Prostate Care Program at SBUMC Recognized

Assemblyman Sweeney Cites Thousands of Screenings by Dr. Howard L. Adler and Staff

STONY BROOK, N.Y., August 4, 2010 – The Prostate Care Program at Stony Brook University Medical Center received a New Pictured, from left: Assemblyman Sweeney, Howard L. Adler, M.D., Prostate Care Program Medical Director, Arlene Shaw, R.N., Nursing Director, and Program staff.York State Proclamation from Assemblyman Robert K. Sweeney in recognition of the Program’s continuous prostate cancer screening efforts in Suffolk County. The 2010 Proclamation is the second one the SBUMC Program has received from Assemblyman Sweeney. The Program is now in its 15th year of partnership with the Assemblyman and the North Lindenhurst Fire Department. A written NY State Assembly Citation was presented to Howard L. Adler, M.D., Medical Director of the Program, Arlene Shaw, R.N., Nursing Director, and staff at a July 26 ceremony at the fire department.

The Citation reads, in part, that “The services provided by the Prostate Care Program at Stony Brook University Hospital have enabled many men to continue to lead healthy and productive lives through education, prevention and screening. Such service, which is truly the lifeblood of the community and the state, so often goes unrecognized, and unrewarded.”

The Prostate Care Program, part of the Department of Urology at SBUMC, has screened more than 15,000 men in Suffolk and Nassau Counties for the disease since the outreach program began approximately 16 years ago. The program has partnered with many organizations throughout the county to deliver the free screenings, including fire departments, police stations, churches, community centers, medical clinics and corporations. Each year at the North Lindenhurst Fire Department, hundreds of men are screened for early detection of prostate cancer by way of blood test and examination.

“Our program focuses on early detection, and this is a critical step that may help save many lives from being lost due to prostate cancer,” says Dr. Adler, who indicates that approximately 15 percent of those screened through the Program are recommended for a follow-up for abnormalities with PSA (prostate specific antigen) testing, prostate evaluation, or both.

September is National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Annual screening is recommended for all men age 40 and over.

Throughout September the SBUMC Program will continue to conduct prostate cancer education sessions and free prostate cancer screenings at many locations in Suffolk and Nassau Counties. During Prostate Cancer Awareness Week, from September 20 to September 23, free screenings will be available at the Stony Brook Urology Tech Park office in East Setauket.

To register for screening during Prostate Cancer Awareness Week, or for more information about the Prostate Care Program, call HealthConnect at (631) 444-4000.

Health care credit card scheme preys on seniors and vulnerable patients

Home > Media Center > 2010 > August 4^th

ATTORNEY GENERAL CUOMO LAUNCHES INDUSTRY-WIDE INVESTIGATION INTO PREDATORY HEALTH CARE LENDING THAT IS PUSHING CONSUMERS NATIONWIDE INTO DEBT

Health care credit card scheme preys on seniors and vulnerable patients ~Cuomo subpoenas health care practices and credit card companies

NEW YORK, NY (August 4, 2010) – Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo today announced an industry-wide investigation into predatory health care lending where consumers, especially seniors and vulnerable patients, are misled about financing, causing them to be pushed into debt.

An investigation by Attorney General Cuomo found that some health care providers pressure consumers into using GE Money’s CareCredit, a health care credit card, through fast-talking sales pitches and deceit. The investigation also found that CareCredit often pays kickbacks in the form of rebates to the providers based on how much business they charge consumers on CareCredit cards.

The investigation was based in part on hundreds of consumer complaints received by the Attorney General’s Office. Consumers reported that health care providers promised that the credit card had “no interest,” when it often carried retroactive interest of over 25 percent if not paid in full during a promotional period. Consumers were also unknowingly charged up front for services they never received, and their attempts to obtain refunds were often thwarted or ignored. Meanwhile, CareCredit pays the health care providers in-full within 48 hours of the charge.

The investigation also found that CareCredit charges the providers a fee for the right to offer the cards, and then rebates part of the fee based on the amount of money the providers generated through CareCredit sales. This kickback arrangement, plus CareCredit’s payment in full to providers within two days of the charge, creates an incentive for providers to push consumers to use CareCredit rather than other methods of payment. In fact, providers pushed CareCredit over cash.

“Health care debt is the number one cause of individual bankruptcy, and this scheme is contributing to the economic burden being felt by consumers,” said Attorney General Cuomo. “People are being tricked by misleading offers that have them paying for services they never received as well as interest charges they never knew about – and they are ignored and given the runaround when they try to get their money back.”

Cuomo issued subpoenas to 10 providers that promote CareCredit, as well as to the companies that manage CareCredit, Chase Health Advance, Visa Health Benefits, and Citibank Health Card. The subpoenas seek marketing materials, applications, terms of credit, contracts and rebate agreements, policies and procedures, consumer complaints, and regulatory inquiries. This investigation is ongoing.

In addition, Cuomo is asking several nationwide and state-based medical associations, including the American Dental Association and the New York State Dental Association, to explain why they endorsed CareCredit and whether they received compensation for doing so. 

CareCredit is accepted by more than 125,000 health care practices nationwide. The New York State Dental Association asserts that more than 8 million dental patients and 80,000 dental practices use CareCredit nationwide. The credit card is advertised as a way to pay for services often not covered by insurance, including:

• Chiropractic procedures
• Cosmetic procedures
• Dental procedures
• Infertility treatment
• Hearing procedures
• Vision procedures
• Weight loss procedures
• Veterinary services

In recent years, Attorney General Cuomo’s Office received hundreds of complaints from consumers indicating that they were lured and misled by providers into applying for, accepting, and using CareCredit. Among the complaints received by the Attorney General’s Office regarding the scam: 

• A Williamsville resident went to a dental provider with a toothache and was told he needed $9,000 in work done. He told the practice’s office manager that he had the ability to pay for the service in cash, but he was still persuaded to sign up for financing through CareCredit. He ended up having the work done elsewhere, but the full amount of charges was billed to his card, despite receiving no services from the practice.
• An Onondaga County woman was told by a dental practice she needed a variety of procedures, and to get them she would have to sign a CareCredit agreement. After only having one $400 procedure done, which she paid for, she received a bill for $2,600. Her attempts to get a refund were rejected by both the provider and CareCredit.
• An Oswego woman was given a $6,000 estimate for dental procedures. She was urged to sign up for CareCredit, and was told this was an interest-free, monthly payment plan. However, she was charged up-front before the procedures were done, plus interest.
• A Monroe County man signed up for CareCredit to pay for an estimated $5,600 in services from his provider, but it was not made clear he was agreeing to a credit card. He left the medical office and sought treatment elsewhere, but continued to receive bills from CareCredit, which insisted he was delinquent on payments, resulting in a negative credit report and the reduction of his other lines of credit.
• A Syracuse-area consumer was told by his chiropractor that he needed two years of treatment and he was signed up for a CareCredit card without his consent. He was charged $3,000, which CareCredit refused to rescind. When the consumer switched to a different provider because the treatments at his chiropractor worsened his condition, the practice refused to release his medical records, claiming he still owed them money. 
• A woman from Tioga County went to a provider where an application to CareCredit was “thrown in (her) face.” No other financing options were offered to her, and she was charged $5,000 for a procedure that failed multiple times and for which another provider later charged only $1,200.

Chuck Bell, Programs Director for Consumers Union, nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports, said, “Attorney General Cuomo’s investigation shines a badly-needed spotlight on deceptive practices used to market health care credit cards to elderly and low-income consumers. We are concerned that some health care providers are aggressively marketing these high-interest credit cards to patients, without providing appropriate disclosures, protections, or refunds. Consumers Union strongly supports the Attorney General’s investigation, and applauds his ongoing efforts to protect consumers across the nation.”

Catherine Dunham, President of The Access Project, a resource center for local communities working to improve health and health care access, said, “With the cost of health care already an enormous burden on Americans, we must do everything we can to filter out abusive or deceptive practices in how providers take payment for care. Attorney General Cuomo’s investigation into health care credit cards will help protect millions of patients across the country who are struggling with debt. We applaud his efforts and look forward to continuing to partner with him to protect patients.”

Consumers wishing to file complaints regarding deceptive health care credit card practices are urged to contact the Attorney General’s Office at HealthCreditCards@ag.ny.gov or 800-428-9071 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              800-428-9071      end_of_the_skype_highlighting. Consumer tips and more information about the investigation, including an example of the letters sent to trade groups, can be found online at www.ag.ny.gov.

The investigation is being conducted by Assistant Attorney General Carol Hunt of the Health Care Bureau under the supervision of Executive Deputy Attorney General for Social Justice Mylan Denerstein and Special Counsel to the Attorney General Linda A. Lacewell. 

Subpoenas to Health Care Providers:

• Allcare Dental Management Inc. - Buffalo
• American Laser Centers - Farmington Hills, MI
• Aspen Dental Management, Inc. - East Syracuse
• East Syracuse Family Dental Arts - East Syracuse
• Laser Cosmetica - New York City
• Lifestyle Lift - Troy, MI
• Northern Lights Chiropractic - Watertown
• S & Y Diamond Dental P.C. - Brooklyn
• Sunshine Dental - Watertown
• Toothsavers - New York City

Letters to Groups Endorsing CareCredit:

• American College of Eye Surgeons
• Society for Excellence in Eyecare
• American Dental Association
• Academy of General Dentistry
• American Academy of Periodontology
• American Association of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons
• New York State Dental Association
• American Society of Plastic Surgeons
• American Society of Dermatologic Surgery
• American Animal Hospital Association
• New York State Veterinary Medical Society
• American Hearing Aid Associates
• American Society of Bariatric Physicians
• Lite and Hope

Commack High School Has A New Principal - Catherine Nolan

After an extensive search and rigorous interview process, the Board of Education is pleased to announce the appointment of Mrs. Catherine Nolan as the Principal of Commack High School.

 

Mrs. Nolan has served as a teacher and as an assistant principal at the high school, and we extend a warm welcome and wish her great success. 

 

The Commack School District Board of Education

MaryJo Masciello, President
Joseph Pennacchio, Vice President

Trustees:  Jeffrey Egan
                Deborah Guber

                Thomas L. Torneé

Blydenburgh County Park and Adjacent Areas To Be Treated for West Nile Virus

Weather permitting, the Suffolk County Department of Public Works is planning to treat sections of the following communities as part of their ongoing annual efforts to control adult mosquitoes.

The following treatments are for Vector Control:

Time and date of the application: August 3, 2010, 6:30 PM – 10:30 PM

Approximate location(s): Davis Park and Point O’Woods on Fire Island

Sites to be treated:  – All streets in the Villages.

Method of Treatment: Ground spraying - Ultra Low Volume Aerosol

Name of Pesticide: Anvil (sumithrin)

Time and date of the application: August 4, 2010, 6:00 AM – 9:00 AM

Approximate location (s): Smith Point Park recreation area

Sites to be treated:  – The recreation area on Fire Island west of the parkway.

Method of Treatment: Ground spraying - Ultra Low Volume Aerosol

Name of Pesticide: Anvil (sumithrin)

Time and date of the application: August 4, 2010, 6:30 PM – 10:30 PM

Approximate location(s): Ocean Bay Park, Summer Club and Atlantique on Fire Island

Sites to be treated:  – All streets in the Villages.

Method of Treatment: Ground spraying - Ultra Low Volume Aerosol

Name of Pesticide: Anvil (sumithrin)

Time and date of the application: August 4, 2010 7:30 PM-11:30 PM

Approximate location (s): South Shirley, Mastic Beach and Old Mastic

Sites to be treated: All streets south of Alcolade Drive West, Chanel Drive, Mastic Road and Riverside Avenue, from the Forge River to Bellport Bay, including Smith Point Park, campgrounds and Marina but excluding wetlands and buffer areas adjacent to water.

Method of Treatment: Ground spraying - Ultra Low Volume Aerosol

Name of Pesticide: Scourge (resmethrin)

The following treatments are for West Nile Virus

Time and date of the application: August 3, 2010, 8:00 PM-11:30 PM

Approximate location (s): Greenlawn

Sites to be treated: All roads in an area bounded on the west by Greenlawn Broadway, on the north by Pulaski Road, on the east by Stony Hollow Road and Elwood Road and on the south by Cuba Hill Road and Little Plains Road.

Method of Treatment: Ground spraying - Ultra Low Volume Aerosol

Name of Pesticide: Scourge (resmethrin)

Time and date of the application: August 3, 2010, 8:00 PM – 11:30 PM

Approximate location (s): Selden

Sites to be treated:  An area in Selden bounded on the west by Ruland Avenue, on the north by Hawkins Avenue, on the east by Dare Road and on the south by Middle Country Road.  

Method of Treatment: Ground spraying - Ultra Low Volume Aerosol

Name of Pesticide: Scourge (resmethrin).

Time and date of the application: August 5, 2010, 8:00 PM-11:30 PM

Approximate location (s): Blydenburgh County Park, and adjacent areas in Smithtown.

Sites to be treated: An area around and including Blydenburgh County Park, bounded on the west by Ledgewood Drive and Plymouth Boulevard, bounded on the north by Ridge Road, Gardiner Road, Meadow Road and Main Street, bounded on the east by Maple Avenue and Route 111, and bounded on the south by Route 347 and Route 454.

Method of Treatment: Aerial application- Ultra Low Volume Aerosol

Name of Pesticide: Scourge (resmethrin)

For current and future notices and/or further information:

•           Suffolk County Division of Vector Control   631-852-4270

•           Spraying Information Hotline 631-852-4939

•           Click on www.suffolkcountyny.gov/health then click on Mosquito Spraying.

Although your chances of experiencing any health effects from spraying are quite low, the following common sense steps will help you reduce possible exposure to pesticides before, during or after spraying.

Steps you should take:  Children and pregnant women should take care to avoid exposure when practical.  If possible, remain inside or avoid the area whenever spraying takes place and for about 30 minutes after spraying.  Close windows and doors and close the vents of window air-conditioning units to circulate indoor air or, before spraying begins, turn them off.  Windows and air-conditioning vents can be reopened about 30 minutes after spraying.  If you come in direct contact with pesticide spray, protect your eyes.  If you get pesticide spray in your eyes, immediately rinse them with water.  Wash exposed skin.  Wash clothes that come in direct contact with spray separately from other laundry.  Consult your health care provider if you think you are experiencing health effects from spraying.

Steps you may want to take:  The materials used by Vector Control do not leave significant residues on surfaces, but exposure can be reduced even further.  Pick homegrown fruits and vegetables you expect to eat soon before spraying takes place.  Rinse homegrown fruits and vegetables (in fact all produce) thoroughly with water before cooking or eating.  Bring laundry and small toys inside before spraying begins.  (Wash with detergent and water if exposed to pesticides during spraying.)  Bring pet food and water dishes inside, and cover ornamental fishponds during the spray period to avoid direct exposure.

Candidate Chris Cox Protecting The Opportunity To Ballot

CHRIS COX VOWS TO PROTECT 'OPPORTUNITY TO BALLOT'
After Unprecedented Petition Effort, Cox will Defend Grass Roots Call from Enrolled Conservatives for a Fair and Open Conservative Primary
 

SMITHTOWN, NY — Eleven days ago, Chris Cox, the real conservative Republican in the First Congressional District contest to unseat a liberal Democratic incumbent, achieved what no Suffolk political observer can recall having been done before – Cox forced an open Conservative Primary over the no-holds-barred opposition of the Party’s leaders and its millionaire designee.

Today, a package of Specific Objections -- the product of the scheme between the Conservative party bosses and their designee’s money to ignore the voice of registered Conservatives was delivered to the Suffolk County Board of Elections.  The Objections to the Opportunity to Ballot (OTB) petitions were filed in hopes of trampling the rights of Conservative parry members to have their say in choosing a true conservative to be their standard-bearer in November.

“When we sent our OTB petitions to the Board of Elections on July 22, I said that democracy works.  Now, I am vowing to defend democracy and the rights of those hundreds of Conservatives who, with courage and conviction, signed the OTB petitions and sent a message to the party bosses,” declared Cox.  “They want the right to choose their candidate, to choose a true conservative to defeat Timothy Bishop.”

“I’m confident that our petitions will be upheld by the Board of Elections.  If the bosses persist in attacking their own rank-and-file, I’m confident that the signatures will withstand their desperate challenges in a court of law,” Cox continued.  “Our opponents are unhappy that we’ve put the choice back in the hands of the people, where it always belonged.  I was honored to be able to work with so many people dedicated to ensuring a fair and open primary and we will defend vigorously their right to vote.”

“The success of the OTB effort was propelled by courageous Conservatives and Tea Party patriots, including the Suffolk County 9-12 Project and the Conservative Society for Action,” said Cox.

“Conservative voters in the First CD deserve a true conservative to represent them in Washington.  I will fight for limited government, economic opportunity, and conservative values.  I will be an Ambassador for job creation on Long Island and Suffolk County’s toughest defender in our Nation’s capital,” declared Cox.
  

'OPPORTUNITY TO BALLOT'

Using the NYS Election Law’s “Opportunity to Ballot” (OTB) provisions, the Chris Cox for Congress campaign has sent OTB petitions containing 850 signatures to the Suffolk County Board of Elections in Yaphank on the July 22, 2010 deadline.  Only 554 signatures were required, a number equivalent to five percent of the total number of enrolled Conservatives in the First Congressional District.

The grassroots initiative overcame a steady stream of mailers, ‘robo-calls’ and invective from the Conservative Party establishment to gain valid signatures from registered Conservatives in excess of the number required by law.  A letter to party members from Suffolk Conservative Chairman Edward Walsh, as the back page of a mailing which labeled courageous Conservatives as “invaders,” even went so far as to shamefully insult the Opportunity to Ballot initiative – a clearly delineated part of the electoral process under NYS Election Law – as an attempt to “subvert” the process.