The SpokeSman • WedneSday, march 31, 2021 P5
Additional vaccines
available for patients
45 and older, others
BY SUZANNE ROIG
The Bulletin
Dean Guernsey/Bulletin photos
U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz speaks during a Vietnam War Veterans Day event at Central Oregon Veterans Ranch on Monday.
Bentz: ‘We’ll do our best to fight for you just like you fought for us’
Continued from P1
“When people are express-
ing dissatisfaction then that
means something’s not work-
ing quite right, and we need to
get in there and get to work,”
Bentz said in response to a
question about what he learned
from the day.
Other issues Bentz said he
has heard about from constitu-
ents include the impacts from
wildfire, COVID-19 and con-
sistent droughts. The struggle
business owners have to find
enough workers to run their
operations has also consistently
come up, he said.
When asked why he didn’t
vote in favor of the federal
government’s most recent
stimulus package, which al-
located $1,400 checks to in-
dividuals making $75,000 a
year or less, Bentz said the
bill wasn’t targeted enough
to those who really needed it
and he was concerned about
the debt future generations
would have to pay back. He
said some businesses actually
did better financially in the
pandemic, and don’t need the
assistance.
“Many of the businesses that
are now getting money don’t
need it,” Bentz said in a sepa-
rate interview Monday. “Peo-
ple are saying our schools are
awash and yet they are going to
be getting more.”
When asked for specific ex-
amples of businesses that were
getting money but didn’t need
it, Bentz referred The Bulletin
to a press release. No specific
businesses or industries were
listed, but “bailouts for mis-
managed public union pen-
sions” and “policies that give
federal bureaucrats better paid
leave than those which are
available to essential workers”
were mentioned.
Bentz acknowledged that
he has not reopened the Bend
office formerly maintained by
Walden, but said he will open
a Central Oregon office in the
future.
e e
Reporter: 541-633-2160,
bvisser@bendbulletin.com
U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz, center, talks with veterans during the Vietnam War Veterans Day event.
A federal program is en-
abling Mosaic Medical to
offer COVID-19 vaccines to
any patients 45 and older, and
those who have been dispro-
portionately affected by the
virus, sooner than the state’s
schedule.
The same program will be-
come a steady pipeline of vac-
cines for the La Pine Com-
munity Health Center to be
given to its elderly population
still in need of a COVID-19
vaccine.
The pilot program has
been selected for nearly a
dozen federally qualified
health centers in Oregon
and allows for vaccines to be
given to patients outside of
the Oregon Health Author-
ity’s schedule. As a federally
qualified health center serv-
ing vulnerable populations,
Mosaic Medical will allow
for nearly three-fourths of
its 27,000 patients to qual-
ify for a vaccine, said Elaine
Knobbs-Seasholtz, Mosaic
Medical director of Strategy
and Development.
“There are only two in the
region in this federal program
to give us direct dispersal in the
next two weeks,” Knobbs-Sea-
sholtz said. “Our mission is to
serve all those who need health
care in the community with
special outreach to vulnerable
populations.”
The pilot program is en-
abling the community to
have yet another avenue for
vaccines and doesn’t take
away from other vaccine
channels into the community,
said Morgan Emerson, De-
schutes County Health Ser-
vices spokeswoman.
“This will help expedite
our capacity to vaccinate
residents,” Emerson said. “It
doesn’t take away from other
vaccine channels coming into
Deschutes County.”
The county is among a
group of counties with ap-
proval from Gov. Kate Brown
to move beyond the state
scheduling for vaccines to
front-line workers and peo-
ple 45 to 64 with qualifying
health conditions.
As of last Wednesday,
Deschutes County had vac-
cinated 80% of eligible res-
idents age 65 and older, Em-
erson said. Anyone interested
in receiving a vaccine should
pre-register by going online
at www.centraloregncovid-
vaccine.com or calling 541-
699-5109 Monday to Friday.
Mosaic and La Pine are
part of a federal pilot pro-
gram designed to expand
vaccination efforts to com-
munities most disproportion-
ately affected by COVID-19.
The current guidelines to ac-
cess the vaccine at Mosaic are:
• Mosaic patients age 45 or
older;
• Mosaic patients eligible
under Oregon Health Au-
thority guidance (Phases 1a
and 1b);
• Mosaic patients age 16 and
older who meet at least one
of the following conditions,
homeless, a resident of public
housing, a migrant/seasonal
agricultural worker, having
limited English proficiency or
low-income as defined by fed-
eral guidelines;
• A Mosaic patient 45 years
or older scheduling an appoint-
ment for a spouse/caregiver.
e e
Reporter: 541-633-2117,
sroig@bendbulletin.com
redmondspokesman.com
Have you noticed a change in your ability to remember?
“The more hearing loss you have, the greater likelihood of
developing dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Hearing aids could
delay or prevent dementia by improving the patient’s hearing.”
-2011 Study by John Hopkins University School of Medicine
and the National Institute on Aging
IS IT TIME FOR A HEARING TEST?
Y N
Veteran Tom Marple and his dog Nick attend the event.
How to contact your representatives
U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz : 202-225-6730
2185 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden: 202-224-5244
221 Dirksen Senate Office Bldg., Washington, DC 20510
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley: 202-224-3753
313 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510
TAKE THIS QUIZ AND FIND OUT ...
Do you feel that people mumble or do not speak clearly?
Do you turn the TV up louder than others need to?
Do family or friends get frustrated when you ask them to repeat themselves?
Do you have trouble understanding the voices of women
and small children when they are speaking?
Is it hard to follow the conversation in noisy places
like parties, crowed restaurants or family get-togethers?
If you’ve answered “Yes” to any one of these questions, there’s good
news! Miracle-Ear can help! Don’t wait another moment. Call us today.
Another Great Way to Save
FREE
Amplifi ed
Telephone
Make your appointment today!
2 FOR
*With a completed hearing test.
Must have a hearing loss.
Contact store for further details.
Expires 4/9/2021
$
995
Hurry!
Offer ends
4/9/21
Save on our full line of digital hearing solutions.
Good only from participating Miracle-Ear® representatives. One coupon per purchase. No
other offers or discounts apply. Discount does not apply to prior sales. Offer on MEMINI Audiotone.
Cannot combine with any other offers. Cash value 1/20 cent. Offer expires 4/9/2021.
Experience A Comfortable
Hearing Aid Environment
Call now for your appointment
L
I T ’S A E L !
F a R lim E ited time
For
FREE
FREE
Complete Electronic
Hearing Test
This audiometric evaluation
will precisely show what
you’ve been missing.
Repairs
In-House
Ask for details
Video Otoscope
Ear Inspection
This show-all picture of your
ear canal is displayed on a
color TV monitor, so you’ll
see exactly what we see.
MIRACLE-EAR IS AMERICA’S #1 CHOICE IN HEARING AIDS FOR OVER 70 YEARS!
NEW LOCATION!
111 NW Larch Ste 101
Redmond, OR 97756
541-330-5503
No other offers or discounts apply. All discounts do not apply to prior sales. Good only from participating Miracle-Ear representatives. **Hearing aids do not restore
natural hearing. Individual experiences vary depending on severity of hearing loss, accuracy of evaluation, proper fi t, and ability to adapt to a hearing aid. Only your
Miracle-Ear® representative can determine if a Miracle-Ear® hearing aid is right for you. ©2012 Miracle-Ear, Inc. 14548ROPA/HP4C/YEL