European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 21, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Saturday december 21, 1991 the stars and stripes Page 5trident ii warhead production May end Energy Secretary Janies d. Watkins in the stars and stripes 10years ago dec. 21,1981 a prime minister Menachem begin cancelled Israel s new strategic Alliance with the United states after Washington suspended the Alliance and suggested that Israel rescind its recent seizure of the syrian Golan heights.20 years ago dec. 21,1971 Gen. William c. Westmoreland said that anti military sentiment has created Quot a dangerous state of mind in the nation and has hampered Progress in replacing the draft with a Volunteer army.30 years ago dec. 21,1961 a a Monkey named Scarback Rode an Atlas rocket on a half hour 17,000-mile-per-hour flight through space but attempts for his recovery were Defeated by a radio Beacon failure. The air Force said tracking instruments indicated the a ipod Quot carrying the Monkey landed a a target area Southeast of Cape canaveral. But 10 hours after the launching recovery forces still had not retrieved the animal and the search was halted.40 years ago dec. 21,1951 a although truce talks remained deadlocked orders were issued for an Airlift of american and probably All other non korean prisoners of War to Japan should the truce be concluded. World War 50 years ago today 21 dec.1 9 4 1 a japanese army division reinforced with extra tank units begins Landing on Luzon the main Island in the Philippines. On the soviet front German troops press an assault on the main defences of the Sevastopol fortress in the Crimea. Washington a the pent agon May end production of new nuclear warheads for the submarine launched Trident ii missile an important policy change that could hasten the permanent closure of the Rocky Flats nuclear arms Plant. It. Cmdr. Ken Satterfield a Pentagon spokesman said thursday that halting production of the w-88 nuclear warhead Quot is under the w-88 was designed to give the Trident ii missile nearly five times As much destructive Power As its predecessor the Trident i. The missile is carried by Ohio class submarines. The fact that the Pentagon is considering stopping w-88 production Marks an important policy change. Until now it has insisted that Trident ii missiles fully outfitted with the More powerful warhead were vital to . National Security. Satterfield did not explain Why the Pentagon was reconsidering the need for More w-88s, which Cost about $3 million apiece. It May be a combination of wanting to Speed up plans for closing Rocky Flats in Colorado and a recognition of a reduced need for nuclear firepower in Light of the disintegration of the soviet Union. Energy Secretary James d. Watkins gave the first Public indication that the Pentagon might give up producing More w-8ss. He said monday that the future of w-88 production was Quot in Watkins also said that before the w-88 s future was called into question within the administration production of that warhead was a the Only thing left for Rocky Flats to if no More w-8s warheads Are made the six Atlantic Fleet Trident submarines due to enter service later this decade probably would be outfitted with Trident ii missiles carrying the i97 a Vintage w-76 warhead. The w-88 warhead has a yield or destructive Power equivalent to 475.000 tons of int a enough punch the Navy had said to destroy the most hardened soviet military targets. The older w-76 warhead has a yield of 100,000 tons. The bomb that destroyed Hiroshima Japan in August 1945 had a yield of about 12.000 ions. The Energy department which runs the nations nuclear bomb factories has spent More than $1 billion Over the past two years fixing safety problems at Rocky Flats the facility. 16 Miles Northwest of Denver is the sole manufacturer of plutonium cores for w-88 and other warheads. When safety breakdowns at Rocky Flats Tor cd the Plant to close for repairs in 1989, w-88 production was suspended. About 400 of the estimated 1.9 h warheads ordered for the Trident ii missile had been finished at the time of the shutdown. Enough to outfit two submarines. The Navy and the Energy department had said repeatedly Over the last two years that Rocky Flats would resume w-88 production As soon As the Plant s problems were fixed. The Plant is still closed but Watkins has said he intends to have it ready for operation this Spring. Manipulation of Billing boosts medical profits . Auditors say by the new York times Washington a at a time when medicare and private health insurers Are struggling to control medical Bills Many doctors and hospitals Are increasing their income by improperly manipulating the numerical codes used to describe their services on insurance claims and Billing forms Federal investigators said. The auditors said the techniques Are often illegal and clearly violate the intent of Federal rules for payment of doctors services under medicare. The government has collected millions of dollars in civil penalties and restitution from doctors and hospitals including a .$1.5 million recovery announced thursday in Pennsylvania. The government and private insurers said doctors creative Billing techniques now add at least several billion dollars a year to the nation s health care costs. Alarmed at what they said is a growing pattern of abuse Federal officials and private insurers have stepped up enforcement efforts using computers to audit claims in an Effort to crack Down on doctors and hospitals submitting fraudulent and inflated Bills. A questionable Bills officials said have most commonly been submitted by surgeons and specialists who perform diagnostic and other procedures. These specialists who tend to be the most highly paid members of the medical profession face cuts in payments for their services under a new medicare fee schedule that will take effect next month. With the help of a Small army of consultants doctors and heir Billing clerks have become adept at selecting codes that increase reimbursement. In one of the More common abuses a doctor Bills separately for two or More services performed on the same patient at the same time and that Are supposed to be reported As a single comprehensive procedure. For example instead of a single fee for a total Hysterectomy the doctor might Bill separately for four or five procedures. And auditors have found that some doctors charge twice for one of those procedures removing the fallopian tubes and ovaries a once on the left Side and once on the right Side. Fragmentation of a Bill in this manner can add $1,000 or $2,000 to the Cost of a $3,3 h Hysterectomy doctors and insurers said. Hospitals struggling to squeeze Money out of insured patients to help finance care for the uninsured have also begun to Bill separately for Many services once regarded As a single package especially in the emergency room. Arabs pressuring . To intervene in talks source world almanac Book of world War ii Bison books corp., 1981 a Washington a a palestinian negotiator said Friday that . Involvement is needed to get peace talks with Israel moving when they resume next month but so far there is no sign it is forthcoming. President Bush voicing disappointment that the talks failed to move beyond an impasse Over procedure said thursday the United states was a catalyst for talks but would not Quot dictate solutions to either Side. Palestinian delegation Leader Haidar Abdul Shafi said Friday that the United states As the worlds Only superpower and one that has provided military assistance to Israel Quot must adopt a More effective role Quot in the talks. A we think at some Point the United states must exercise some leverage on Israel a he told a forum at the Brookings institution. The head of the lebanese delegation negotiating with Israel Souheil Cham Mas said separately that the talks were bearing fruit. A we Are on the threshold of peace a he said but cautioned that an agreement would take time. A solution for the entire Region is necessary he said adding that Quot peace by pieces will get palestinian delegates to the Middle East peace talks that recessed on wednesday were leaving for Home Friday following their israeli counterparts by a Day. Hanan Ashrafi spokeswoman for the palestinian delegates expressed regret that the United states failed to intervene. She said american involvement a and pressure from israeli Public opinion on that country a negotiators a were ail that could break the procedural deadlock. A we Felt there was an unwillingness on the part of the United states to take an Active and driving role a she said. A fall these promises by the United states before the talks were in effect not israeli ambassador Zalman shovel however praised the United Stales for refusing several Arab requests to intervene during the talks. Intervention Quot would have reinforced the perception among some of the arabs a wrong perception that peace has to be negotiated with the United states and not with Israel a he said. Ashrafi strongly denouncing what she regarded As israeli intransigence also said the United states May not be Able to serve As an a evenhanded peace broker because of its a special relations with aided by new if Rule by the Washington Post Washington the office of personnel management has announced new rules that will Benefit Many employees at Layoff time. When agencies run a reduction in Force or if an employees Joh Security is based on tenure veterans preference longevity and added service credit based on performance ratings for the three years before the Layoff notice was issued. Sometimes a third rating in t available in that three year period. A missing rating then is assumed at the a fully successful level. It is Worth an additional 12 years of service for Layoff purposes. Under the new system agencies Are supposed to use the three most recent actual ratings in a four year period before the Layoff notice. For workers with an a exceeds fully successful rating Worth 16 years in service credit or an Quot outstanding rating Worth 20 years that would give them a Job saving Edge. Agencies can adopt i lie new system As Early As Jan. 10 of next year but it is not mandatory until january 1993
