Tips on Your Credit Report the Sooner He Comes to Grips with That, Rolls up His Sleeves and OWENSBORO MESSENGER-IN- Keeping Tabs on Your Credit Child Has a Report

A6 Opinion MONDAY, MAY 14, 2012

Volume 37, Issue 111

EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS R. CHRIS ORDWAY BEN SHEROAN Publisher Editor SARAH REDDOCH JEFF D’ALESSIO Editorial Page Editor County News Editor LARRY JOBE SARAH BERKSHIRE Advertising Sales Director Features editor MAJ. GEN. TERRY KENDRA STEWART TUCKER, Ret. Public member Public member IN OTHER VIEWS Here is a sample of what other newspapers around the state have been saying this week on their editorial pages, as compiled by The Associated Press. The opinions are not intended to reflect those of The News-Enterprise editorial board. LEXINGTON HERALD-LEADER ON We’re in no position to judge THE GOVERNOR’S MEDICAID RESPON- the various grievances, but Be- SIBILITY: Like most governors beshear is. He’s also the person w- fore him, Gov. Steve Beshear ho’s best able to strongly enforce views Medicaid as a beast to be contract provisions and negotiate tamed rather than a tool to tackle new agreements if what’s in place the state of Kentuckians’ health. is unworkable. ... But Beshear can’t outsource re- It’s good House Speaker Greg sponsibility for poor, sick Kentuc- Stumbo is calling out the managed kians to low-bidding out-of-state care companies. Ultimately, companies or the courts, as much though, the responsibility is as he might wish he could. Beshear’s. Tips on your credit report The sooner he comes to grips with that, rolls up his sleeves and OWENSBORO MESSENGER-IN- Keeping tabs on your credit child has a report. The credit dives into problem solving, the QUIRER ON FORMER AGRICULTURE report is an important part of reporting agencies do not better for everyone, especially COMMISSIONER RICHIE FARMER: staying fiscally fit. Checking knowingly maintain credit files him, since he’s relying on substan- State Auditor Adam Edelen’s re- your credit report on a regular CATHY on minor children, but you tial Medicaid savings to avoid port on former Agriculture Com- basis is a smart way to stay on WILLIAMSON can contact the credit report- more cuts to education and other missioner Richie Farmer was the top of your financial health. ing agencies directly and they public services. knockout blow to a once-promis- Checking your credit report can run the report. If there is One of Beshear’s problems fell ing political career. also can help you figure out if ■ one, your child could be a vic- into the lap of U.S. Senior Judge Do not access the Annu- In his findings, Edelen de- someone has stolen your iden- al Credit Report request serv- tim of identity theft. Karl S. Forester, who ordered that ■ scribed the eight years Farmer led tity. ice through links from unfa- Avoid companies that documents in a lawsuit filed by the Ag office as a “toxic culture of However, consumers miliar websites. If you receive claim they can improve your Appalachian Regional Healthcare entitlement and self-dealing at should use caution when de- an email or see a pop-up ad credit for free. The Federal against one of the three Medicaid Kentucky taxpayers’ expense.” managed care contractors be sent ciding whether to use some claiming it’s from AnnualCre Trade Commission warns con- Just as Farmer played basket- advertised services that prom- sumers to be wary of compa- to Beshear. ball at the University of Kentucky, ditReport.com or any of the The judge’s order loosely trans- ise “free” credit reports, credit three nationwide consumer re- nies that make claims regard- he used the same charisma and scores or credit monitoring ing credit repair. These com- lates into, “Psst, guv, pay attention talent to play the voters of this porting companies, do not re- and do your job.” services. Many advertisements ply or click on any links in the panies, commonly called cred- state. on television or online claim Beshear should pay attention message. To help ensure the it clinics, don’t do anything for In both of his re-elections, to offer “free credit reports,” because Kentucky can’t make sig- privacy and protection of your consumers they cannot do for Farmer, a Manchester Republican, “free credit scores” or “free nificant economic gains until it personal information, go to themselves at little or no cost. enjoyed easy victories. credit monitoring.” Often, the deals with the high cost of having AnnualCreditReport.com di- Beware of any organization so many sick and disabled people. He then repaid the voters by service is free only if you sign hosting what the auditors called rectly to request your annual that offers to create a new One in three Kentuckians either up for another service that is identity and credit file for you. has no health insurance or is cov- “an extravagant conference” that not free. In some cases, adver- credit report either through a cost taxpayers $96,000, instructing secure website, by phone or For more information on cred- ered by Medicaid, the federal-state tisers may be attempting to it clinics and a list of warning program for the poor, disabled his staff to buy rifles, rifle cases, steal your identity or sign you by mail. AnnualCreditReport knives, cigar boxes, shopping mall signs visit www.ftc.gov. and elderly. up for something that results .com will not approach con- ■ gift cards and watches as gifts for sumers via email, telemarket- Dispute inaccuracies on The Affordable Care Act gives in a monthly fee charged to a your credit report. Inaccurate, states more flexibility and money the event. ing or direct mail solicitations. credit card. derogatory information can to innovate and increase access to But Farmer didn’t stop there. ■ Consider pulling your re- ... No doubt Farmer’s success as The only way to obtain a lower your credit score and care and coverage. But aside from truly free copy of a credit reports every three or four a few smart moves, such as in- part of the UK team — nicknamed months. While you can pull may indicate possible fraudu- the “Unforgettables” — afforded port is by using a service lent activity. If you find infor- creasing drug abuse treatment for sponsored by the three nation- reports from all three credit low-income parents, Beshear has him special treatment over the bureaus at once, consider mation that you believe is in- years. wide credit reporting agencies accurate, you have the right to not shown much interest in that, – Experian, Equifax and pulling credit reports one at a either. But as a politician, he never time spread through the year. dispute it free of charge. learned where the foul line started Transunion. The service is The way to bend the Medicaid Pulling reports separately al- Contact the reporting agency cost curve is to bend the obesity, and ended. available at AnnualCreditRe you pulled your report from to For that sense of entitlement, port.com or by calling 1-877- lows you to better monitor smoking, teen pregnancy, dia- them and keep track of any file your dispute. betes, heart disease, cancer, addic- Farmer is now faced with possible 322-8228. Consumers also changes or new information BBB services to the public tion and rotten teeth curves. criminal charges and answering to may go to the website and that may appear. If you pull are free. Consumers may ob- We should be hearing about the Executive Branch Ethics download a request form that tain BBB Business Reviews at what Medicaid is doing to manage Commission for misusing tax can be mailed to an address in all your reports at once, you won’t be eligible to pull a free www.bbb.org or by calling 1- chronic illnesses and promote pre- money and state workers for his Atlanta. Mailed reports nor- 800-388-2222. vention. own personal gain. ... mally arrive within two to report again for 12 months. Instead, barely six months in, Farmer may not want to admit three weeks. ■ Pull your child’s credit Cathy Williamson is manager The BBB offers the follow- report. Child identity theft re- of the Lincoln Trail Area branch managed care Medicaid has de- it, so we’ll say it for him: Game of the Better Business Bureau. generated into legal skirmishes over. You played us for the last ing tips for consumers who mains a national problem, so Contact her at (270) 982-1289 and sniping over money. time. want to check their reports: it makes sense to see if your or [email protected]. In Missouri,perils and politics of‘don’t say gay’ f 20 Republican lawmakers fused about the status of student dents or from teaching anything argued, “how can we protect gay in Missouri have their way, clubs, he and other like-minded that mentions gay people in his- kids in rural schools where many I it will soon be illegal for ad- legislators are clear about where tory, current events, art or litera- are afraid to even mention the ministrators, teachers and even CHARLES they stand in the culture war ture. word gay, let alone address this students to talk about homosexu- over issues involving sexual ori- HAYNES Last week, the American type of issue?” ality in the state’s public schools. entation. Even as public support Academy of Pediatrics de- Derided as the “don’t say grows for greater legal protec- nounced the Missouri bill as On May 2, a few days after gay” bill by opponents, H.B. tions for gay, lesbian, bisexual “harmful” to the best interests of writing the letter, Rep. Wyatt 2051 “prohibits the discussion of Steve Cookson, the Missouri and transgender people, some children. “All children and came out to his colleagues, be- sexual orientation in public bill’s lead supporter, pointed to state legislators — many motivat- teenagers need to feel safe in coming the only openly gay school instruction, material, or the “80 school-sponsored gay- ed by religious convictions — are their schools,” said Dr. Stuart C. Republican state lawmaker in straight alliances” across the extracurricular activity except in determined to stop the pro-gay Sweet, president of the state’s the country. He called it a scientific instruction on human state. rights tide at the schoolhouse chapter of the academy, “and Cookson apparently doesn’t painful decision — but necessary reproduction.” door. HB 2051 takes that assurance if it helps galvanize opposition to A similar, less draconian, bill understand that Gay-Straight Meanwhile, many educators away from them.” the bill. passed the Tennessee State Alliance clubs are student-initiat- and health professionals worry At least one Republican legis- Senate last year — but died in the ed, not school-sponsored. In fact, that silencing any mention of lator in Missouri, Rep. Zachary “I keep thinking of those kids House a few days ago. Utah leg- under the federal Equal Access sexual orientation in schools will Wyatt, agreed with Dr. Sweet getting bullied or worse yet, islators passed their own version Act, secondary schools must per- cripple efforts to create a safe about the potential harmful im- killing themselves,” Wyatt said. of “don’t say gay,” but it was ve- mit students to form such clubs if learning environment for GLBT pact of the bill. In a letter to his “I felt I needed to sacrifice a lit- toed by the governor in March. the school allows other extracur- students – frequent targets of home-district newspaper, the tle.” Some social-conservative law- ricular clubs. Cookson’s bill bullying and harassment, accord- Kirksville Express, last week, makers in these states are wor- would not only run afoul of the ing to various studies. Wyatt, who is not running for re- Dr. Charles C. Haynes is director of EAA, but it also would violate the Religious Freedom Education ried about what they see as a If enacted, Missouri’s law election, wrote that he was com- Project at the Newseum and a senior “homosexual agenda” being pro- freedom of speech protected by would presumably bar teachers pelled to speak out against his scholar at the First Amendment moted in public schools. When the First Amendment. from saying anything to combat colleagues who support the bill. Center. Contact Haynes at pressed to give examples, Rep. While Cookson may be con- intolerance toward GLBT stu- Without assisting students, he [email protected].

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