European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 4, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday february 4, 1992 the stars and stripes a Page 5fbi seeking cure for health care fraud by Ronald j. Ostrow los Angeles times Washington estimating that health care fraud is costing billions of dollars and hitting those least Able to protect themselves the Justice department is doubling the number of Fri agents investigating such crimes. In addition it is setting up special prosecution units in 12 cities. Department officials Are expected to Tell attorney general William p. Barr in a report this week that health care violations have grown from those committed by single practitioners to a organized criminal activity affecting both government and private insurance programs. The report which Barr sought five weeks ago and which was described by department sources says that the newly assigned Fri agents will use special projects presumably sting operations Quot to put health care cheats in prison and Force them to a forfeit their ill gotten  violations in the $738 billion Industry Range from false Billings and diagnoses sometimes involving patient complicity to kickbacks bribes and diversion of pharmaceutical drugs to illicit uses the report says. Quoting the Fri the report outlines a a a typical medicaid fraud and drug diversion scheme a doctor writes an unnecessary prescription Billing medicaid for a patients visit and for unnecessary tests that the physician ordered. The patient then has the prescription filled at a pharmacy that is taking part in the fraud. The pharmacist Bills medicaid after filling the fraudulent the patient then Sells the unneeded to a drug diverter often using the Money from the drug diverter for a narcotics and press option. Inedea drug diction. After the diverter repackaged and Sells the drug to a pharmacy it re enters the Chain of retail sales. Such a scheme subjects the medicaid program to fraudulent costs and damages the drug distribution system while endangering Consumers according to the Fri. The actual source of the repackaged drug is disguised making it impossible to Trace in event of a recall. In some cases the drug has been adulterated or harmed through improper storage. The Fri also describes a a a typical Kickback scheme involving expensive medical equipment such As breathing machines and nerve simulators a doctor prescribes the equipment for a patient who does not really need it and medicare or some other insurer pays for it. The maker or distributor of the equipment once paid kicks Back a part of the illicit profit to the doctor. The report was done by Ira Raphaelson special counsel for financial institutions fraud who was recently named Counselor to Barr. The general accounting office estimates that health care fraud and abuse Are costing taxpayers More than $50 billion annually. Although the report makes Clear the problem is growing it is evident that budget pressures Are preventing the department of Justice from mounting an All out assault. Although the Fri has found that fraud affecting health care costs is prevalent throughout the United states the expanded Fri Effort will Cort Estrate on 12 cities where the problem is considered a most  they Are los Angeles Baltimore Charlotte . Chicago Dallas Detroit Las vegas Miami new York Newark . New Orleans and  miss America emcee Bert Parks Dies la Jolla Calif. A Bert Parks the to game show Host and Beauty pageant emcee who serenaded miss americas for 25 years with his trademark song there she is died sunday. He was 77. Parks who was diagnosed recently with an inoperable lung disease died in his sleep at Scripps memorial Hospital. His wife and children were at his Side said Mark Howell a family Friend. Parks served As emcee of the miss America pageant for 25 years. He also worked in radio television and films. His stage credits include the starring role in a Broadway production of the music Man. Born in Atlanta As Bert Jacobson Parks began his career while still very Young and changed his name to fit a marquee. He was hired at 16 by an Atlanta radio station for his first broadcasting Job. He landed his first Job As a Singer on the Eddie Cantor show. He later worked As a staff announcer for lbs from 1933 until 1939. Parks was fired As the miss America pageant emcee in 1980 because pageant officials said they wanted to give the show a younger look. His firing generated nationwide sympathy and a letter writing Campaign organized by late night talk show Host Johnny Carson. A this was the time Ronald Reagan who a five years older than me was elected president a Parks said in a 1990 interview. A the could run the country but i was too old to run a Beauty pageant. Now is that sick or what a Parks made a special return appearance in 1990, when he Sang along with a recording of his signature song. He received a standing ovation when he walked on stage but the appearance was marred of gaffes and he _ did not return. Leonard Horn. Miss America pageant organization chief executive. Praised Parks late sunday for his role in building the Magcam s reputation. A the was a very important part of our history and because of what he contributed we have a present and a future a Horn said. He lauded Parks for a this ability to let the Young women be the  after the miss America firing Parks appeared at other pageants ranging from a tugboat Competition to a contest for Small dogs. Parks big break came in 1945, when he landed the emcee Job on the radio quiz show break the Bank. He gained wider Fame As a radio personality beginning in 1948 As the Host of Stop the music. Both radio shows soon moved to television along with Parks. It Wasny to Long before he was seen in the daytime on quiz shows and in prime time. He was Host of televisions double or nothing from 1953 to 1955. He wound up As Host of a dozen game shows but it was As the Tuxedo Clad crooner serenading miss America in Atlantic City that he became known to millions. In an endearing and Quirky Cameo Parks played himself in the 1990 film comedy 77ie freshman with Marlon Brando. In a Takeoff of his own Beauty pageant performances Parks serenaded a giant endangered Lizard that was to be served up As the main course of a banquet. He also had a dramatic television career. He began acting in the 1960s, making guest appearances on Burke s Law and in the �?T70s on Ellery Queen and the bion in woman. A in the stars and stripes 10 years ago feb. 4,1982 a soviet president Leonid Brezhnev said his country was willing to reduce its medium Range weapons by two thirds but he accused the United states of preventing any kind of arms agreement. 20 years ago feb. 4,1972 a at peace negotiations in Paris the Viet Cong urged president Nixon to set a firm Date for a full and unconditional . Military pullout from Vietnam. The Viet Cong pledged to Complete the release of american prisoners on the final Date of the . Pullout. 30 years ago feb. 4,1962 a president Kennedy ordered a Complete halt to imports from Cuba in a move to deprive the Castro regime of dollars that it used to carry on subversive activities in other latin american countries. 40 years ago feb. 4,1952 a senators began considering some form of extra combat pay for service members fighting on the front lines in Korea said sen. Richard Russell d-ga., chairman of the Senate armed services  answer Quayle with Reform plan Dallas up a the president of the american bar association has called on vice president Dan Quayle the Bush administration and Congress to join . Lawyers in a new Alliance to build a better Justice system. President Talbot a a Sandy do Alem Berte unveiled the plan before the Aba House of delegates on sunday. He called the blueprint a a bold departure from the narrow proposals that Quayle presented to the Aba at its meeting last August. At that meeting Quayle who has practice Law criticized the Legal Industry complaining there Are too Many lawyers in the United states. Do Alembert told delegates to the Aba House that a improving the civil Justice system is too important to leave Only world War to Public officials during an election year a and said a the real problems of the Justice system require a tar More extensive set of solutions than those proposed by the vice president. The Aba report compiled by Legal affairs experts and titled a a blueprint to improve the civil Justice system a lays out a detailed plan to increase the fairness efficiency and effectiveness of the system. In a letter to Quayle that accompanied the report do Alembert urged the vice president to abandon political rhetoric and join the Aba in this a ambitious  do Alembert warned that especially during hard economic times when More families Are being pushed into poverty it is essential to a keep the courthouse door open to All citizens. During bad economic times do Alembert said Quot people Are battered by one emergency alter another not the least of which Are problems like illegal evictions the need to file for bankruptcy or an employer cheating on Back  yet he said Quot More than a dozen studies during the last decade found 80 to 85 percent of the Legal needs of the poor Are going unmet. Over the same period the one Federal program designed to Aid this group the Legal services corp., had a 40 percent drop in spending Power. The Aba report also provides a blueprint for judicial excellence. Do Alembert noted that Quot the Quality of our court system depends on the Quality of our  50yearsagbt6bay 4 be b. 1 a 9 4 2 the japanese demand the unconditional surrender of British forces besieged on Singapore at the tip of Malaya the British refuse. Eleven american and dutch warships try to attack japanese troops Landing at Balikpapan Borneo but Are driven off by japanese planes Ambrina in the dutch East indies Falls to the japanese in North Africa German troops capture Derna and near Al Mechau. Source 2194 Days of War. W. H. Smith publishers inc world almanac Book of world War ii. Bison books corp ,1981 a a year ago Day 19 feb. 4 Allied warplanes Pound Baghdad. Witnesses say communications government and Industrial installations Are hit. Marine armoured vehicles Exchange fire with iraqi troops in Kuwait. No . Casualties Are reported. The battleship Missouri uses its 16inch guns in action for the first time since the korean War targeting prefabricated Concrete bunkers the iraqis were moving into Kuwait. A