DHCS funds nearly 15M Medi-Cal beneficiaries

MEDI-CAL

Continued from Page A1 plan including social media, website, texts and a call campaign with the aim that we will be able to blanket the community with urgency to be ready for the renewal process.”

The News-Press asked Dr. Do-Reynoso what happens if members fail to apply for renewal of benefits.

“Unfortunately, they will lose benefits and may not have access to immediate healthcare services,” she said. “To avoid disruption of coverage, we strongly encourage members to update their information starting today and complete the renewal pack online or by mail right away.”

In Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, all

Medi-Cal eligibility and enrollment decisions are made by each county’s respective DSS. CenCal Health does not determine Medi-Cal eligibility. The federal government administers Medicaid; MediCal is the name of California’s Medicaid benefits program.

The California Department of Health Care Services funds health care services for nearly 15 million Medi-Cal beneficiaries.

About one-third of Californians receive health care services financed or organized by DHCS.

“It’s a privilege to help improve the health of our communities in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara,” said Marina Owen, CEO of CenCal Health. “We can better serve our members if they update their account information as soon as possible, and by responding to

Revue

Continued from Page A2

“He is setting out on his first trip this weekend to Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama to meet with local activists with his wife and his children in tow.”

Translation: Gavin is taking his family on an allexpense paid vacation (spring break) courtesy of the Democratic Party.

“RFK JR. IS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT, WILL CHALLENGE BIDEN FOR DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION”

I’d take RFK Jr. any day of the week over Joe Biden and Gavin Newsom.

Says Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: “My top priority will be to end the corrupt merger between state and corporate power that has ruined our economy, shattered the middle class. Polluted our landscapes and waters. Poisoned out children and robbed us of our values and freedoms.”

Amen, brother.

“THE UNSEALED INDICTMENT AGAINST DONALD TRUMP”

This document can be summed up in one word from Britain: CODSWALLOP.

The modern American vernacular: NOTHINGBURGER.

As in, old lettuce, sour pickles — and regurgitated beef from those afflicted with Trump Derangement Syndrome.

Oh, add a banana, because this is what our country is becoming through a politicized Justice Department and judicial system: A banana republic.

“EVERYONE ON EARTH WILL DIE UNLESS WE STOP RAPIDLY DEVELOPING BOTS”

Eliezer Yudkowsky, cofounder of the Machine Intelligence Research Institute, believes humans will lose to a “horrific dangerous technology.”

Mr. Yudkowsky posits that artificial intelligence will not do what we want, “does not care for us nor for sentient life in general” but will perceive human beings “as atoms that it can use for something else.”

And while we’re on the subject of A.I …

“THE CALIFORNIA NEWSPAPER THAT HAS NO REPORTERS LEFT”

Which paper: The Salinas Californian.

How: Gannett, the owner of over 1,000 newspapers nationwide, provides copy from its other newspapers. Reports msn.com: “The only original content comes in the form of paid obituaries, making death virtually the only sign of life.”

Which sadly suggests the newspaper business is getting deader than a doornail.

My forecast: Within five years almost all newspapers will be paperless.

Reasons: 1) The cost of newsprint; 2) the cost of physical distribution; 3) smartphone and tablet preference/addiction.

As for content: Newspaper editors can now order up copy on any topic of their choosing from an artificial intelligence platform called ChatGBT. I requested a brief column explaining Easter Sunday:

“Easter Sunday is one of the most significant religious holidays in the Christian calendar, and it is observed by millions of Christians around the world. It marks the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, three days after his crucifixion, as described in the Bible.

“For Christians, Easter Sunday represents the triumph of life over death and hope over despair. It is a time to reflect on the sacrifice and teachings of Jesus, and to celebrate the new beginning that his resurrection brings.

“Easter Sunday is typically celebrated with church services, family gatherings, and traditional foods, such as hot cross buns and Easter eggs. It is also a time for prayer, reflection, and gratitude for the blessings in our lives.

“While Easter Sunday has deep religious significance for Christians, it is also a time for people of all faiths to come together in celebration of renewal, hope, and the beauty of the spring season.

“As we celebrate Easter Sunday, let us remember communication from our MediCal partners, members will be able to keep their health coverage. Together, we can build a healthier Central Coast for all residents.”

CenCal members can update their contact information and complete their renewal application at www. mybenefitscalwin.org (which has an additional link to www. keepmedicalcoverage.org).

“The website is very easy to use. It is critical that members maintain access to healthcare services by updating their information on the website and filling out the renewal packet,” said Dr. Do-Reynoso. “You can help friends and family with the renewal process. Together we can support our vulnerable community members to thrive by helping them maintain access to healthcare services.” email: kzehnder@newspress.com the message of love, compassion, and forgiveness that Jesus taught us, and let us strive to live those values in our daily lives.”

There is nothing stylistic about ChatGBT’s copy. But it works as straight reportage, and it’s free for any newspaper to publish — in contrast to having to pay journalists a salary plus benefits — and quite likely what you will read in future newspapers, despite journalists’ unions efforts to stave off the inevitable. Or as the Wall Street Journal put it three days ago, “The robots have finally come for my job.”

“ALBERT EINSTEIN & CHARLIE CHAPLIN’S FRIENDSHIP BEGAN WITH A HILARIOUS EXCHANGE OF MUTUAL ADMIRATION”

“What I admire most about your art is your universality,” Einstein said to Chaplin.

Chaplin replied (with perfect comedic timing),“True, but your glory is even greater! The whole world admires you even though they don’t understand a word of what you say.”

Sir Charlie’s ghost is often present on Coast Village Road at the Montecito Inn, of which he may or may not have been a founding owner when it was built in 1928. Some say it was Chaplin’s weekend getaway from Hollywood. He and his pal “Fatty” Arbuckle would bring sweet young things to Montecito amid promises of making them into starlets.

These days the ghost of Chaplin plays harmless pranks on unsuspecting hotel guests and restaurant patrons. For instance, he’ll jerk a barstool, prompting a male customer to pratfall while concurrently causing a female to slip on an imaginary banana peel, and they’ll engage each other on the floor — Charlie’s slapstick style of sparking a new romance. Strangely, no injuries occur from these pratfalls and slippages (which of course have nothing to do with stiff martinis …)

Costumed as his character “The Tramp,” Chaplin is seen walking through walls. He sometimes flicks empty glasses off serving trays and taps the shoulders of certain patrons. And if you’re having a private moment in the toilet, he switches the light off or silently unbolts the lock, leading to potentially embarrassing encounters.

I personally saw Charlie at work years ago while minding my own martini inside The Montecito Bar (now a high-end sushi restaurant). For no rational reason, the heavy glass door opened very slowly outward as if someone had pulled the handle for entry. But no one was there. All of a sudden, when the door was open as wide as it would go, in a split second it slammed shut with such forces that the glass shattered into a million pieces.

Another time, I watched as a half-glass of red wine spilled all by itself onto my friend’s brand-new white linen jacket.

Chaplin’s spiritual presence extends to the barand-grill next door, whose former maître d’ told me, “One time I was serving a movie executive and he ordered our Dover sole. Everything is set up on a jack stand. Suddenly, for no reason at all, against the laws of physics, the whole jack stand of trays flips up, away from me and the plate with the fish on it goes sailing up in the air, in an arc, and the other plate goes flying off and the fish comes down right in the middle of the plate — a physically impossible maneuver. I laughed because it was so darn funny and a big wad of snot flew out of my nose right onto the fish.

“The whole thing was right out of a Chaplin movie.

“See that wall?” the former maître d’ continued.

“It’s closest to the Montecito Inn. We have customers who tell us about noises in the night from the inn. A member of my staff saw Charlie just before opening time. He was costumed as The Tramp: bowler hat, mustache, legs splayed, walking out, walking backward, walking out again, walking backward. The waitress screamed and ran out the door into my arms. She would never work in that section again.”

Attending his deathbed, a priest told Chaplin, “May the Lord have mercy on your soul.” Sir Charlie replied, “Why not? After all, it belongs to Him.” And He apparently delivered dear Charlie’s spirit to Montecito.

Robert Eringer is a longtime Montecito author with vast experience in investigative journalism. He welcomes questions or comments at reringer@gmail.com.