Federal agents last Friday charged 10 more defendants with fraud and conspiracy in a kickback scheme involving compound drugs and TRICARE, the military health insurance program.
The alleged conspiracy to market and prescribe exorbitantly priced pain and scar creams of doubtful effectiveness and under false pretenses bilked TRICARE out of $102 million in just 21 months, from May 2014 through February this year. This was just one of many companies that sprang to life recently to make fortunes off of unregulated compound drugs.
Defendants here include two physicians – Dr. Walter Neil Simmons, 47, of Mesa, Ariz., and Dr. William F. Elder-Quintana, 50, of El Paso, Texas — as well as owners and marketers of a Dallas-based company called CMGRX.
Every Monday is “Military Monday” at Old Navy. Receive 10% off your entire purchase when you provide a military ID at checkout. In-store offer only. Active duty military, retirees and reservists (and their family members) are eligible for this discount.
The Pentagon is suspending its debt collection program to claw back bonuses paid to thousands of California National Guard soldiers who re-enlisted to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan, with Defense Secretary Ash Carter calling the current situation “unacceptable.”
Citing a duty to keep promises to service members, Carter said he’s ordering the Pentagon’s Defense Finance and Accounting Service to “suspend all efforts to collect reimbursement from affected California National Guard members” until he’s satisfied that the process has become more efficient and fair.
The Navy Retired Activities Office annually hosts a Retiree Seminar. The 2016 event is open to retirees from all services, their families, Survival Benefit Program annuitants and surviving spouses. The program focuses on updates on entitlements and benefits.
When: Saturday, November 5, 2016
Time: 0730 to 1200
Where: Hickam Officer’s Club, 2000 Signer Blvd, Honolulu, HI 96818
Except for “Reserved” spaces, paring is available anywhere in the front, side, and in the back.
Exhibitors will open at 0730 for display their literature, handouts, and giveaways. The speaker’s agenda starts at 0830. The Navy Health Clinic Hawaii will provide flu shots. MWR Catering will offer light refreshments.
Prepaid phone cards can be purchased and used for a flat fee to make long distance telephone calls. Cards provide you a specified amount of call time to certain destinations. For example, advertisements for these cards may offer “$5 for 1000 Minutes to Guatemala.”
After purchasing a card, you use it by calling an access number, which can be either a local telephone number or a toll-free number. You will then be prompted to provide your personal identification number, usually listed on the card you purchased, and the telephone number you wish to call. An automated voice may tell you how much time you have left on your card, as well as give you other information or options.
Governor David Ige announced that Hawaiʻi has launched an enhanced 911 service allowing residents to report an emergency to 911 as a text message.
Text-to-911 can support plain text Short Messaging Services (SMS) messages only and is limited to 160 characters per text. Pictures, videos and emojis currently cannot be processed. In addition, callers must have active wireless service including a text or data plan, and the device’s location service must be turned on. Text-to-911 may not be available if the wireless phone is roaming or outside of the provider’s coverage area.
I ran into Jimmy Dang recently while grocery shopping.
We discussed TRICARE’s move from CVS/Longs to Walgreens and other Guard related subjects.
Jimmy is enjoying retirement as you can see from his photo. He was a technician in the 154th Wing for his Guard career. It was good catching up.
Met Fred Takara at the Shirokiya Food Court. No, he was not eating. He was walking through the food court, part of his exercise course at Ala Moana Center. Fred looked great.
Fred served in the parachute shop at the 154th Wing throughout his technician career, serving as the shop chief in his last assignment before retiring.
Walt Kinoshita and his wife doing their indoor walking course at Kahala Mall. Still the same Walt, low key with his friendly smile.
Walt retired as a colonel after serving in the Hawaii Army National Guard. Little known fact: before starting to work fulltime for the Guard, he was part of the management team at Sears.
Irvin Yoshino was manning a information desk at the recent Eastside Community Preparedness Fair at Kahala Mall. He is very active in the Be Ready Manoa community team and was there manning a information table.
Irv served in the 154th Wing’s maintenance complex for many years. He served on active duty with the Air Force. Coming home, he enlisted in the Air Guard and where we served together in the instrument/electric shop (a long time ago).
The U.S. Defense Department is ordering almost 10,000 one-time National Guardsmen from California to pay back enlistment bonuses, according to a news report.
Many of the veterans have to pack back the bonuses, totaling as much as $15,000 or more, or face such penalties as interest charges and tax liens, according to an article published Saturday by David Cloud, a reporter for The Los Angeles Times.
Like other branches of service, the Guard used enlistment bonuses to entice more people to enter the ranks a decade ago during the U.S.-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, California Guard officials were found guilty of mismanaging the program.
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The F-22 Raptor is considered the first 5th-generation fighter in the U.S. Air Force inventory, using low observable technologies, modern avionics and efficient engines to offer an air superiority fighter unmatched by any other modern military.
The F-22 Raptor, a critical component of the Global Strike Task Force, is designed to project air dominance, rapidly and at great distances and defeat threats attempting to deny access to our nation’s Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps. The F-22 cannot be matched by any known or projected fighter aircraft.
On behalf of Major General Arthur “Joe” Logan, The Adjutant General of Hawaii, you have been sent an eInvitation for the following event:
Ceremony honoring Col Brett A. Wyrick on the occasion of his promotion to Brigadier General, Friday, November 4, 2016.
RVSP at this link:
https://einvitations.afit.edu/inv/anim.cfm?i=316155&k=016044087E52
What retirees need to know about choosing Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage plans for next year.
Get ready to be bombarded with mailings and TV ads for Medicare plans. Open enrollment for Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plans runs from October 15 to December 7, so this is your opportunity to reassess your coverage for 2017. Even if you’re happy with your plan, you may be taking a new drug or your plan’s coverage may have changed. New plans may have entered—or your plan may have left—the business in your area. Or you may want to try out Medicare Advantage, which provides both medical and drug coverage through a private insurer.
Defense Secretary Ashton Carter met with his South Korean counterpart Thursday to discuss “extended deterrence” against North Korea that could include the permanent stationing of B-52 Stratofortress and B-1B Lancer bombers and F-22 Raptor fighters on the peninsula.
The two leaders also renewed their commitment to placing the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense anti-missile system in South Korea but gave no timeline for when it would be activated.
Find out what you need to know about IRAs, 401(k)s, and other special retirement accounts.
Saving for retirement is the biggest challenge that many people face in managing their money. You want to make sure you have enough to live well when you stop working, but finding ways to set money aside is tough. Retirement plans can help make saving for retirement easier, because they give you tax advantages that you won’t get in regular investing accounts. Below, we’ll look at the many different types of retirement plans to help you figure out which ones are best for you.
National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS) strongly supports S. 3445, the USERRA Improvement Act, introduced by Senator Blumenthal of Connecticut on September 28th. This bill contains provisions that will enhance the enforcement of employment and reemployment rights of uniformed service members.
In particular, the USERRA Improvement Act builds on current law and offers more protections for uniformed service members whose service to our country may affect their civilian employment by:
– Expanding the right of service members to bring legal action against a State or private employer.
– Clearly indicating that employers are responsible for identifying proper reemployment positions.
– Expanding the authority of the Attorney General to independently investigate and file lawsuits for violations of USERRA.
– Allowing the United States to serve as a plaintiff in all lawsuits filed by the Attorney General.
The bill also contains language that would allow the Attorney General to issue civil investigative demands in USERRA investigations. Use of that authority will compel those being investigated to produce any documentary material relevant to that investigation before a civil action is undertaken in State or Federal court.
Contact your Senators: Ask them to support and co-sponsor the USERRA Improvement Act.
Link to the National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS) site here and Senators Schatz and Hirono an email.
