You Don't Have to be Uninsured to have Medical Debt

Last week, we aired a first installment of a series that takes a closer look at the Human Services Agency of San Francisco, the people they serve, the ones they don't, and how that latter group is sure to get bigger after the agency suffered budget cuts in the tens of millions of dollars this past year. What is clear from the conversation I had with Trent Rhorer, Executive Director of the HSA, is that there are some people who are left behind by welfare services, simply because they make just a little too much to qualify....Or they have a car...Or savings...or unemployment benefits...the list of disqualifications is a long one.

And today there was a headline in our digest that proved there are people on the margin of the health care debate that are suffering greatly as well - the insured poor. The UCLA Center for Health Policy Research released a report today that found 2/3rds of the 2.2 million Californians who say they are in medical debt, actually had health insurance when they incurred that debt.

If you are one of the people on the margin, barely making it, give us a call at 415 264 7106, and share your story with us. Or write to us at news@kalw.org.

First Day of School

The San Francisco School District kicks off classes today, and so will other schools and universities across the bay later this week. Students, parents, and teachers alike are heading into this school year with tight budgets.

This Facebook group was recently launched to connect Oakland teachers with people who could contribute to their classes needs, such as pencils and magazine subscriptions. (As of now, there is still an unmet request for glue sticks and spiral notebooks!)

Tomorrow we will air an interview conducted by one of our street team members with a student at UC Berkeley, who is considering dropping out of school due to rising tuition costs. This Oakland Tribune article discusses ways that families can better prepare for rising college tuition. One piece of advice? Start early. Applying for government-based grants can start during the early high school years. But the cheapest option is still the California community college system:

Even with this year's $6-per-unit fee increase, community colleges can make the first two years of college significantly more affordable, and they can also improve an academically weak student's chances of graduating from a high-quality university.

Good Job News for California, not for Nation

So it seems that nationally, first time unemployment claims are up...again. Two weeks in a row, in fact. Bad news for the U.S.

But California has the largest drop of unemployment claims in the whole country, down about 5,000 claims. Good news for us!

If you want a better breakdown of the recession by state and county, take a look at the Oakland Tribune's Special Report page called "Faces of the Recession." There you will find a map tracking where the recession has hit the hardest, a database of announced layoffs, and another database of foreclosures. Useful stuff.

Finally, an Optimist

Okay, so enough of the doom and gloom...where is the GOOD news?

Recently I discovered The Stimulist, a news blog that claims to have a daily dose of optimistic news for us - sign me up!

The posting that caught my eye was this list of advice for the recently laid off.

Have a good news economic story to share with us? PLEASE, call it in to our tip line, 415-264-7106, or email us at news@kalw.org with "Economic Edge" in the subject line.

EE INTERVIEW: Mills College Professor Daphne Muse

For our Economic Edge Project, we are asking prominent members of our bay area to tell us what the recession looks like through their eyes.

Today we aired an excerpt from a conversation with civil rights activist, educator, and writer, Daphne Muse. She will be losing her job as professor at Mills College at the end of this month due to the recession, but she says she is still hopeful, and grateful to be an elder in these hard times, to know that the good times always return. Take a listen.

(photo taken by Brant Ward at the SF Chronicle, for an article published on February 1, 2007)

Recession Roommates

Multiple roommates and co-habitation is nothing new to San Franciscans - it is not that uncommon to find four or five people living in one flat, sharing one bathroom, and often without a living room or common space.

But the Chronicle says now more people than ever are turning to extra roommates as a way to make ends meet. Just to give you an idea of how many people, Craigslist is saying their "roommates wanted" ads are up 85% in S.F. from last year!

I blogged in June about how S.F. is behind in creating affordable-housing units, so we can expect this to continue for quite some time.

For those of you who might join the fray of multiple roommates, (I count msyethe SF Chron included some tips from the people who know a thing or two about home sharing:

-- Take time in selecting; meet more than once.

-- Check references.

-- Get a deposit.

-- Write up a "living together" agreement.

-- Discuss how you'll solve disputes.

-- Address problems while they're still small.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/08/17/MNOR196OF1.DTL#ixzz0OTmQzIK8

(photo obtained from photo blog, TheLensCap.wordpress.com)

Unemployed? They Need Skilled Employees in Alaska

Today, we will be airing on Crosscurrents a couple of stories from the "funemploymed", to prove there might be a silver lining to the staggering 11.6% unemployment rate in California.

If you are among the laid off and think it's about time to start over somewhere new, Business Week lists 20 of the top places to start over a life or career in the country, based on potential hiring and on quality of life.

Among the top? Anchorage, Alaska. And I love how the Professor of Economics quoted in the story says: "it's possible that out-of-work Californians who have come to Alaska looking for opportunities might be responsible for pushing up the unemployment rate a bit." We really do get blamed for everything, don't we?

Staggering Health Effects of the Recession

Tomorrow, we will highlight on Crosscurrents some people who have found the silver lining in their unemployment. They are sometimes termed the "funemployed," and include both people who have decided to take time off from regular work, and those who have found new career paths thanks to being laid off.

But with California's unemployment rate at 11.6%, almost 2% points higher than the national average, it is clear that there are many people facing desperate times.

(You can track the unemployment numbers by state and compare to the national average on this handy google chart of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

A few days ago, the American Psychological Association reported a 25% increase in the amount of calls to their suicide prevention hotline, and attribute the spike to economic distress. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration says it will provide more than $1 million in additional money to suicide crisis centers to compensate for the increase demand of their services.

What have you heard or experienced when it comes to the health effects of the recession? Share your story or thoughts with us, at 415-264-7106, or by email at news@kalw.org.

Employment Development Department Has Their Own Problems

The EDD is meant to provide employment assistance to people in need, but it looks like they could use some assistance themselves right now.

Today, EDD employees picketed in front of the state capitol to protest the mandatory furloughs imposed on them by the governor. The furloughs reduce employee salaries by almost 14%, but none of those savings are passed on to the state because EDD is a federally-funded agency.

It is hard to believe that the agencies meant to help those in need are now in such dire need of help themselves to stay staffed and running. How are state furloughs affecting you and your community? Write to us at news@kalw.org, or leave us a message at 415-264-7106.

The Joy of Less

When I talk to people about how the recession has changed their lives, I am surprised by how many people end up having positive things to say.

Today we aired a positive profile of a cafe in Oakland reported by one of our Street Team members, Robert Vergas. The message from the cafe owner and customers is one of appreciation for what they have, rather than focusing on what they lack, and on making do with less.

It reminds me of an article I came across that was titled exactly that, "The Joy of Less," about a man who lived extravagantly in New York, but always dreamt of living a stoic life in Japan. One day he went for it, and he never looked back.

It is comforting to see that hard times can inspire people to leap for their dreams, or can push people to discover reserves of positive thinking and creative problem-solving to live their best life, today, regardless of the circumstances that might otherwise stand in their way.