available in 5 different languages.