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For those venturing to Chicago for the 2009 AAHSA Annual Meeting, you’re in for another year of great events. Last Designer Standing, one of our biggest hits from the 2008 meeting, is returning for its second year with interior design students from Harrington College of Design.
Two teams will go head-to-head over a period of 48 hours to create their interpretations of a local skilled nursing facility resident’s dream room. Each team will have a budget of $2,000.
All work will be done right on the exposition floor in the McCormick Place, starting Monday, Nov. 9, at Noon and continues until the winner is announced on Nov. 11 at 3 p.m.
Prior to the competition, the 15 Harrington student spent four months learning about design elements of senior living. Working in teams of two, they created a room designed to incorporate functionality with personal elements requested by the chosen resident.
Seven teams submitted their room designs, taking inspiration from the “Cornucopia,” Mies van der Rohe’s 1929 Barcelona Pavilion, and the circle of life, to name a few. The designs were juried and ultimately two designs were chosen. The other teams will assist with building the winning designs. That said, all the designs submitted will be on display during the challenge.
Here are the 7 submissions:
Aaron Gilbert and Daniel Harper
Jessica Riddle and Neelima McGibbon
Matthew McGrane and Ava St. Claire
Edward Kucic III and Kristen Penfold
Jennifer Lea and Leslie Bowman
Kate Harms and Valarie Sanchez
Rhonda Johnson and Diana Rizko
This morning, the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act of 2009 received some more positive media coverage. The Associated Press published an article about the House’s effort to include the long-term care insurance plan in its final health care legislation.
According to the article, “[a] House Democratic leadership aide said top Democrats are leaning toward including the long-term care plan in the House bill.”
We’re thrilled to see another major media outlet covering the CLASS plan, which the Kaiser Family Foundation recently described as “the sleeper in health reform.” But we still need your help to ensure it makes the cut. Please Contact Congress and tell your legislators that the CLASS Act must be in the final health care reform bill.
So, during my somewhat routine scan Google reader this morning, I came across something I thought I’d never read: “Street gangs are getting into a surprising new line of business in southern California: Medicare Fraud.” It was the opening sentence in a Dow Jones story about the ongoing Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which was started in 2007.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Michael Martinez of Long Beach, Calif., was arrested on Wednesday and charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and for making false statements to the government.
What’s interesting is that Martinez allegedly paid members of the Santa Ana-based Brook Street Gang $10,000 to act as owners of medical equipment companies in order to submit false claims and bilk Medicare out of nearly $26 million dollars in reimbursements. A total of 20 individuals were arrested. Martinez faces 75 years in federal prison.
I know stealing has always been a modus operandi of street gangs, but medical equipment? Drugs, guns, expensive cars. Those things seem to fit realm of worthy items for street gangs to steal. But medical equipment? How does that conversation go down?
“Hey, Mike. I’ve got this great idea for the gang’s next score.”
“Oh yeah? Is it that shipment of drugs coming in next week?”
“No. We’re gonna rip off Medicare. Medical equipment.”
“Uhhh.”
Now, I don’t usually blog about Medicare fraud, but this story caught my attention because it has all the makings for a summertime blockbuster movie: Gangs. Fraud. $26 million. A strike force. Attorneys general.
However, while the story is true, it seems to be an isolated gang-related Medicare scheme. I don’t imagine the idea of Medicare fraud will pervade the gangs of America in any real way.
Besides, the Medicare-fraud bubble of a few years ago has burst. With the current fervor for health reform, the government is increasingly keen on prosecuting fraudulent providers and reigning in “wasted” spending.
Assistant Attorney General of the Criminal Division Lanny A. Breuer said the strike force “will continue to be vigilant in rooting out criminals who masquerade as health care providers in order to steal from American taxpayers,” because each and every dollar stolen from Medicare “is one dollar too many.”
