Teas By Design

Many local residents probably wouldnt consider World Medical Relief as a place to obtain help with prescriptions. But thats what Betty Hughes, a Senior Alliance representative who is also a Medicaid and Medicare counselor, told those in attendance at a special seminar for the uninsured held Thursday at the Maplewood Center.

World Medical Relief has been around for many, many years, Hughes said.

The WMR, known for its international assistance, is ready to help Michigan residents, too. Recipients dont have to be unemployed to receive medical and prescription assistance. Some employers dont provide medical insurance coverage and part-time employers often dont qualify.

WMRs state-licensed pharmacy may be the answer with prescriptions at $8.30 each, and in most cases, your medicine can be mailed directly to your home, according to information provided by Hughes and found on the WMR website.

Qualifications include being older than age 18, earning $24,000 or less per year, if single, and $37,000 for a couple, adding $300 for each additional dependent. People can also qualify if they do not have prescription drug coverage, even though they may have health insurance or are not currently enrolled in Medicaid. They may still qualify if they have a discount prescription card or are a senior on Medicare Part D. Documentation of income is required.

The WMR has other services available, including durable medical equipment like hospital beds, wheelchairs, shower chairs, walkers, canes and commodes. They carry basic medical, diabetic and colostomy supplies, liquid nutrition and incontinent products.

Cheryl Stepanian, senior coordinator at the Maplewood Center, heard good things about WMR.

I had a woman in my office yesterday who said that they treated her wonderfully, Stepanian said.

Contact World Medical Relief Inc. at 11745 Rosa Parks Blvd., Detroit, call (313) 866-5333, fax (313) 866-5588 or send an e-mail to info@worldmedicalrelief.org. More information is available on the website at www.worldmedicalrelief.org.

Free clinics

Hughes said that Michigan is not the worst in the number of uninsured people. It falls 17th on the list, with 13.8 percent of the total population uninsured.

Some people work and are still uninsured because they are not offered health insurance. In Wayne County, one option for help is the Wayne County Four Star program, a health insurance program. Students can also purchase this insurance.

This is something that is known as a best-kept secret, Hughes said. Insurance can be purchased. You dont have to be working.

For the Four Star program, call (866) 780-6655 or visit waynecountyfourstar.org.

sbuck@hometownlife.com (313) 222-2249

Story: Innocent Samuel Appiah
MANAGEMENT AND staff of the Ramada Beach Resort, formerly of New Coco Beach Hotel located at Nungua have visited the Teshie Orphanage, where they presented various items to the inmates valued at about GHc5,000.00. The items included were rice, oil, soap, toiletries, among others.
The group interacted with the inmates of the Orphanage and later danced with them, assuring them that there was hope for them, and that they should focus on their education to enable them achieves higher laurels.
Before going to the Orphanage for the presentation, the General Manager of the Hotel, James Amarkah, who stated that the exercise formed part of the Resort Christmas activities, led the staff in a clean-up exercise around the vicinity and the community in which the Resort is located.
Making the presentation on behalf of management and staff, the General Manager noted that the items formed part of the Hotel’s social responsibility, stressing that there were other donations made over the years to some other institutions of need.
On staff output and motivation, Mr. Amarkah hinted that management had also instituted staff loyalty programme, where the employee of the months and employee of the year are awarded for their dedication and commitment to duty.
Additionally, there is also a recommendation with questionnaire given to guests about the attitude of staff, where the staff are motivated based on what the guests say about them in the questionnaires.
He also mentioned that the Resort had likewise put in place mechanism to empower the staff through training to enhance their capacity to enable them meet the international standards and best practices, adding that they also organize staff durbars to iron out certain things, have end-of- year party.
According to Mr. Amarkah, in 2012, there would be a talk show to discuss issues pertaining to health and other social issues that the staff need to know.
Mr. Amarkah said consideration the new face that has been given to the Ramada Beach Resort, clients should expect nothing but the best of services in 2012 and the years ahead, where they would have value for money and thereby called on the general public to come and experience what the Resort has to offer them.
For her part, Rosina Adjei, Senior Sales and Marketing Executive of the Resort said the motivation to donate to the Orphanage was to give back to the community what the Resort had taken from them.
She indicated such donations have been done to the Orphanage over the past years, saying that the exercise was an annual affair, and noted that management would be targeting other institutions such as the Help Age Ghana, and the like.
She used the occasion to thank their loyal customers for the partnership in doing business with the Resort over the years, and hoped to do better business with their prospective clients.
Ramada Beach Resort, which used to be known as the New Coco Beach Resort, is an internal Resort in over 90 cities all over the world. The New Coco Beach Hotel did the franchise three years ago.
The Resort has 72 rooms, three conference halls, gym, among others, with conference packages, honeymoon packages also available.

Fantasy Defense HD is a classic Tower Defense game with RPG like elements and an anime art style. You must use a combination of loyal fighters and skilled mages to defend your kingdom from various waves of enemies. What separates this game from most Tower Defense games is the ability to buy items and upgrade your towers between levels. There are also various items like gems and treasure chests that you can bust open for bonuses during gameplay.

In 1989, Bain Capital purchased controlling interest in Damon Corp., a medical testing company located in Needham, Massachusetts.

During the time that Bain held its ownership of the company, Mitt Romney personally sat on the Board of Directors. And during that same period, Damon Corp. was busy submitting fraudulent reimbursement claims to Medicare to the tune of millions of dollars charged for unnecessary blood tests.

According to federal government prosecutors, Damon was misleading physicians into ordering unnecessary blood tests, assuring the doctors that the testing would be covered by Medicare.

By the time Damon Corp. pleaded guilty to defrauding the United States Government of $25 million–and paid a total of $119 million in what was, at that time, the largest penalty of its kind in Massachusetts history–Bain was long gone having sold the company in 1993 to Corning, Inc.

Inasmuch as neither Romney nor Bain was ever implicated in the fraud, it would be reasonable to conclude that while the illegal activity was going on under Mr. Romney’s nose, Romney would, himself, bear only some responsibility for perhaps not being as on top of things as one might hope for a company’s director to be.

But, according to Romney, such a conclusion would be wrong.

When Mitt Romney was confronted with the matter during his campaign to become the Governor of Massachusetts, Romney acknowledged that he did have some awareness of the funky things going on at Damon.

According to The Deseret News-

More than a decade later, when Romney was in pursuit of the Massachusetts governorship, his Democratic opponent Shannon OBrien accused him of lax oversight at Damon and failing to report the fraud.

Romney replied that he had helped uncover the illegal activity at Damon, asking the boards lawyers to investigate. As a result, he said, the board took corrective action before selling the company in 1993 to Corning Inc.

So, then, the future Governor and candidate for his partys nomination to run for the presidency, did fulfill his obligation as a great American and did report the fraud to the proper authorities, right?

Apparently not.

A recent study by the National Foundation for American Policy found nearly half of the top 50 venture-funded companies in America had at least one immigrant founder, while 76 percent of the companies had one or more immigrants in a key management or product development position. If there is one overarching theme among these top 50 venture-backed companies it is how combining foreign-born and native-born talent creates a win-win situation that creates jobs and important innovations in America. Below are two examples of such companies that have brought medical advances to Americans.

Glaukos Corporation, based in Laguna Hills, California, illustrates how the founders of a startup company can bring different elements to the table, turning an idea or notion into a viable business. Olav Bergheim, born in Norway, brought a young relative to see Dr. Richard Hill about a serious eye problem, glaucoma. When told by Dr. Hill that the most viable treatment was a trabeculectomy, an old procedure, Bergheim asked if there wasn’t another solution. Dr. Hill said he had an idea. “He had spent several years analyzing the clinical potential of implanting a micro-bypass stent into Schlemm’s canal to restore physiologic outflow while avoiding the major drawbacks of invasive glaucoma surgeries.”

Bergheim said he would back the idea financially. The two men then teamed up with Iranian-born Mory Gharib, PhD, the Hans W. Liepmann Professor of Aeronautics and the Professor of Bio-Inspired Engineering at the California Institute of Technology and the engineer who produced the Cad drawing and design. “Mr. Bergheim, Dr. Hill and Dr. Gharib subsequently formed Glaukos and immediately began development of the micro-bypass stent,” according to the company’s history. “Dr. Gharib provided the fluid mechanics of the design, as well as technical leadership. One month later, Dr. Gharib developed the first prototype and within one year the first human implant of the micro-bypass stent was performed.”

German-born Stefan Kraemer founded EndoGastric Solutions in 2003 out of a desire to provide a medical procedure “less invasive and more beneficial to the patient.” Kraemer’s idea for surgically repairing problems with the esophagus without using incisions has helped people suffering from chronic heartburn and related ailments, according to Chief Financial Officer Ken Ludlum. The company, based in Redmond, Washington, employs 120 people today. “We think this can be a big company,” said Ludlum. “That will involve a lot of expansion.”

Kraemer was first educated in medicine in Germany and was invited to Seattle to work with one of the leaders in the field before returning to Munich. But Kraemer was not satisfied with only practicing medicine after he concluded there was a better approach to surgery that he could replicate on a larger scale.

To turn his idea into a company he needed to return to the United States. In a remarkable statement about culture, Kraemer explains why it was necessary to come to America: “In Germany, people would have told me, ‘What are you doing, you’re a surgeon, why do you want to do anything else, like start a company?’ To me, America is about having a dream and being able to realize it.” History shows that giving immigrants like Dr. Stefan Kraemer a chance to achieve the American dream can end up enriching all of us.

TD Ameritrade Explains What Recent Changes Mean for Investors

Omaha, Neb. (PRWEB) January 13, 2012

Cost Basis – another financial buzzword thats drawing increased attention-and confusion. Thats because rules about cost basis reporting are changing. But what is it exactly? Put simply, its the original amount an investor paid for an investment, adjusted for various items (reinvested dividends, corporate transactions, etc.). Its the basis for determining how much was gained or lost from an investment and its the key to determining taxable gain or loss.

Whats changing?

This tax season and going forward, investors are receiving some help with cost basis reporting, thanks to new regulations. And TD Ameritrade wants to spread the word about how these changes may impact its clients and other investors. Now, brokers are required to report not just the total proceeds from a clients sale of securities as they have in the past, but also the amount paid for the investment.

The change stems from the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, commonly referred to as the bailout bill, which now requires mutual fund companies and brokerage firms like TD Ameritrade to report clients cost basis, and holding periods to the IRS on their Consolidated Form 1099s when securities are sold.

The law, which was intended to ensure more accurate reporting of gains and losses, will benefit investors in several ways:

• Cost basis and gain/loss reporting will become simpler and more transparent-youll gain a more complete picture of your cost basis and simplify your year-end tax preparation.
• Youll gain greater flexibility in specifying the lots youre trading.
• Youll be able to select the tax lot identification method you prefer (eg, first-in, first-out or highest cost) when you make a trade.
• When you make a transfer, the cost basis information will transfer with the security.

What do investors need to know?

As they prepare their 2011 tax returns, heres what investors should be aware of:

1.The regulation pertains only to IRS-covered securities in taxable accounts, not to Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) and other non-taxable accounts.

2.The new reporting requirements are being phased in over a three-year period.

• The law currently applies to equities, including foreign securities and American Depository Receipts (ADRs) acquired on or after Jan. 1, 2011, but excluding equities acquired in connection with a dividend reinvestment program (DRIP).
• It will apply to regulated investment companies (like mutual funds), or securities acquired in connection with a DRIP, that are acquired on or after Jan. 1, 2012.
• It will apply to fixed income, options, warrants, rights, derivatives and commodities purchased on or after Jan. 1, 2013.

3. TD Ameritrade clients will see cost basis data on the applicable securities in the 1099-B section of their company-issued Consolidated Form 1099 for the tax year 2011.

4. The IRS has completely revamped how individual investors report capital gains and losses on their personal tax returns by requiring completion of a new form (Form 8949), which will list and summarize gain/loss transactions.

5. TD Ameritrade has created a service and support group within its investor service call centers, as well as dedicated content on its website to help educate clients on what this change means for them.

We understand the need for this regulation and view it as a benefit to our clients. But, we also understand that this is a complicated subject, said Felix Davidson, managing director of operations at TD Ameritrade. These changes will lessen the burden of cost basis reporting for investors because well handle it for them. But, we know there will be questions, so were doing all we can to help educate clients and make this transition as simple as possible.

Investors seeking more information on changes in cost basis reporting are encouraged to visit TD Ameritrades website for more information, contact TD Ameritrade via phone at 800-669-3900 or speak with an Investment Consultant at any of the companys 100+ branch locations.

TD Ameritrade does not provide tax advice. We suggest that you seek the advice of a qualified tax-planning professional with regard to your personal circumstances.

About TD Ameritrade Holding Corporation

Millions of investors and independent registered investment advisors (RIAs) have turned to TD Ameritrades (NASDAQ: AMTD) technology, people and education to help make investing and trading easier to understand and do. Online or over the phone. In a branch or with an independent RIA. First-timer or sophisticated trader. Our clients want to take control, and we help them decide how-bringing Wall Street to Main Street for more than 36 years. An official sponsor of the 2012 US Olympic Team, TD Ameritrade has time and again been recognized as a leader in investment services. Please visit TD Ameritrades newsroom or www.amtd.com for more information.

Brokerage services provided by TD Ameritrade, Inc., member FINRA (www.FINRA.org)/SIPC (www.SIPC.org)/NFA (www.nfa.futures.org).

###

For the original version on PRWeb visit: www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2012/1/prweb9102232.htm

State Court To Review Medical Marijuana Cases

In reviewing the cases, the state Supreme Court will consider whether local governments can ban medical marijuana dispensaries.

Mount Nittany Medical Center has released a statement on the death of former Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno.

On January 22, 2012 at 9:25 am, Joseph V. Paterno died of metastatic small cell carcinoma of the lung at Mount Nittany Medical Center, State College, Pennsylvania. Joe was surrounded by his family at the time of his passing, and they request privacy during this difficult time.

Paterno was diagnosed with lung cancer shortly after losing his job at Penn State. Paternos cancer was initially described as treatable. In mid-January, he was admitted to the hospital due to complications from his cancer treatments.

It was initially reported that Paterno had died Saturday night, but his sons stepped in to report that those reports were false. It was also reported Saturday that he was near death, and no one disputed that.

Paterno was 85. He won 409 games as a head football coach.

A Vanderburgh County Medical Reserve Corps is being founded by the Vanderburgh County Health Department in partnership with St. Marys and Deaconess hospitals, the Red Cross, the sheriffs office, the local police and fire departments and the

Emergency Management Agency.

The Medical Reserve Corps is a nationwide organization with headquarters in the US Surgeon Generals Office. In the state of Indiana there are currently 26 counties with functioning units; Warrick County has had a unit for about three years.

The corps was initiated nationally 10 years ago, shortly after the 9/11 attack at the urging of then-President George Bush. Emergency responders performed quite well, but it has become apparent in major disasters that more trained volunteers are needed. In most disasters volunteers by the hundreds appear, but most are unable to be of substantial help due to lack of training. Each MRC unit recruits people, categorizes them and then trains them to do specific jobs. They learn the Incident Command System under which they work, similarly to the way the military performs.

Americans generally want to help one another and are quick to volunteer in great numbers. However, in a disaster zone such as the one that occurred in Joplin, Mo., this past spring, when the city was without transportation, power, food, water, shelter and sanitation. Thousands of volunteers showed up to help, merely adding to the problem because they did not have specific jobs assigned to them and were unprepared to take care of even their own needs.

Presently, the Health Department, along with other organizations involved in emergency disaster planning, performs a number of disaster drills throughout the year. The public may not be aware of these practice drills, but they include drills for quick response to earthquakes, tornadoes, bioterrorism attacks, floods, ice storms and other scenarios. Members of the MRC will participate in such drills. Citizens need to be made more acutely aware of the fact that Evansville stands within two major earthquake zones, the New Madrid fault and the Wabash Valley fault.

Monthly training classes will be held according to specific job descriptions. For example, the Red Cross will train volunteers to work in their shelters, nurses will be trained together as a group, doctors will have special classes, lay volunteers will be trained as clerks, interpreters, runners, etc. All the partners enumerated above will be involved in training, and it will be known what the volunteers are capable of doing.

The first MRC recruiting day will be held on January 28 at The Centre. Walk-in hours will be anywhere from 9 am to 5 pm Those interested in volunteering will make out an enrollment form and then after a short interview will be placed in the most appropriate volunteer job section. Optional orientation sessions will be 10 am to noon and 2 pm to 4 pm We will need copies, and will be able to make them, of any applicable licenses or certificates.

The local corps will be important for preparedness in Vanderburgh County. City-county officials cannot prepare properly for disaster without citizen help and expertise.

The Vanderburgh County Health Department, as well as our participating partners, look forward to the publics response and participation in this extremely important endeavor. It will be a major undertaking, but a very important step forward for our county.

Please consider enrolling: the corps cannot develop and function without your participation.

WASHINGTON: A breakthrough in exploiting electromagnetic waves has potentially opened the way for more advanced medical diagnosis.

This should allow future terahertz waves (T-rays) systems to be smaller, more portable, easier to operate, and much cheaper than current devices, for medical diagnostics.