Puerto Rico's New Birth Certificates May Still Be Vulnerable [Radio]

Six years ago Puerto Ricans like myself were told to get a new birth certificate. Officials said the old certificates were at risk of being stolen and sold on the black market.

It turns out the new security-enhanced certificates may not be that safe, either. I recently spoke with Alfonso Chardy of el Nuevo Herald about some recent cases in Miami that may point to a new rash of certificate thefts and fraud.

Alfonso Chardy of el Nuevo Herald shares some recent findings about Puerto Rican birth certificates. Six years ago Puerto Rico told everyone born on the island to get new certificates due to problems of identity theft.

Have the issues of identity theft not been resolved by the new certificates?

It's unclear, because there are cases in numerous courts [but they] don't say if the certificates popping up are the new or old certificates. But the indication is they are the new certificates because these recent cases just popped up in the last 12 months.

What was happening in Puerto Rico that led the government to pass the law?

What was happening was that Puerto Ricans were either selling or having their birth certificates stolen, their identities stolen, then having those certificates sold to undocumented immigrants in Latin America so they could get US passports to get into the United States.

What was so unique about how Puerto Rico handled birth certificates, which led to this problem?

One of the things that state department officials noted was that Puerto Ricans were often required to have many copies of their birth certificates. Puerto Ricans would have many copies to go to school or work at government agencies. That made them vulnerable, because there were many copies around of each certificate.

What sort of cases were popping up recently that raised the question about security with the new certificates?

One of the cases was a person from Honduras who bought the certificate and a Social Security card for $2,500. One person I mentioned in the story too, had the birth certificate of a person who is in jail in Ponce, Puerto Rico. Officers were able to trace that to the inmate.

Has the Puerto Rican government said anything about the safety of the new certificates?

No. They're being completely silent, either before or after the story came out. They could come forward and say, don't worry, these cases are isolated, but no. Maybe the situation is worse than we know.

By Luis Hernandez

Puerto Rico's New Birth Certificates May Still Be Vulnerable

Puerto Rico Governor Signs Order To Legalize Medical Marijuana

Puerto Rico's governor on Sunday signed an executive order to authorize the use of medical marijuana in the U.S. territory in an unexpected move following a lengthy public debate.

Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla said the island's health secretary has three months to issue a report detailing how the executive order will be implemented, the impact it will have and what future steps could be taken. The order went into immediate effect.

"We're taking a significant step in the area of health that is fundamental to our development and quality of life," Garcia said in a statement. "I am sure that many patients will receive appropriate treatment that will offer them new hope."

The order directs the health department to authorize the use of some or all controlled substances or derivatives of the cannabis plant for medical use.

Garcia said the government also will soon outline the specific authorized uses of marijuana and its derivatives for medical purposes. He noted that medical marijuana is used in the U.S. mainland and elsewhere to treat pain associated with migraines and illnesses including epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and AIDS.

Medical marijuana is already legal in 23 U.S. states, and a group of U.S. legislators is seeking to remove federal prohibitions on it. Elsewhere in the Caribbean, Jamaica recently passed a law that partially decriminalized small amounts of pot and paved the way for a lawful medical marijuana sector.

Jaime Perello, president of Puerto Rico's House of Representatives, said he supported Garcia's order.

"It's a step in the right direction," he said. "One of the benefits that patients say they receive the most is pain relief."

Opposition legislator Jenniffer Gonzalez said Garcia's actions leave the law of controlled substances in what she called a "judicial limbo."

Back in 2013, Puerto Rico legislators debated a bill that would allow people to use marijuana for medicinal purposes, but a final vote was never taken.

Amado Martinez, an activist who supports legalizing marijuana for all uses, said in a phone interview that he was very surprised by the governor's actions.

He wondered what type of illnesses would receive authorization for medical marijuana, and whether the medical marijuana will be imported or if people can obtain licenses to grow it on the island.

"There are so many questions. We have to look at all those details," he said.







Puerto Rico Governor Signs Order To Legalize Medical Marijuana

En peligro el futuro de Medicare Advantage en Puerto Rico

Ocho miembros con plenos derechos en el Congreso, incluidos los legisladores federales demócratas boricuas, y el comisionado residente en Washington, Pedro Pierluisi, le escribieron a las autoridades del Departamento de Salud de Estados Unidos para reclamar una compensación justa para los programas Medicare Advantage de Puerto Rico.

La carta la suscriben los senadores demócratas Charles Schumer (Nueva York), Kirsten Gillibrand (Nueva York), Bill Nelson (Florida) y Corey Booker (Nueva Jersey).

Del lado republicano está el senador y precandidato presidencial Marco Rubio (Florida).

Los otros firmantes de la carta – dirigida a la secretaria de Salud, Sylvia Burwell; Andrew Slavitt, administrador interino del Centro de Servicios para Medicare y Medicaid (CMS); y Sean Cavanaugh, el funcionario de Medicare de más alto rango en el CMS -, son los congresistas demócratas boricuas José Serrano (Nueva York), Nydia Velázquez (Nueva York) y Luis Gutiérrez (Illinois).

“Debido a que es un territorio y no un estado, Puerto Rico recibe un trato desigual bajo los programas federales de Medicaid y de Medicare tradicional.  Este trato desigual causa toda una serie de problemas y aberraciones en la manera en que el gobierno federal reembolsa a los planes Medicare Advantage en Puerto Rico”, indicaron los legisladores federales.

La Asociación de Productos de Medicare y Medicare Advantage ha advertido que recortes de $300 millones en el programa Medicare Advantage van a afectar adversamente los servicios que ofrecen a alrededor de 560,000 personas de la tercera edad en Puerto Rico.

Pierluisi mencionó que el pasado 17 de marzo envió otra carta junto a varios de esos legisladores federales para expresar  “preocupación por el futuro del programa de Medicare Advantage en Puerto Rico” y pidiendo cambios de cara a la evaluación final que se esperaba para el 6 de abril.

“No obstante, el día que se publicó la determinación final, me comuniqué con el señor Cavanaugh y éste me informó que CMS no pudo evaluar a tiempo para la publicación de la determinación final, parte de la data empírica que le suministraron los planes de Medicare Advantage en Puerto Rico.  Cavanaugh se comprometió conmigo a que ahora CMS hará una evaluación completa de la data”, agregó Pierluisi.

Los legisladores indicaron en su carta que "es evidente que CMS tiene la autoridad administrativa para realizar un ajuste al alza de las tasas de pago para los planes Medicare Advantage en Puerto Rico, en caso de que el análisis confirme que se justifica.  Por otra parte, a la luz de todas las circunstancias, creemos que cualquier ajuste que se considere apropiado debe reflejarse en las tasas de pago para el 2016, no retrasarse hasta el 2017".

Ocho congresistas y Pierluisi piden a las autoridades federales una compensación justa para la Isla

En peligro el futuro de Medicare Advantage en Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico governor signs order to legalize medical pot

 Puerto Rico's governor on Sunday signed an executive order to authorize the use of medical marijuana in the U.S. territory in an unexpected move following a lengthy public debate.

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Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla said the island's health secretary has three months to issue a report detailing how the executive order will be implemented, the impact it will have and what future steps could be taken. The order went into immediate effect.

"We're taking a significant step in the area of health that is fundamental to our development and quality of life," Garcia said in a statement. "I am sure that many patients will receive appropriate treatment that will offer them new hope."

The order directs the health department to authorize the use of some or all controlled substances or derivatives of the cannabis plant for medical use.

Garcia said the government also will soon outline the specific authorized uses of marijuana and its derivatives for medical purposes. He noted that medical marijuana is used in the U.S. mainland and elsewhere to treat pain associated with migraines and illnesses including epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and AIDS.

Medical marijuana is already legal in 23 U.S. states, and a group of U.S. legislators is seeking to remove federal prohibitions on it. Elsewhere in the Caribbean, Jamaica recently passed a law that partially decriminalized small amounts of pot and paved the way for a lawful medical marijuana sector.

Jaime Perello, president of Puerto Rico's House of Representatives, said he supported Garcia's order.

"It's a step in the right direction," he said. "One of the benefits that patients say they receive the most is pain relief."

Opposition legislator Jenniffer Gonzalez said Garcia's actions leave the law of controlled substances in what she called a "judicial limbo."

Back in 2013, Puerto Rico legislators debated a bill that would allow people to use marijuana for medicinal purposes, but a final vote was never taken.

Amado Martinez, an activist who supports legalizing marijuana for all uses, said in a phone interview that he was very surprised by the governor's actions.

He wondered what type of illnesses would receive authorization for medical marijuana, and whether the medical marijuana will be imported or if people can obtain licenses to grow it on the island.

"There are so many questions. We have to look at all those details," he said.

Puerto Rico Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla delivers his budget address for the next fiscal year at the Capitol building in San Juan

By DANICA COTO

Puerto Rico governor signs order to legalize medical pot