Con Men Prey on Confusion Over Health Care Act
By JESSICA SILVER-GREENBERG and SUSANNE CRAIG
Published: November 9, 2013
To the list of problems plaguing President Obama’s health care law, add one more — fraud.
With millions of Americans frustrated and bewildered by the trouble-prone federal website for health insurance, con men and unscrupulous marketers are seizing their chance. State and federal authorities report a rising number of consumer complaints, ranging from deceptive sales practices to identity theft, linked to the Affordable Care Act.
Madeleine Mirzayans was fooled when a man posing as a government official knocked on her door. Barbara Miller and Maevis Ethan were pitched by telemarketers who claimed to work for Medicaid. And Buford Price was almost caught by another trap: websites that look official but are actually bait set by fly-by-night insurance operators.
A Veterans Day Message from Bergen County Executive Kathleen A. Donovan
Each year at this time I struggle to find the words that will appropriately reflect the deep respect and admiration I hold for our U.S. military veterans..
There are, I have come to learn, no words that can adequately reflect our gratitude and repay the debt we collectively owe to the men and women who served in the U.S Armed Forces and continue to serve us to this day.
The simplest and best words I can come up with to commemorate this day are simply to say to our veterans: Thank You.
Thank you for your sacrifice and your commitment to your country. Thank you for your bravery on the battlefield; thank you for putting your lives on the line and your personal lives on hold while you protected America’s interest around the globe. And thank you for giving us the freest nation on earth – the shining beacon of hope for the rest of the world.
For the past 240 years, beginning when our colonialist first embraced the fight for liberty, Americans have made an unwavering commitment to freedom and a pledge to fight tyranny wherever it exists in the world. When the call to arms has come, American men and women have answered, willingly and unselfishly.
The unique American commitment to Liberty has never waned, no matter what the price. And the price has been steep for many individuals and their families.
Millions of American families have been heartbroken by the loss of a loved one who fought and died in uniform — and millions more have been forced to live with wounds, both physical and psychological that have afflicted our U.S. servicemen and women.
The families who stand by proudly while their sons and daughters serve the cause for freedom deserve our thanks today too. They live with fear every day for their children. I pray that their sons and daughters will be returned safely to them.
And so, at the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month, we pause and remember and thank our veterans.
Businesses hire up to deal with more regs
By Ben Goad and Julian Hattem
A growing thicket of federal regulations under the Obama administration has contributed to an employment spike in at least one corner of the job market: the increasingly vital compliance industry.
ObamaCare, the Dodd-Frank Act and other large federal undertakings have led to an outpouring of new agency rules derided by business groups and defended by advocates.
But the regulations have also been a boon for professional compliance officers paid to help companies understand and adapt to the new requirements.
“Staff to track compliance issues is on the rise, and it has been for the last several years,” said Richard Riese, senior vice president for regulatory compliance at the American Bankers Association. “And, at the moment, there’s no prospect it will decrease anytime soon.”
Data kept by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows an 18-percent increase in the number of compliance officers in the United States between 2009 and 2012, according to an analysis conducted by the conservative American Action Forum (AAF).
At last count, there were an estimated 227,500 compliance officers employed in the United States, according to the BLS. The bureau defines a compliance officer as an employee responsible for evaluating conformity with laws and regulations.
“Must-have” requests require some effort for North Jersey realtors
Sunday, November 10, 2013
BY JENNIFER V. HUGHES
SPECIAL TO THE RECORD
The Record
Every home buyer starts out with a “must-have” list that usually includes a certain number of bedrooms and bathrooms, a finished basement, or maybe a nice yard.
But for some, the list is a little more exacting — sometimes a lot more: specific views, precise colors, a particular layout, even a specific house.
“Oh, yes,” says Emila Freitag, an agent with Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty. “I had a client in Ridgefield who lived in town and always loved this one little Cape Cod, they loved the lot and the yard — it was just beautiful. They always told me, ‘If it ever goes on the market, we want to buy it.’ ”
One day Freitag noticed a moving truck in the home’s driveway, knocked on the door and introduced herself. An adult daughter of the elderly woman who lived there was moving some of the woman’s things out, but the home was not on the market yet.
“They were thinking of selling it down the road,” she says. Freitag introduced her client to the senior citizen, who liked the idea of a young family coming in. A deal was born.
Dawn Braithwaite, an agent with Keller Williams Realty in Ridgewood, says the key when working with buyers with particular tastes is to find out what they really want, which isn’t always what they say they want. She recalls the case of another agent in which their buyer insisted on a large dining room, turning down home after home without that feature.
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/realestate/231325391__Must-have__requests_require_some_effort_for_North_Jersey_realtors.html#sthash.703ITEh7
Deadly Diseases Like Measles And Mumps Make Frightening Comeback
November 7, 2013 11:28 PM
BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Deadly diseases, once nearly wiped out, are making a frightening comeback in Maryland and across the country. Now — a warning that parents who don’t vaccinate their children are putting others at risk.
Linh Bui explores an alarming and controversial trend.
Measles, mumps, whooping cough — all deadly diseases. Until recently — virtually eliminated thanks to vaccines that prevent kids from getting sick.
But now doctors see an alarming trend — more and more people are coming down with these diseases.
“Kids die from measles on a regular basis. Kids are in hospitals and can die from whooping cough very commonly. So these kids are at risk,” said Dr. Scott Krugman, Chairman, Department of Pediatrics, MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center.
Cancellation: Planning Board Public Work Session November 19
PLANNING BOARD
AMENDMENT TO MEETING SCHEDULE
CANCELLED: Work Session & Public Meeting: Tuesday, November 19, 2013
In accordance with the provisions of the “Open Public Meetings Act,” please be advised that the Planning Board public meeting and work session for TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2013, in the VILLAGE HALL COURT ROOM, 4th Floor, 131 NORTH MAPLE AVENUE, RIDGEWOOD, NJ beginning at 7:30 p.m. has been cancelled.
All meetings of the Ridgewood Planning Board (i.e., official public meetings, work session meetings, pre-meeting assemblies and special meetings) are public meetings which are always open to members of the general public.
Celebrating Veteran’s – November 9th Program at Ridgewood Library
A reminder, Saturday, November 9th at the Ridgewood Public Library at 2 pm. Their is a joint presentation Called “Escape from Behind Enemy Lines”. The Shelburn Line was a WW11 escape network operating in occupied France which returned 136 allied servicemen to England. Rick Feingold recounts the story of how his father Lt, Louis Feingold escaped Nazi capture.. The presentation begins at 2 pm.
Monday, November 11th the American Legion Post 53 will conduct the Veterans Day service starting at 11 am. at Ridgewoods Veterans Field located at Linwood and Maple Aves by the flagpole. Please join us.
Saturday, November 16th at 9 am. the American Legion will recover the American flags placed at veterans gravesites in May. The community is invited to help us. The more hands the easier the task. Bring your children and grandchildren. The event will take place rain or shine at Valleau cemetery.
Analysis: Tens of millions could be forced out of health insurance they had
Published: November 7, 2013 Updated 23 hours ago
By Kevin G. Hall and Anita Kumar — McClatchy Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON — Even as President Barack Obama sold a new health care law in part by assuring Americans they would be able to keep their insurance plans, his administration knew that tens of millions of people actually could lose those their policies.
“If you like your private health insurance plan, you can keep your plan. Period,” Obama said as he pitched the plan, the unqualified promise he made repeatedly.
Yet advisers did say in 2010 that there were large caveats and that anyone whose insurance plan changed would lose the promised protection of being able to keep existing plans. And a report in 2010 said that as many as 69 percent of certain employer-based insurance plans would lose that protection, meaning as many as 41 million people could lose their plans even if they wanted to keep them and would be forced into other plans. Another 11 million who bought their own insurance also could lose their plans. Combined, as many as 52 million Americans could lose or have lost old insurance plans.
Construction begins on ramp at Graydon Pool in Ridgewood
Thursday November 7, 2013, 5:16 PM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
The Ridgewood News
A new sloped entryway leading into Graydon Pool will be completed by the end of the month, weather permitting, giving residents with accessibility challenges the opportunity to use Ridgewood’s water park beginning next summer.
Municipal and state officials joined a handful of residents at the village’s historic swimming facility last Friday to commemorate the start of the ramp’s construction. Ground broke on the Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant ramp early last week, and the first drops of concrete were poured Tuesday.
“While I definitely think it took us way too long to get here, I’m glad we’re here. This is an extraordinary moment, a moment that is important to our community,” said Mayor Paul Aronsohn, addressing a small audience that gathered for the ceremony. “Ridgewood is to be one of the most inclusive, welcoming, accepting places. This is going to make us more inclusive and more welcoming.”
After three decades,Route 17 south near Paramus Road to be developed
Thursday November 7, 2013, 5:25 PM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
The Ridgewood News
A new specialty retail commercial center is coming to Route 17 in Ridgewood, with businesses such as Starbucks and Verizon leading the list of potential tenants.
The Ridgewood Planning Board on Tuesday unanimously approved Malvern Burrough’s plan to build a 15,300-square-foot strip mall on land along Route 17 south near Paramus Road, property that he has owned and has been trying to develop for the past 30 years. According to a preliminary construction schedule discussed last month, Burroughs hopes to finally break ground on the project in early 2014 and allow lessees to move in during the fourth quarter.
Board members granted their approval this week after the developer and his team returned a slightly modified site plan that incorporated the changes and recommendations previously made by Ridgewood’s planning and engineering professionals. The board was also overwhelmingly satisfied with the overall design and aesthetics of the proposed building, which were detailed Tuesday night by project architect Charles Dietz.
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Hours: Monday – Saturday 10:00AM – 5:30PM and Thursday Night 6:30PM – 8:30PM
Chris Christie to President Obama on ACA: Don’t be cute, don’t ‘lawyer it’
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has some friendly advice for President Barack Obama on his Affordable Care Act woes: Don’t be cute and don’t be a lawyer.
“Here’s what my suggestion would be to him. Don’t be so cute,” Christie told CNN’s Jake Tapper. “[W]hen you make a mistake, admit it. And, listen, if it was a mistake in 2009, if he was mistaken in 2009, 2010 on his understanding of how the law would operate, then just admit it to people.”
Christie was responding to news of the approximately 3.5 million consumers have received notices from their insurance companies in recent weeks cancelling their current plans, which has called into question the president’s promise that people can keep health care plans that they like.
“I think people would give any leader in that circumstance a lot of credit for just, you know, owning up to it instead of now trying to — like, don’t lawyer it,” Christie said. “People don’t like lawyers. I’m a lawyer.” (DelReal/Politico)
Election Results Mostly Conform to Expectations
By BRYAN PRESTON PJ Media
November 5, 2013 – 7:09 pm
Chris Christie won big, espically big, in New Jersey. He emerges tonight as the GOP favorite for 2016. That’s my objective analysis, not what I want. He did do well with voters the GOP absolutely needs and has a problem attracting. Very well. He captured 21% of the black vote, for instance. That ain’t nothing.
Bill de Blasio, the Sandinista-loving Communist, won and will be mayor of New York as expected. It’s only a matter of time before he wrecks that city and it needs a second Rudy Giuliani to come along and save it again. Why New Yorkers chose to follow Detroit’s and Chicago’s lead is anyone’s guess, but they have, and the consequences will be theirs. But at least Spitzer and Weiner have been rejected and will not wield any political power.
It’s now nearly a given that Virginia will have the most corrupt governor in its history. Terry McAuliffe is a self-dealer who will use the state to build a platform for Hillary 2016 and line his own pockets. That’s what he does. Evidently a majority of Virginians either don’t know that, or they do and don’t have a problem with it. It’s only a matter of time before Gov. Rick Perry shows up in the Old Dominion to poach its non-government businesses. How many gun manufacturers will Virginia have left after four years (unless McAuliffe’s term ends early due to prison) of an extremely anti-Second Amendment governor? It’s too easy to pick up and move now, and Texas is just too inviting.
Music lovers from many area congregations filled Ridgewood Christian Reformed Church Sunday evening November 3rd
RIDGEWOOD – Music lovers from many area congregations filled Ridgewood Christian Reformed Church Sunday evening [November 3] to celebrate and try out a brand-new hymnal jointly published by two denominations prominent in northern New Jersey, the Christian Reformed Church and Reformed Church in America.
The service moved through major themes in the life of Jesus Christ, sampling a variety of traditional hymns, contemporary music, spirituals, and songs from foreign lands from the new “Lift Up Your Hearts” hymnal.
Featured singers, instrumentalists and speakers came from the Ridgewood congregation and Cedar Hill Christian Reformed Church in Wyckoff, Covenant Christian Reformed Church in North Haledon, Faith Community Christian Reformed Church in Wyckoff, and Midland Park Christian Reformed Church, joined by participants from area Reformed Church in America congregations.
The Ridgewood church, led by the Rev. Mary Stegink since last year, is one of the first in the Northeast to adopt the new hymnal for regular Sunday use.
“Lift Up Your Hearts” has over 800 songs selected by a joint team of Christian Reformed and Reformed Church editors, including Claudia Godoy-Cortes, former Spanish teacher at Eastern Christian High School and co-leader of the worship team at Bridgeway Church in Haledon.
The hymnal is issued by Faith Alive Christian Resources, the publisher that has jointly served both denominations since 2004 in line with an ecumenical agreement “to find ways in which to work collaboratively.”
The “Rejoice in the Lord” hymnal, widely used in the Reformed Church, was published in 1989 and the current edition of the Christian Reformed “Psalter Hymnal” in 1987. Faith Alive explains that though the “gospel message doesn’t change,” the “desire for a new hymnal for a new generation fits with the reality that a hymnal has a lifespan of about 20 years.” In line with worship styles in increasing use, the hymnal is available in digital form for screen projection of the words and music notes.
For further information: The Rev. Mary Stegink, or administrator Joyce Monsma, Ridgewood Christian Reformed Church (201) 445-1832 or [email protected].
Also see: https://liftupyourheartshymnal.org
Affordable Care Act Could Be Further Hamstrung By Shortage Of Doctors
At Current Rate, As Many As 52,000 Primary Care Physicians Needed By 2025
November 4, 2013 6:37 PM
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — A doctor shortage is threatening to make the roll-out of the Affordable Care Act even more difficult — and it could create lines for care and services.
New Yorkers are notorious for wanting things immediately, and that includes medical care.
But even doctors who support Obamacare say there could be delays due to more patients and fewer doctors, CBS 2’s Dick Brennan reported Monday.
“It’s like shopping during Christmas time. I mean, you’re going to have a tough time if you have all of these people demanding services at the same time,” said Dr. Steven Lamm of the NYU School of Medicine.
Lamm said the Affordable Care Act could mean an explosion of demand for doctors and services, but will the system be able to handle it?
