Puerto Rico News Digest For June 15, 2015

LA PLATA WATER RATIONING MORE LIKELY

Reservoir levels for today, June 15th. Carraizo is on the far left, La Plata is to its right.

From The San Juan Daily Star:

The level of La Plata Reservoir continues to descend, which could lead the
Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA/AAA) to make an ann-
ouncement next week on water rationing for customers supplied by the Toa
Alta reservoir. “This morning La Plata had fallen 16 centimeters [to 41.39
meters) so the tendency is that it is continuing to descend, which places us in
a position of making some kind of announcement to our clients that receive
their water supply from this reservoir as soon as early next week,” PRASA
Vice President of Operations Francisco Martínez said. La Plata reservoir su-
pplies water to some 70,000 consumers in the towns of Toa Alta, Naranjito,
Vega Alta, Comerío, Barranquitas, Aibonito, Cidra, Cayey, Bayamón, Cata-
ño, Toa Baja and parts of Guaynabo.

PR LAWMAKERS PUSH FOR MEDICARE PARITY

From Caribbean Business:

Puerto Rico legislative leaders participated Friday in several events and meet-
ings intended to push the federal government to address the federal funding
disparity issues on the island under the Medicare programs. The Centers for
Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently upheld its decision to cut by
11% Medicare Advantage (MA) premiums for Puerto Rico beneficiaries star-
ting in January, which pushes local MA rates to $488 per beneficiary per mo-
nth, down from $528 this year and 38% less than the U.S. national average.
Meanwhile, the CMS increased overall rates in other U.S. jurisdictions by as
much as 3%.

MORE THAN 1M ATTEND NY PUERTO RICAN PARADE

From Fox News:

Entertainer Rita Moreno took Roman Catholic Cardinal Timothy Dolan for
a dancing spin Sunday in the middle of Fifth Avenue by St. Patrick's Cathe-
dral. At 83, atop a convertible car, Moreno was the grand marshal of the fes-
tivities that turned more than 1 million spectators into a sea of red, white and
blue. Topped by a single star, they're the colors of the Puerto Rican flag that
also were splashed across 20,000 marchers moving up the avenue from 44th
Street to 79th Street. Puerto Rico's governor, Alejandro Garcia Padilla, was
followed by New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, a Puer-
to Rico native dancing to the pounding Latino soundtrack of the 58th annual
parade.