Page 14 THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2023 Lady Pats soccer team blanks Malden, 2-0 Jessica Nova Galvez, Ari Pina, Samarah Paiva and Giselle Salvador. O’Donnell, currently in her 10th year of coaching at Revere, brings the team into the fall season hoping to get back to the top of the Greater Boston League. In 2019, the Patriots won the school’s fi rst GBL championship. O’Donnell played college socRevere junior midfi elder Sandra Torres is shown battling for ball possession against a Chelsea opponent in last year’s action. (Advocate fi le photo) By Dom Nicastro T he Revere High School girls soccer team notched its fi rst win of the season with a 2-0 win over Malden. Nataly Esquivel-Oliva scored both goals for the Patriots. Sandra Torres got on the score sheet with an assist. Goalkeeper Nisrin Sekkat recorded her fi rst shoutout of the year. SAFETY | FROM Page 7 on-line magazine noted that numerous experts say that as technology continues to eliminate driving tasks, drivers inevitably look for more distractions. Technologically-advanced vehicles have contributed to the rise in inattentive driving. It is natural for the public to turn to the government for help. Cries for greater enforcement of existing regulations, the re-design of roadways, installation of new signs and traffi c controls dominate public and political discourse. As with any issue, the government’s response must consider a multitude of factors and can be implemented only in prioritized phases dictated by resources and reality. It is easy to talk about safety measures. It is entirely diff erent to implement them. With approximately 84 miles of cityowned roadway, the task is substantial, but it is a task we are addressing with aggressive eff orts by our Police, Public Works, and Community Development Departments as part of a Responsible Roadways in Revere initiative. “We had a ton of scoring opportunities from Samarah Paiva, Emily Torres, Erika Mejia, Catalina Chizavo and Kesley Morales,” Revere coach Megan O'Donnell said. “We had a solid defensive from Ari Pina, Giselle Salvador, Fatima Oliva and Sandra Torres and Samarah Paiva.” O’Donnell’s team comes into the season looking strong with great leadership from captains • Speed humps were constructed on Fenno Street and Sargent Street and a speed table was constructed at Cushman Avenue. • Additional speed bumps are planned for construction before the end of 2023 on roadways of high concern due to their location near schools or because they attract extraordinary traffi c due to their proximity to other major roadways. • Revere Police have recently acquired advanced radar technology installed in cruisers that can monitor the speed of moving traffic. Unlike traditional “speed traps” where an offi cer is stationary while checking vehicle speed, the technology will allow speed monitoring from a moving police cruiser, wherever it is. • Police have applied for funding to obtain electronic license scanners which will facilitate the process of citing drivers for traffi c violations. • Police will erect additional electronic speed monitoring signs as a traffi c-calming measure in neighborhoods. • Police will implement increased patrols on main thorcer at Regis College from sophomore to senior year. She played goalie and held 10 school records for a few years before they moved conferences. “I really enjoyed college soccer so I wanted to continue coaching at the high school level,” O’Donnell said. This year, Revere is mostly returners who have been starting on varsity since their freshman year. “We have a very talented freshman class coming in as well,” O’Donnell said. “The coaching staff is really confident that this team can be a contender for the GBL title. We have a solid backfi eld and midfi eld. We just have to fi nd the opponent’s goal every game in order to win. We have strong leaders on this team and they are hungry. One weakness might be staying healthy.” The captains have been the backbone of this team since their freshman year. Nova Galvez joined the team her sophoughfares and high-risk areas such as Squire Road, Bennington Street, and North Shore Road. • Improved signage, supplemented with LED lights, to draw drivers’ attention. • All departments will continue to explore adjustments and feasible alterations to existing roadways and intersections. I appreciate the comments and advocacy of our residents who rightfully demand government’s attention to the problem. I am hopeful that the City Council will look favorably on funding the staffi ng, construction, and equipment necessary to implement remedies over a long period, since attacking this problem will require a lot of resources for years to come. At a much more basic level, I plead with everyone who gets behind the wheel of a car to realize that you are operating a machine that when operated carelessly can kill or harm your neighbors, your family, and yourself. Look at your speedometer and slow down. That, we know for sure, is the most certain way to make our streets safer for everyone. omore year and worked her tail off to earn the “C” on her jersey, which was voted on by the other three captains. “Our goal for the season is obviously to win games, but also be a contender to win the GBL and make the tournament and not lose in the fi rst round like years past,” the coach said. Sekkat is a junior goalkeeper who stepped up in her freshman year when the Patriots didn’t have a keeper for the starting role. “Nisrin works hard and comes up big when needed,” O’Donnell said. “I feel like this is going to be her breakout season.” Oliva is a sophomore who should make some noise. She started as a freshman. Midfi eld features Erika Mejia, Sandra Torres, Catalina Chizavo and Nova Galvez – moving the ball well upfi eld to get Esquivel-Oliva and Morales the ball in the win over Malden. The GBL is a tough conference, with Lynn Classical, Medford and Somerville always the hardest opponents, according to the coach, who added, “we have to be playing nothing but our best against them each game.” HOUSE BILL 5138 H ouse Bill 5138 is proposed federal legislation that would amend the Medicare program in order to count a period of “outpatient” observation services in a hospital toward satisfying the three day inpatient hospital stay requirement for coverage of skilled nursing facility services. When Medicare does cover skilled nursing home care, the fi rst 20 days are covered at one hundred percent. The next 80 days involve a co-pay up to $200 per day by the nursing home patient. After 100 days, the nursing home patient needs to pay one hundred percent of the nursing home cost, unless MassHealth is applied for and eligibility is achieved. What this means is that a Medicare beneficiary who needs post-acute care in a skilled nursing facility would not have to pay out of pocket for those services if they did not have a qualifying three day hospital admission, but instead received observation services as outpatients. The bill is intended to address a longstanding issue that affects many Medicare benefi ciaries who are hospitalized for short periods of time, but do not meet the criteria for inpatient status. Under current Medicare rules, beneficiaries must have a three day inpatient hospital stay in order to qualify for coverage of skilled nursing facility services. However, many hospitals place patients under observation status, which is considered an outpatient service, rather than admitting them as patients. This can result in higher out of pocket costs for benefi ciaries who need postacute care, as they are responsible for paying the coinsurance and deductible for the skilled nursing facility stay, which can amount to thousands of dollars. This bill would eliminate the fi nancial burden for benefi ciaries allowing them to count any days spent in observation status toward the three day inpatient hospital stay requirement. This would align Medicare policy with the current clinical practice of hospitals, which often use observation status to monitor and treat patients who do not need intensive care, but are not ready to be discharged. The bill would also provide more transparency and clarity for benefi ciaries and providers about the coverage of skilled nursing facility services under Medicare. Joseph D. Cataldo is an Estate Planning/Elder Law Attorney, Certifi ed Public Accountant, Certifi ed Financial Planner, AICPA Personal Financial Specialist and holds a Master’s Degree in Taxation.
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