Former Vice President Joe Biden has now become President-Elect after being named the projected winner of the 2020 presidential election. Supporters were quick to show their support.
“Finally, I want to thank everyone who worked, organized and volunteered for the Biden campaign, every American who got involved in their own way and everybody who voted for the first time,” Obama wrote. “I know it can be exhausting, but for this democracy to endure, it requires our active citizenship and sustained focus on the issues—not just in an election season, but all the days in between.”
Biden was declared the winner Saturday morning, after days of ballot counting, protests, and Donald Trump’s wildly false claims about election fraud. Biden won states on both coasts, including Washington, California, Oregon, and Nevada as well as New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and New Jersey. But it was the states in the middle of the country that made the difference. Biden and Harris also took Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin, the last two of which flipped from Republican.
The former first lady also congratulated Biden and his wife, Jill, as well as Harris and her husband Douglas Emhoff.
I’m beyond thrilled that my friend @JoeBiden and our first Black and Indian-American woman Vice President, @KamalaHarris, are headed to restore some dignity, competence, and heart at the White House. Our country sorely needs it. pic.twitter.com/yXqQ3tYRoa
“I’m beyond thrilled that my friend @JoeBiden and our first Black and Indian-American woman Vice President, @KamalaHarris, are headed to restore some dignity, competence, and heart at the White House. Our country sorely needs it,” the former first lady wrote on Twitter.
Hillary and Bill Clinton also expressed their congratulations to Biden’s and Harris for winning the White House.
“America has spoken and democracy has won,” tweeted former President Bill Clinton, less than an hour after the Associated Press officially called the election for Biden after receiving the 270 electoral college votes necessary. Hillary Clinton wrote “It’s a history-making ticket, a repudiation of Trump, and a new page for America.”
CNN reported Sunday Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) both called and congratulated Joe Biden on his election victory. They were the only two Republicans to express their support to Biden and Harris.
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — After a 15-year effort by his family and members of Congress, the U.S. Senate on Tuesday passed a bill authorizing a posthumous Medal of Honor for U.S. Army Sgt. First Class Alwyn Cashe.
Introduced by U.S. Reps. Stephanie Murphy (D-Fla.), Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) and Michael Waltz (R-Fla.), the bill waives a federal law that requires a Medal of Honor be awarded within five years of the actions that prompted it.
The House of Representatives passed it on Sept. 22, but its momentum slowed while Senate Republicans were focused on Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation process. The bill will go to the White House to be signed into law. It permits the Department of Defense to waive the five-year rule for Cashe.
Cashe died on Nov. 8, 2005, from injuries he sustained while rescuing his fellow soldiers from a vehicle destroyed by an Improvised Explosive Device in Iraq.
“I am so grateful the Senate passed our bill to pave the way for the President to award Alwyn Cashe the Medal of Honor,” said Murphy, who represents the Sanford, Fla., and Oviedo Fla., communities where Cashe was born and raised.
“We are now very close to recognizing this unbelievably heroic soldier, who died saving his men, with our nation’s highest award for combat valor, which he earned beyond a shadow of a doubt.”
Cashe Family with Rep. Stephanie Murphy: SFC Cashe’s son, Andrew, a newly minted Army infantryman, poses in front of a memorial plaque with Cashe’s sister, Kasinal Cashe White, and Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-Fla.) at the renaming of the Oviedo Post Office. (Courtesy of Rep. Murphy’s Office)
Murphy’s co-sponsors were effusive after the bill cleared the Senate on the eve of Veterans Day.
“We are one step closer to properly recognizing Sergeant First Class Alwyn Cashe for his bravery in risking his own life to save his fellow soldiers,” said Crenshaw, a former Navy SEAL. “He is deserving of the Medal of Honor, our nation’s highest military award for bravery on the battlefield, and we urge President [Donald] Trump to quickly sign our bill into law to make sure that happens.”
“It’s not every day you read an extraordinary story like Alwyn Cashe’s,” Waltz, a former Army Special Forces officer, said. “His bravery in the face of danger has inspired so many already, and this is a significant step forward to properly recognize him for his heroism.”
Cashe will be the 91st African American serviceman to receive the Medal of honor.
The long, hard road to now
Cashe was born on July 13, 1970, the youngest of a blended family of 18 children. He is remembered by his sister as a “rambunctious, spoiled, somewhat bad kid” with a passion for the outdoors.
“He was very outdoorsy,” said Kasinal Cashe White, 62, a registered nurse in Tallahassee, Fla. “His favorite times were when he had a gun on his hip or a fishing pole in his hands.”
For more than 15 years, Cashe family and members of Congress have lobbied for a posthumous Medal of Honor. (Courtesy of the U.S. Army)
After graduating from Oviedo High in 1988, Cashe enlisted in the U.S. Army, where, as an infantryman, he served tours of duty in the 1991 Gulf War and during the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
On Oct. 17, 2005, acting as a platoon sergeant for 1st Platoon, Alpha Company, Cashe, and his troops embarked on a mission to clear a route in the city of Daliaya.
According to Military Times reports, Cashe was in the lead Bradley Fighting Vehicle when it struck an Improvised Explosive Device, rupturing the vehicle’s fuel cell, covering him in fuel, and causing the Bradley to engulf into flames.
While ablaze and under heavy gunfire from insurgents, Cashe rescued six soldiers from the burning vehicle, returning multiple times and refusing medical assistance until everyone was pulled from the burning wreckage.
At the end of the skirmish, an interpreter was killed in action, with 10 soldiers wounded, seven severely.
Cashe was flown to a medical facility in Germany after having 72% of his body severely burned before being transported to Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, where he ultimately succumbed to his wounds.
When the news of her brother’s incident first came to light, White thought little of it.
“I was told that Al had been hurt,” she said. “My sister, Bernadine, told me he’d been in an accident, so I thought maybe he broke his leg.”
During her commute from her then-Lake Butler, Fla., home to Gainesville, Fla., where she was working as an intensive care nurse, she received another call: the description of his condition was downgraded from “hurt” to “wounded.”
“Now, you’ve got my full attention,” she said. “I was routed to the doctor in Iraq that told me Al had been burned and was in critical condition. That’s not a term that’s used loosely. All I could think was, ‘please don’t let my brother die. Send him home to me.’”
The fog of war made initial reports of the action sketchy. Unaware of how badly wounded Cashe was and the extent of his heroism, mainly performing a rescue while taking on enemy gunfire, his battalion commander at the time, now-Lt. Gen. Gary Brito, nominated Cashe for the Silver Star.
Along with a Purple Heart, that award was presented to Cashe’s mother outside his hospital room, where he lay fatally wounded.
Meanwhile, the hospital staff provided Cashe’s sister with more details of his actions on that fateful day in Daliaya.
“They were telling me that my brother was a hero, but, in the U.S., that’s a word we throw around a lot,” said White. “But, I did my research and concluded that my brother deserved a Medal of Honor.”
After getting the “run-around” from former Sen. Bill Nelson and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who both claimed they could not aid in her efforts to upgrade Cashe’s Silver Star to a Medal of Honor, Rep. Murphy took up the mantle.
The U.S. Senate on Tuesday passed a bill to authorize a posthumous Medal of Honor award for U.S. Army St. First Class Alwyn Cashe. (Photo: U.S. Army)
“She called me and said, ‘Ms. White, I’ve been reading your brother’s story, and I can’t believe a Florida citizen did this, and there’s not a building named after him. I will support you,’” said White.
On July 14, 2014, a new Army Reserve Center in Sanford, Florida got Cashe’s name. The Oviedo, Florida post office was renamed in his honor in May 2019.
Buoyed by additional statements provided to the Army by Brito to justify upgrading Cashe’s award to a Silver Star, Murphy, Waltz, and Crenshaw reached out to Secretary of Defense Mark Esper last fall to formally request the upgrade.
“After giving the nomination careful consideration, I agree that SFC Cashe’s actions merit award of the Medal of Honor,” Esper responded in a letter to Waltz on Aug. 24.
“However, 10 U.S.C. § 7274 requires that the Medal of Honor be awarded ‘within five years after the date of the act justifying the award.’ Before we can take further action with this nomination, Congress must waive this time limit. Once legislation is enacted authorizing the President of the United States to award, if he so chooses, the Medal of Honor to SFC Cashe, I will provide my endorsement to the President.”
After skepticism born of a decade and a half of trying, White said she is elated at the news.
“My heart is overjoyed. We now have passed the Senate, which means we have full support,” she said. “This means more than you’ll ever know because now all we need is for the president to sign off on the endorsement, and my brother, Sgt. First Class Alwyn C. Cashe, will finally get the medal he deserves, our nation’s highest honor.”
Mad because the affairs of man did not turn out the way you wanted them too. Who do you think you are? Listen, and listen good. ALL existing authority is set up by Me. [Romans 13:1]. There is no authority except from Me, and those that exist have been placed there by Me. I tell you, when you understand that there is nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing that can happen unless I allow it, you will be alright. For I am God and God all by myself! And let me just say this, if you resist the authorities whom I have appointed, you will incur judgment. You better know that you know! For it is I, who declare how things turn out long before they ever happen. For it is I, who declare not just natural events, but human events. I rule the kingdom of men and give it to whom I will. [Daniel 4:32]. I plan and govern all things, not you. [Isaiah 46:8-11]. It is I, who declare the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done. It is I, who removes kings and set up kings. [Daniel 2:21]. I tell you, when you understand that there is nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing that can happen, unless I allow it, you will be alright.” My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all My purposes. “For the earth is Mines and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” [Psalm 24:1]. EVERYTHING is subject to My command. Nothing can take place without My sanctioning it. If you will only grasp this truth and comprehend that fact, you will stop worrying about a lot of things because absolutely nothing happens without My permission. Even the devil has to seek My permission. Know that I will use anything and anyone of My choosing to fulfill My divine purpose. [Job 1:6, 12; 2:6] [John 19:11]. “For no plan of Mine can be thwart.” [Job 42:2].
I want you to know that EVERYTHING in the universe is either caused by God or allowed by God. Nothing ever “just happens” and nothing is caused by someone or something outside of God’s control. Whatever is happening to us is part of the working of God’s plan. God is at work in all things at all times to accomplish His will in the universe. He does whatever pleases Him. And He will ALWAYS have the final say! [Ephesians 1:11].
“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” [Proverbs 16:33; 19:21].
I believe “all Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness…” [2 Timothy 3:16, 17.] and that includes the text in [Romans 13
The 2020 American Election Eve Poll, a 15,000-sample sized election eve poll that will provide the most accurate information about the 2020 vote choices and motivations of Latino, African American, Asian American/Pacific Islander, and Native American voters, released its first collection of select national findings.
Sifting through that data, some interesting findings to highlight.
First: Race and the 2016 Vote
Before we get into these 2020 findings, it’s useful to look at the 2016 exit polls in terms of the racial demographics, particularly those broke down by gender and age.
Now back to 2020 …
The Black Vote
This is the total Black Vote …
Black Men Vote …
Black Women Vote …
And young, Gen Z/Millennial Black voters showing the second largest cut of Black voters going for Trump compared to other cross tabs …
Along with Black Independents showing a rather significant shift towards Trump …
The White Vote
This is the total White vote …
This is White men …
And here we see that, at least according to this poll, White women in 2020 are nearly voting the exact same way they did in 2016 …
Interestingly enough, slightly more White voters age 60+ voted for Biden …
… Than White GenZ and Millennial White voters …
COVID-19 infections seemed to make little difference to White voters who experienced it …
Biden won slightly more White independents, however …
The Latino Vote …
Here is the total Latino Vote – four percentage points more for the Democrat than in 2016 …
There is a slightly larger share of Latino men voting for the Democrat than Trump, but still significantly more Latino men voting for Trump than Black men …
Significantly more Latino women voting for Biden than Trump – more Latino women for the Democrat in 2020 than 2016 …
Older Latino voters, however, showing the most inclination to support Biden than any other group within the Latino voting bloc …
Low-income/working class Latinos show the strongest support for Trump among all income groups …
And huge differences in Biden vs. Trump support among Mexicans …
The first round of economic impact payments funded by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, or the CARES Act, has been opened to a new group of Americans.
Incarcerated individuals can now apply to receive their stimulus payments of up to $1200.
According to a June report from the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), the IRS initially sent nearly 85,000 payments, totaling about $100 million, to incarcerated individuals. After the report raised concerns about the payments, the IRS decided that payments to incarcerated people were not allowed under the CARES Act and ordered that the payments sent should be returned.
Then a class-action lawsuit was filed. Lawyers argued that denying the payments solely based on an individual’s incarcerated status was against the law. The language of the CARES Act does not explicitly say that incarcerated individuals cannot receive payments.
On Sept. 24, Judge Phyllis Hamilton of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California ordered the Treasury Department and the IRS to reverse the decision. The previously rescinded stimulus payments now have to be returned to the incarcerated individuals.
On Oct. 14, Hamilton also ordered the IRS to extend the deadline for incarcerated individuals covered by the lawsuit to file paperwork to receive the money to Nov. 4. People covered by the lawsuit who did not file a 2018 or 2019 tax return will have to submit a postmarked simplified Form 1040 paper return by Nov. 4 to receive the stimulus payment.
The IRS also extended the online deadline to register for a stimulus payment for people who don’t typically file a tax return to Nov. 21.
According to the IRS website, the government is working on an appeal to the decision. “The government has filed an appeal and request to stay the preliminary injunction. Any updates regarding the appeal will be posted on this webpage,” the IRS states.
Under the CARES Act, stimulus payments must be made by Dec. 31. People will still have an opportunity to get the stimulus funds next year, but they won’t receive the money until they file their 2020 tax return.
Information on how to help an incarcerated person file for a stimulus payment is available at caresactprisoncase.org. The website includes directions on where to mail the simplified return, as well as a sample Form 1040 with instructions on where to add the incarcerated individual’s personal corrections number to ensure payment is sent to the right place.
Mary Nichols, an influential California attorney known and respected in environmental policy circles across the United States, is finding herself at the center of racial storm brewing at home.
Black employees say racism is widespread at the California Air Resources Board (CARB), the organization Nichols chairs.
In September, African American employees hit CARB with a 13-page letter alleging that they have been experiencing racism – widespread, routine and systemic, they point out – at the air-pollution and climate agency.?
The “Concerned Black Employees at CARB (CBE CARB),” the Black group that submitted the letter, says its members have been the target of cynical comments at the organization and that they have been excluded from promotions, and have had to face other atrocities because of the color of their skin.
The letter details discriminatory hiring practices, incidents of intimidation, low representation of Black employees, and a general lack of support. CARB, the letter alleges, has a total of 1627 employees and only 73 of them are Black. Only one African American has held an executive position with the organization.
“You will find a compilation of Black stories about our experiences at CARB along with messages we received from those experiences,” CBE CARB stated in the introduction of the document. Although these stories are first person accounts of experiences, we believe that most of them apply (or have applied) to all Black employees at some point and time at CARB.”
The state of California charges CARB with protecting the public from the harmful effects of air pollution and developing programs and actions to fight climate change. Founded in 1967, the Sacramento-based organization also sets air quality standards, oversee automakers’ emissions compliance, conducts research on air pollution, measures reductions of air pollutants and promotes public health, among other functions.
In July, Assemblymember Jim Cooper (D-Sacramento), who is African American, called out Nichols online after she posted a message that drew parallels between the lack of clean air the death of George Floyd.
“How dare you use a dying man’s plea for help as a way to discuss your agenda. Have you no shame?” Cooper reacted to Nichols’ tweet.
Floyd died when a Minneapolis police officer pinned his knee on the unarmed Black man’s neck for nearly nine minutes in late May. The shocking incident caught on video a bystander caught was shared millions of time, sparking anti-Black racism protests across the globe.
On June 1, Nichols posted, “‘I can’t breathe’ speaks to police violence, but it also applies to the struggle for clean air. Environmental racism is just one form of racism. It’s all toxic. Government needs to clean it up in word and deed.”
Nichols later issued an apology via Twitter, stating “I apologize for speaking at the wrong time about the wrong topic. Racism comes in many forms and I believe we must fight every instance of it in our society.”
Nichols has served on the CARB Board under Gov. Jerry Brown (1975–82 and 2010–18), Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (2007–2010), and Gov. Gavin Newsom (2019–present).?
She also served as California’s Secretary for Natural Resources (1999–2003), appointed by Gov. Gray Davis. Her term under Newsom ends Dec. 31. There is speculation in Sacramento political circles that Nichols, 75, could be in line for a job as the head of the Environmental Protection Agency should Joe Biden win the presidency.
Published reports say CARB’s Executive Director Richard Corey forwarded CBE CARB’s letter to the air CARB’s staff about a week after he obtained it. The 13-page document is dated Sept. 4.
CARB’s board, which the governor appoints and the Senate confirms, consists of 14 voting members with two lawmakers in non-voting roles. The board does not have any Asian American or African American members.
“There is no doubt the letter eloquently describes a history of poor treatment, lost potential, and deep-seated pain,” Corey wrote in a memo to his staff, according to Politico. “But, when I consider the courage it took to write and submit the letter, I have a sense of optimism as I know that change begins with the ability to openly acknowledge and discuss issues.”
CBE CARB also stated that its only intent is to “shine a light on areas where CARB can improve” and asked the air pollution and climate agency to move forward and be “part of the solution.”?
“Our intent in sharing this Letter and Action Plan is not to shame or belittle CARB, or to assign blame. We enjoy the work we do at CARB and want to do all we can to improve CARB for the future, and our future careers with the agency,” CBE CARB stated in conclusion of the letter.??
Two young sibling entrepreneurs had a master plan and stuck to it. Billy Wright II and his sister, Bree Wright recently opened Plenty of Fish Seafood, their first restaurant in a chain of seafood eateries, in Lancaster, CA, the heart of the Antelope Valley’s high desert! The astute young visionaries are promising a winning combination of good customer service, fresh food and a squeaky-clean environment that they hope will keep customers coming back for more. The millennial duo was determined not to let the challenges and constrictions of the coronavirus undermine their hopes, plans and dreams and have so far succeeded.
LANCASTER, CA— The dry and arid Antelope Valley region, located right outside of bustling Los Angeles, is not a locale that makes one think of mouthwatering seafood meals. Add the current pandemic to the equation, and the odds seem even more unbeatable. However, two young sibling entrepreneurs had a master plan and stuck to it. Billy Wright II and his sister, Bree Wright recently opened Plenty of Fish Seafood, their first restaurant in a chain of seafood eateries, in Lancaster, CA, the heart of the valley’s high desert! The astute young visionaries are promising a winning combination of good customer service, fresh food and a squeaky-clean environment that they hope will keep customers coming back for more. The millennial duo was determined not to let the challenges and constrictions of the coronavirus undermine their hopes, plans and dreams and have so far succeeded.
Billy, 24 and Bree, 25, both attended Palmdale High School in the Antelope Valley and share a strong commitment to the region. They reside outside of the area now but wanted to return and create a Black business to serve their former community. Plenty of Fish Seafood will be a licensing and franchise operation, with the Lancaster/Palmdale location serving as home base. The restaurant will feature an outside dining area per current Covid compliance and will focus heavily on takeout and delivery servicing.
Plenty of Fish Seafood is designed to operate beyond the typical “you buy we fry” establishments, and will present a wide variety of comfort cuisine, including enticing seafood, both fried and grilled, along with delicious seafood-based salads. In an effort to support the economy with domestic based employment, all the seafood will be nationally sourced and not imported. A host of delectable signature side dishes will also grace the menu, including collard greens, potato salad, mouthwatering red beans and rice and an assortment of homemade desserts. The brother and sister team believe that what sets their diner apart from all the rest, however, is their signature batter, a secret recipe mixture handed down from both of their grandmothers, one from Oklahoma and the other from Louisiana!
Billy Wright II, co-owner, Plenty of Fish Seafood
“Our dad is my biggest inspiration in this venture. I had been working closely with him in a restaurant chain he was involved in, and I made great suggestions that were successfully implemented. Finally, one day he told me that my ideas were too good to be giving away and I should put my money where my mouth was and come up with my own concept and do things my way! I heeded his advice, got my sister on board and went to work on conceptualizing Plenty of Fish Seafood,” explains Billy.
Bree Wright, co-owner, Plenty of Fish Seafood
“Our dad eventually left the operation he was working with and came to work with us. So, Plenty of Fish Seafood is a family infused business, all the way from the food to the day to day operations,” adds Bree. “With so much craziness going on in the world, we feel blessed to have had so much love and support around us during these trying times. Things often seemed bleak, but our Dad remained a stronghold with his wisdom and guidance.”
Billy and Bree have their eyes set on the bigger picture. Once Plenty of Fish Seafood in Lancaster is self-sustaining, they will begin licensing other locations throughout targeted cities across the country. For now, they are busy with duties that include managerial tasks to overseeing marketing and advertising for the flagship shop.
“This is a great time for millennial entrepreneurs,” adds Billy Wright II. “We were already planning beyond the traditional brick and mortar restaurant even before Covid. My sister and I were already thinking about how far technology will go in the quick service industry. Right now, Plenty of Fish Seafood will be utilizing all the local delivery services, but I believe delivery drones and self-driving cars are the wave of our future and food servicing will be at the forefront of this change.”
“In addition, health and wellness is an even more essential concern now,” cites Bree. “So, we will eventually offer CBD infused dishes for its healing components.”
As the High Desert’s ultimate destination for down home inspired, scrumptious seafood dining, Plenty of Fish Seafood represents a positive ray of hope for the community during these pandemic times!
Plenty of Fish Seafood is located at 43937 15th Street West Lancaster, CA 93534. Go fishing and follow them on Facebook at @Plenty of Fish Seafood and on Instagram at @PlentyofFishSeafood. Order your plate online at (661) 471-9620.
Nurse and activist Cori Bush garnered a commanding 84 percent of the vote in Missouri’s 1st District to become the state’s first Black woman representative in the United States Congress.
“This is definitely a night to remember,” Bush told supporters during her acceptance speech. “This has been a historic day from the beginning to the end.”
To quote the New York Post: Bush had the backing of the Justice Democrats — who helped propel Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to her first upset victory over 10-term incumbent Joe Crowley.
In her August Democratic primary, Bush had her own upset victory, defeating longtime incumbent, Missouri Rep. William Lacy Clay.
Bush got involved with the Black Lives Mattermovement in 2014, when Michael Brown, an unarmed Black teenager, was shot and killed by a white police officer in Ferguson.
She joined the protests that erupted in the wake of the shooting and soon began leading the protests in her Missouri district.
Bush has remained engaged in protest work ever since, getting heavily involved in the recent protests surrounding the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.
Stand Up for APA Urges All Women to Make Sure Their Health Insurance Plans Offer the Best Maternal and Prenatal Care Benefits and Options
SAN DIEGO, CA— As the annual open enrollment period begins for individual health insurance plans, Stand Up for APA, a nonprofit working to ensure that all women in the United States receive access to the most accurate non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) options, today encouraged all women to inquire about the maternal and prenatal benefits offered by health insurers and make sure they have access to the most appropriate insurance coverage for their health care needs.
All Women Need to Make Sure Their Health Insurance Plans Offer the Best Maternal and Prenatal Care Benefits & Options
Open enrollment – which takes place between November 1 and December 15 in most states – is the time of year when people with private health insurance or government-sponsored health insurance like the Affordable Care Act have the opportunity to enroll in or change their benefit programs.
“It is critical that pregnant women fully understand their health care benefits, and open enrollment is the perfect time for mothers and expectant mothers to check whether their health insurance plans cover the specific prenatal and maternal needs of their pregnancy,” said Brianna Wetherbe, Director and Board Member of Stand Up for APA. “We strongly believe that all health insurance plans – private and public – need to provide the highest standard of maternal and prenatal care options, including non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT), to all pregnant women regardless of age or baseline risk.”
Here are the top three questions that all expectant mothers should ask this open enrollment period:
How does my plan cover costs related to pregnancy and giving birth? Most maternity costs are detailed in a plan’s Summary of Benefits and Coverage document; make sure to review plan details such as copays, coinsurance rates deductibles, and out-of-pocket maximums to ensure that there are no surprise charges during prenatal and maternal services such as labor and delivery, midwife services, medically prescribed c-sections, or neonatal care.
Are my preferred doctors and medical facilities in-network? Check to see if preferred physicians and medical facilities are covered and in-network. Plan details can vary widely if a mother anticipates using infertility treatments, a nurse-midwife, or an independent birth center.
What specific services and procedures does the plan include for prenatal and maternity care? Beyond simply reviewing the costs, make sure to carefully review a health plan’s summary of benefits to see the specific set of prenatal and maternal care services it covers. Most plans will cover “essential services” such as delivery and inpatient hospital services, but other services, such as prenatal services, health screenings, lab work, ultrasounds, and birthing classes may not be covered. For example, a few large health insurers such as United Healthcare and Aetna still refuse to fully cover NIPT for all pregnant women, which goes against the guidance of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and other leading physician organizations.
To learn more about NIPT access and Stand Up for APA, please visit: standup4apa.org.
Every action has a reaction, and I tell you, “I Did It My Way” has severe consequences. You better know that you know!
“All day long, I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.” [Romans. 10: 21]. They “walk in a way that is not good, following their own devices.” [Isaiah 65: 2]. But I tell you, they will soon find out the danger in, “doing it their way.” In Genesis 27, four people sang that same old song, “I did it my way.” In the end they all came up empty and paid a high price for their selfishness. Listen, there is a real danger in the “I did it my way” philosophy. The lie of autonomy seduces us into thinking that we’re independent creatures with the right to do whatever we want with the life that belongs to us. But listen to the song of Genesis 1:1 – “In the beginning, God…” That song is played to a radically different melody. If God was first, our lives have never belonged to us. You and I don’t have the right to think, desire, act and speak as if it does. If God was, then everything he declares is. That means the universe and everything in it must be seen and understood in a certain way – God’s way.
You know, the last thing Joshua did in the [Book of Judges] was tell the people, “You choose how you are going to live your life” and they did. They did it “their way” and what a mess they made of it. Over a 350 year period, they went through seven cycles. A cycle would start with the Israelite doing it their way. As a result, Israel would find herself in slavery. God would then send a leader-a judge-who would bring them out of captivity. Israel would follow for a while. But then another cycle would begin with “doing it their way.” Each cycle was worse than the one before. God would step in yet again, and for a while peace came over the land. But, overall, the spiraling down of the society continued. I tell you, the danger of “doing it your way” always lead to severe consequences.
For Saul, disobedience in not following God’s instructions had severe consequences. In [1 Samuel 31] Saul was the Lord’s chosen king for the Israelite’s. But rather than trusting that God knew best, Saul’s ego took first place in his heart. When it did, disobedience—doing things his way—became his undoing. Saul lost everything by losing sight of the only thing that mattered: his relationship with the one, true God. Don’t you do! For [Proverbs 14:12] tells us that, “There is a way that seems right to a man but its end is the way of death.”
I tell you, “there are some dire consequences when you don’t do things God’s way. You lose out on the blessings that God has for you when you don’t do things God’s way. You lose out on the victory that God has for you when you don’t do things God’s way. Doors of opportunity will be shut in your face when you don’t do things God’s way. Sleep will leave your eyes and you won’t be able to get any rest when you don’t do things God’s way. You will find yourself disappointed, depressed, and sad when you don’t do things God’s way. You will find yourself in bondage and confused when you don’t do things God’s way. You will find yourself broke, disgusted and frustrated when you don’t do things God’s way. You will find yourself in a whole lot of trouble, you will find yourself in a whole lot of mess, and in a whole lot of unnecessary drama when you don’t do things God’s way. You will become weak, and despondent when you don’t do things God’s way. There will be no peace for you and no comfort for you when you don’t do things God’s way. There will be no joy for you and no happiness for you when you don’t do things God’s way. Not only will you mess yourself up when you don’t do things God’s way, but you will even cause your family, not to be blessed when you don’t do things God’s way. Salvation and eternal life will be out of your reach when you don’t’ do things God’s way because salvation and eternal life is found in Jesus Christ.”
“If you want to be blessed, you have to do things God’s way. If you want the victory, you have to do things God’s way. If you want to be successful and prosperous, you have to do things God’s way. If you want to be the head and not the tail, you got to do things God’s way. If you want to be blessed in the city and blessed in the field, you have to do things God’s way. If you want to be blessed going in and going out, you have to do things God’s way. If you want to be more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus, you have to do things God’s way. If you want deliverance, you must do things God’s way. If you want to be healed, you have to do things God’s way. If you want to be filled with the Holy Spirit, you have to do things God’s way. If you want your home and marriage to be blessed, you have to do things God’s way. If you want to be blessed on your job, at school, in your neighborhood, you have to do things God’s way. You ought to be committed in doing things God’s way.” [Proverbs 3:5-6,].
I tell you, wisdom is the principal thing, but in all your getting get an understanding.” [Proverbs 4:7].
“Refuse good advice and watch your plans fail…” [Proverbs 15:22-32].
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