http://www.hispanictips.com Essential Hispanic & Latino News :: Relevant, Trusted, Comprehensive and Useful Thu, 28 Aug 2008 01:43:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 en http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/08/18/travelers-crossing-us-land-and-sea-borders-can-now-replace-their-passport-book-with-a-new-passport-card-federal-passport-officials-started-issuing-the-wallet-size-cards-on-july-14/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/08/18/travelers-crossing-us-land-and-sea-borders-can-now-replace-their-passport-book-with-a-new-passport-card-federal-passport-officials-started-issuing-the-wallet-size-cards-on-july-14/#comments Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:38:09 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/08/18/travelers-crossing-us-land-and-sea-borders-can-now-replace-their-passport-book-with-a-new-passport-card-federal-passport-officials-started-issuing-the-wallet-size-cards-on-july-14/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/08/18/travelers-crossing-us-land-and-sea-borders-can-now-replace-their-passport-book-with-a-new-passport-card-federal-passport-officials-started-issuing-the-wallet-size-cards-on-july-14/feed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/08/17/us-mexican-states-may-charge-to-cross-border/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/08/17/us-mexican-states-may-charge-to-cross-border/#comments Sun, 17 Aug 2008 15:57:53 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/08/17/us-mexican-states-may-charge-to-cross-border/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/08/17/us-mexican-states-may-charge-to-cross-border/feed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/08/17/taking-the-kids-to-puerto-rico-accidental-tourists-find-an-island-filled-with-natural-attractions/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/08/17/taking-the-kids-to-puerto-rico-accidental-tourists-find-an-island-filled-with-natural-attractions/#comments Sun, 17 Aug 2008 15:11:41 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/08/17/taking-the-kids-to-puerto-rico-accidental-tourists-find-an-island-filled-with-natural-attractions/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/08/17/taking-the-kids-to-puerto-rico-accidental-tourists-find-an-island-filled-with-natural-attractions/feed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/08/17/free-assistance-in-spanish-for-latino-patients-with-high-hospital-bills-marketwatch/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/08/17/free-assistance-in-spanish-for-latino-patients-with-high-hospital-bills-marketwatch/#comments Sun, 17 Aug 2008 14:56:32 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/08/17/free-assistance-in-spanish-for-latino-patients-with-high-hospital-bills-marketwatch/ "K.B. Forbes, a leading national healthcare advocate and Executive Director of the Consejo de Latinos Unidos, a public charity that assists and educates Latinos and others, announced today the launch of a new, free nationwide assistance program in Spanish for Latinos with high hospital bills.
The key aspect of the program is to negotiate lower hospital bills for patients in debt and qualify them for any available discounts or charity care. The services are free. The program is fully funded and run by the Fairness Foundation, a public charity based in Indianapolis, Indiana.
"Many Latinos have no idea they are being price gouged by a hospital," said Forbes. "Now there is a free program in Spanish to help negotiate reasonable balances and payment plans. The anxiety so many victims of hospital price gouging face is being replaced with real concern, real help, real discounts, and real solutions for these patients."
According to the Fairness Foundation, patients who have utilized their free services have received significant discounts -- in some cases 90 percent off the original balances. In one cited case, a hospital patient ended up paying $6,300 on a hospital bill that was originally over $66,000 due to the successful efforts of the Fairness Foundation.
Spanish speaking patients in debt with a hospital are encouraged to register on the Internet at http://www.ayudagratis.net or call 1-800-742-3441.
Last November, Forbes was named by Health Leaders magazine as one of the top 20 people making a difference in making healthcare better in the United States.
Forbes is the author of nine investigative reports, including six on hospital price gouging and aggressive collection practices. The investigative reports and efforts by Forbes and the Consejo provoked several U.S. congressional probes into hospital price gouging abuses by the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee and the U.S. Senate Finance Committee. " Blogante News from HispanicTips.com - THE BEST HISPANIC - LATINO NEWS
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Did You Know? 33.5 million Hispanics speak only English or are bilingual and speak English well.
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My readers say it best: "love it," "addictive,""useful," "great," & "invaluable." - View quotes & testimonials]]> http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/08/17/free-assistance-in-spanish-for-latino-patients-with-high-hospital-bills-marketwatch/feed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/08/14/synovate-study-finds-us-hispanics-and-african-americans-still-have-much-lower-ownership-of-several-financial-services-and-products/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/08/14/synovate-study-finds-us-hispanics-and-african-americans-still-have-much-lower-ownership-of-several-financial-services-and-products/#comments Thu, 14 Aug 2008 19:33:12 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/08/14/synovate-study-finds-us-hispanics-and-african-americans-still-have-much-lower-ownership-of-several-financial-services-and-products/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/08/14/synovate-study-finds-us-hispanics-and-african-americans-still-have-much-lower-ownership-of-several-financial-services-and-products/feed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/08/10/a-mexican-border-city-has-begun-fining-us-drivers-who-cross-the-border-to-fill-extra-drums-tanks-or-barrels-with-government-subsidized-mexican-fuel-ciudad-acuna-across-the-border-from-del-rio/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/08/10/a-mexican-border-city-has-begun-fining-us-drivers-who-cross-the-border-to-fill-extra-drums-tanks-or-barrels-with-government-subsidized-mexican-fuel-ciudad-acuna-across-the-border-from-del-rio/#comments Sun, 10 Aug 2008 19:33:46 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/08/10/a-mexican-border-city-has-begun-fining-us-drivers-who-cross-the-border-to-fill-extra-drums-tanks-or-barrels-with-government-subsidized-mexican-fuel-ciudad-acuna-across-the-border-from-del-rio/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/08/10/a-mexican-border-city-has-begun-fining-us-drivers-who-cross-the-border-to-fill-extra-drums-tanks-or-barrels-with-government-subsidized-mexican-fuel-ciudad-acuna-across-the-border-from-del-rio/feed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/08/09/adventures-in-bolivia/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/08/09/adventures-in-bolivia/#comments Sat, 09 Aug 2008 16:45:06 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/08/09/adventures-in-bolivia/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/08/09/adventures-in-bolivia/feed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/08/06/the-recent-shooting-death-of-an-11-year-old-el-paso-boy-during-a-vacation-trip-in-mexico-has-renewed-questions-about-whether-its-safe-to-travel-south-of-the-border/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/08/06/the-recent-shooting-death-of-an-11-year-old-el-paso-boy-during-a-vacation-trip-in-mexico-has-renewed-questions-about-whether-its-safe-to-travel-south-of-the-border/#comments Wed, 06 Aug 2008 12:27:05 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/08/06/the-recent-shooting-death-of-an-11-year-old-el-paso-boy-during-a-vacation-trip-in-mexico-has-renewed-questions-about-whether-its-safe-to-travel-south-of-the-border/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/08/06/the-recent-shooting-death-of-an-11-year-old-el-paso-boy-during-a-vacation-trip-in-mexico-has-renewed-questions-about-whether-its-safe-to-travel-south-of-the-border/feed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/29/many-african-american-and-latino-families-in-danger-of-falling-out-of-middle-class-according-to-new-report-80-of-latino-middle-class-families-are-on-shaky-financial-ground/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/29/many-african-american-and-latino-families-in-danger-of-falling-out-of-middle-class-according-to-new-report-80-of-latino-middle-class-families-are-on-shaky-financial-ground/#comments Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:12:32 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/29/many-african-american-and-latino-families-in-danger-of-falling-out-of-middle-class-according-to-new-report-80-of-latino-middle-class-families-are-on-shaky-financial-ground/ "Landmark study based on new "Middle Class Security Index" developed by Demos and Brandeis University finds that 3 out of 4 African-American and 4 out of 5 Latino middle-class families are on shaky financial ground
Full report available for download at www.demos.org
As CNN explores many of the aspects of the African-American experience in its "Black in America" series, a new report shows that the vast majority of African-American and Latino families who have entered the middle class are either borderline or at high risk of falling out of the middle class altogether. The 2008 study by the policy center Demos and the Institute for Assets and Social Policy (IASP) at Brandeis University shows that one in four African-American and fewer than one in five Latino middle-class families in America are financially secure.
"Economic (In)Security: The Experience of the African American and Latino Middle Classes" is the first comprehensive report to measure the economic stability of households of color in the United States. Based on national government data, "Economic (In)Security" is the second in a series of reports and briefing papers that utilize the new Middle Class Security Index developed by the non-partisan policy center Demos and IASP/Brandeis. The first report, "By a Thread: The New Experience of America's Middle Class," was published in late November 2007 and presents findings on the middle class as a whole.
This Index measures the financial security of the middle class by rating household stability across five core economic factors: assets, educational achievement, housing costs, budget and healthcare. Based on how a family ranked in each of these factors, they were defined as financially "secure," "borderline" or "at risk."
"Financial health eludes the majority of African-American and Latino middle class," said Thomas M. Shapiro, Director of the Institute on Assets and Social Policy at Brandies and one of the co-authors of the report. "Tremendous middle-class gains earned in schools, achieved on the job, and seen in paychecks are eroded by lack of assets, which seriously undermines the financial security of African-American and Latino middle class families."
The Middle Class Security Index shows worrying trends in African-American and Latino households:
* African-American and Latino families have more difficulty moving into the middle class, and families that do enter the middle class are less secure and at higher risk than the middle class as a whole.
* Only 26 percent of African-American middle-class families have the combination of assets, education, sufficient income, and health insurance to ensure middle-class financial security. One in three (33 percent) are at high risk of falling out of the middle class.
* Fewer than one in five Latino families (18 percent) are securely in the middle class. More than twice as many Latino (41 percent) families are in danger of slipping out of the middle class.
* African-American middle-class families are less secure and at greater risk than the middle class as a whole on four of the five indicators of security and vulnerability. Latino middle-class families are less secure and at greater risk on all five indicators.
The report also shows that assets and housing costs are among the key destabilizing factors Latino and African-American families face:
* Only 2 percent of African-American and 8 percent of middle-class Latino families have enough net financial assets to meet three-quarters of their essential living expenses for nine months if their source of income disappeared.
* About 95 percent of African-American and 87 percent of Latino middle-class families do not have enough net assets to meet three-quarters of their essential living expenses for even three months if their source of income were to disappear.
* Only 26 percent of African-American and 37 percent of Latino middle-class families spend less than 20 percent of their after-tax income on housing -- both are below the national average of 40 percent.
The "Economic (In)Security" report recommends a set of policies that will help open access to, and strengthen, America's middle class. These policies cover a range of important issues affecting American households, including asset building and debt reduction, making higher education more accessible and affordable, and addressing the healthcare crisis.
"African-American and Latino families, even those who have made it into the middle class, still face very serious barriers to financial security," said Jennifer Wheary, Senior Fellow at Demos and report co-author. "Strengthening the middle class was a theme early in the election cycle. While both candidates seem to have forgotten about the topic, building a strong and inclusive middle class is more important than ever. Given the forecasts for population growth, candidates who say they are trying to build a better future for America cannot continue to ignore the great disparities, especially in key areas such as assets and housing costs that make the African-American and Latino middle classes financially weaker and less stable than their white counterparts."
The Middle Class Security Index will be updated biennially, with accompanying reports, as new national data become available. PDF versions of "Economic (In)Security" and the initial By a Thread reports are available for download at www.demos.org or iasp.brandeis.edu. To order a hard copy or to arrange an interview with one of the authors, please see contact information.
For more information:
Timothy Rusch, Demos, (212) 389-1407, trusch@demos.org " Blogante News from HispanicTips.com - The Most Relevant Hispanic y Latino News :: Trusted, Comprehensive & Useful]]> http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/29/many-african-american-and-latino-families-in-danger-of-falling-out-of-middle-class-according-to-new-report-80-of-latino-middle-class-families-are-on-shaky-financial-ground/feed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/28/guanajuatos-mix-of-mines-mummies-music-life-is-contagious-in-this-historic-colonial-city-dont-miss-the-nightly-cavalcade/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/28/guanajuatos-mix-of-mines-mummies-music-life-is-contagious-in-this-historic-colonial-city-dont-miss-the-nightly-cavalcade/#comments Mon, 28 Jul 2008 17:39:51 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/28/guanajuatos-mix-of-mines-mummies-music-life-is-contagious-in-this-historic-colonial-city-dont-miss-the-nightly-cavalcade/ Blogante News from HispanicTips.com - The Most Relevant Hispanic y Latino News :: Trusted, Comprehensive & Useful]]> http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/28/guanajuatos-mix-of-mines-mummies-music-life-is-contagious-in-this-historic-colonial-city-dont-miss-the-nightly-cavalcade/feed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/24/dvds-aim-to-advise-hispanics-on-financial-literacy/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/24/dvds-aim-to-advise-hispanics-on-financial-literacy/#comments Thu, 24 Jul 2008 15:49:05 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/24/dvds-aim-to-advise-hispanics-on-financial-literacy/ "The DVD set, titled "Nuestro Barrio" — Spanish for "our neighborhood" — contains 13 episodes that present financial information in a telenovela, or soap opera, format. The Spanish-language miniseries about Hispanic life in the United States aims to provide education and entertainment, or "infotainment," on varying issues including banking and home ownership. " HispanicTips.com - A Blogante News Service For, From & About Hispanics & Latinos]]> http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/24/dvds-aim-to-advise-hispanics-on-financial-literacy/feed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/22/poor-financial-advice-habits-hurt-many-hispanic/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/22/poor-financial-advice-habits-hurt-many-hispanic/#comments Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:01:55 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/22/poor-financial-advice-habits-hurt-many-hispanic/ "Suarez's plight is shared by millions of Hispanics and blacks who have suffered critical setbacks in a shrinking economy, according to recent data from the National Foundation for Credit Counseling.

Debt-counseling services are scarce in low-income neighborhoods, and many financially strapped black families often don't know where to turn for help, according to Emanuel Ridgeway, chief financial officer of the Urban League of Palm Beach County." HispanicTips.com - A Blogante News Service For, From & About Hispanics & Latinos]]> http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/22/poor-financial-advice-habits-hurt-many-hispanic/feed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/21/illegal-immigrants-spurn-benefits-fear-of-immigration-agents-means-available-resources-go-unclaimed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/21/illegal-immigrants-spurn-benefits-fear-of-immigration-agents-means-available-resources-go-unclaimed/#comments Mon, 21 Jul 2008 15:13:11 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/21/illegal-immigrants-spurn-benefits-fear-of-immigration-agents-means-available-resources-go-unclaimed/ "At a time when the economic downturn is hitting immigrant communities especially hard, food stamps are the first line of defense against hunger for low-income families. But advocates and government officials have long known that legal immigrants are missing out on government benefit programs because of language barriers or ignorance." HispanicTips.com - A Blogante News Service For, From & About Hispanics & Latinos]]> http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/21/illegal-immigrants-spurn-benefits-fear-of-immigration-agents-means-available-resources-go-unclaimed/feed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/21/ny-intl-latino-film-festival-offers-reel-look-at-hispanic-issues/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/21/ny-intl-latino-film-festival-offers-reel-look-at-hispanic-issues/#comments Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:19:31 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/21/ny-intl-latino-film-festival-offers-reel-look-at-hispanic-issues/ "Since its launch in 1999, the New York International Latino Film Festival has always had plenty to offer on a global scale - especially with the filmmakers coming from different Hispanic backgrounds here and abroad.

Despite these differences, all share one common goal: the desire to change perceptions about Latino culture through the art of film. " HispanicTips.com - A Blogante News Service For, From & About Hispanics & Latinos]]> http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/21/ny-intl-latino-film-festival-offers-reel-look-at-hispanic-issues/feed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/17/collin-county-commissioner-bilingual-employees-should-not-be-paid-more-spanish-speakers-get-3-percent-higher-starting-salaries-texas/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/17/collin-county-commissioner-bilingual-employees-should-not-be-paid-more-spanish-speakers-get-3-percent-higher-starting-salaries-texas/#comments Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:18:04 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/17/collin-county-commissioner-bilingual-employees-should-not-be-paid-more-spanish-speakers-get-3-percent-higher-starting-salaries-texas/ ""I don't believe we should be compensating employees more just because they can speak Spanish," he said. "This is America, and I believe people ought to be able to speak the English language."" HispanicTips.com - A Blogante News Service For, From & About Hispanics & Latinos]]> http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/17/collin-county-commissioner-bilingual-employees-should-not-be-paid-more-spanish-speakers-get-3-percent-higher-starting-salaries-texas/feed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/14/laid-back-mexican-oasis-offers-art-eats-and-those-palm-trees-todos-santos-mexico/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/14/laid-back-mexican-oasis-offers-art-eats-and-those-palm-trees-todos-santos-mexico/#comments Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:02:10 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/14/laid-back-mexican-oasis-offers-art-eats-and-those-palm-trees-todos-santos-mexico/ "TODOS SANTOS, Mexico—Happening upon a cluster of palm trees in the middle of the Mexican desert is something of a novelty.

After driving for kilometer after barren kilometer across the dusty terrain of Baja California Sur, void of any signs of people or plant life (there are animals—cows and goats—who take their time crossing the road), Highway 19 suddenly rambles its way across the Tropic of Cancer and into a small town, where there are people, and there are a few desert-dwelling plants. And, refreshingly, there are palm trees. A whole grove of them, in fact." HispanicTips.com - A Blogante News Service For, From & About Hispanics & Latinos]]> http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/14/laid-back-mexican-oasis-offers-art-eats-and-those-palm-trees-todos-santos-mexico/feed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/14/idyllic-zihuatanejo-mexico-where-families-come-to-play/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/14/idyllic-zihuatanejo-mexico-where-families-come-to-play/#comments Mon, 14 Jul 2008 16:54:07 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/14/idyllic-zihuatanejo-mexico-where-families-come-to-play/ "Well, it’s true. Zihuatanejo, about 140 miles north of Acapulco on the west coast of Mexico, is a fascinating place. It is the neighbor of Ixtapa, a hot destination for those in search of the Cancún experience on the west coast. It is Acapulco many, many years ago, before the horrible bloodshed of narcotraffickers made that place too dangerous to consider returning to.



But Zihua, as it is called by the locals, is the not Hard Rock Cafes and big resort hotels or even Troncones, a beach to the north which has been taken over by gringo surfers. Zihua is where the workers live, and it has several lovely small hotels and a wonderful curving beach where vendors are gentle and smile when you say “No, gracias” to their trinkets held aloft – and then wander off leaving one to wonder how they make a living?" HispanicTips.com - A Blogante News Service For, From & About Hispanics & Latinos]]> http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/14/idyllic-zihuatanejo-mexico-where-families-come-to-play/feed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/09/mccain-obama-pitch-economic-plans-to-hispanics/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/09/mccain-obama-pitch-economic-plans-to-hispanics/#comments Wed, 09 Jul 2008 13:33:35 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/09/mccain-obama-pitch-economic-plans-to-hispanics/ "Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama sought Tuesday to send the same message to a critical constituency: They understand that Hispanics share the same economic concerns as other Americans — and they will help the whole country prosper." HispanicTips.com - A Blogante News Service For, From & About Hispanics & Latinos]]> http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/07/09/mccain-obama-pitch-economic-plans-to-hispanics/feed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/06/26/native-ingredients-and-rituals-distinguish-mexicos-top-spas/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/06/26/native-ingredients-and-rituals-distinguish-mexicos-top-spas/#comments Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:59:03 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/06/26/native-ingredients-and-rituals-distinguish-mexicos-top-spas/ "Once known mainly as cheaper alternatives to U.S. or European destination spas, Mexico's spas now offer thoroughly unique experiences that combine sophisticated treatments from all over the world with indigenous rituals such as the temazcal sweat house and native materials like nopal cactus, volcanic ash, chocolate, vanilla and honey — all from Mexico's tropical forests. Here are 10 of Mexico's most outrageous spas. " HispanicTips.com - A Blogante News Service For, From & About Hispanics & Latinos]]> http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/06/26/native-ingredients-and-rituals-distinguish-mexicos-top-spas/feed/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/06/25/spirit-airlines-announces-new-daily-service-between-fort-lauderdale-and-bogota-colombia-starting-july-24-2008-69-roundtrip-introductory-fares/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/06/25/spirit-airlines-announces-new-daily-service-between-fort-lauderdale-and-bogota-colombia-starting-july-24-2008-69-roundtrip-introductory-fares/#comments Wed, 25 Jun 2008 13:22:15 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/06/25/spirit-airlines-announces-new-daily-service-between-fort-lauderdale-and-bogota-colombia-starting-july-24-2008-69-roundtrip-introductory-fares/ "" HispanicTips.com - A Blogante News Service For, From & About Hispanics & Latinos]]> http://www.hispanictips.com/2008/06/25/spirit-airlines-announces-new-daily-service-between-fort-lauderdale-and-bogota-colombia-starting-july-24-2008-69-roundtrip-introductory-fares/feed/