Schools Open with Enthusiasm As Outpatient Services Or Procedures, According to a Students, Teachers Department of Justice News Release
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1 TUESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2013 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | 75¢ Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM Shands to pay $26M to settle lawsuit Lake Shore among six hospitals that allegedly overbilled. From wire services and staff reports In a case spurred by a whis- tleblower, Shands HealthCare will pay $26 million to the fed- eral and state governments to resolve allegations of overbill- ing the Medicaid, Medicare and Tricare programs, the U.S. Department of Justice AMANDA WILLIAMSON/Lake City Reporter announced Monday. Belmont Academy teacher Melinda Nicholson prepares her fifth-graders for the upcoming school year by asking them if they knew what their planner Six hospitals in the Shands should be used for. Ashton Huber, in the front row, eagerly threw up both of his hands to respond. system, including Shands Lake Shore Regional Medical Center, were alleged to have submitted inpatient claims that should have been billed Schools open with enthusiasm as outpatient services or procedures, according to a Students, teachers Department of Justice news release. excited to resume The six hospitals are: education routine. Shands at Jacksonville; Shands at Gainesville; Shands By AMANDA WILLIAMSON Alachua General Hospital; [email protected] Shands Lake Shore; Shands irst-grader Gracie Starke; and Shands Live Oak. White and her mother, The incorrect billing was Sarah, straggled alleged to have happened behind the rush of from 2003 to 2008. students arriving at “The Department of Justice FWestside Elementary School for is committed to ensuring that the first day of school Monday. Medicare funds are expended Though the two knew what to appropriately, based on the expect, it was hard getting back medical needs of patients rath- into the swing of the school year er than the desire of health routine. care providers to maximize “It’s a different experience profits,” Assistant Attorney than when she first went,” White General Stuart F. Delery said said. “It’s much easier.” in the news release. “Hospitals JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter Gracie waited excitedly in Dozens of parents line up outside of Columbia High School at the end of the first day of school approaches on SHANDS continued on 3A the front office, showing off her Monday. This is the first time the new entrance road to the school was put into use. light-up sneakers and first-day orange dress, complete with a big white bow. She picked the outfit herself, White said. Citizens Though Gracie seemed proud of her choice, she said she was most excited about her new question teacher, her friends and the play- ground. “It’s wonderful to see all the fire rate children return from last year, to see how much they’ve grown over summer,” said Westside increase principal Cherie Hill. “I think they are excited, but some of Public meeting on them are nervous too. After a assessment hike day or two, they’ll get back into the groove of things.” draws about 30. For seven years, Hill has been the principal at Westside. She By TONY BRITT has seen the school earn an A [email protected] grade for each of those years, an accomplishment that thrills her. A small crowd of residents She said she looks forward to peppered county officials another great year. about a proposed residential “It’s always exciting to have fire assessment increase dur- AMANDA WILLIAMSON/Lake City Reporter ing the first county-sponsored A Columbia High School student jokes around with a friend after boarding a school bus after the first day of town hall meeting about the SCHOOL continued on 6A school ended on Monday. proposed fire assessment hikes for fiscal year 2013-14. County officials are propos- ing to increase the residential fire assessment rate from $77 Fleeing driver, passenger caught and jailed to $183.32, based on a “fair and reasonable apportion- By STEVEN RICHMOND into the IHOP near I-75 and U.S. ment” that would require the [email protected] 90 at about 9:30, the report said. rates to change even without While Latimer was asking for budget changes. The county Two individuals were arrest- the driver’s license, Carrigg sud- conducted its last fire assess- ed following a high speed chase denly accelerated and fled east on ment in 2005. down U.S. 90 Sunday morning, U.S. 90, according to the report. Columbia County The increase is necessary to according to the Columbia County The vehicle ran red lights at the Sheriif Deputy maintain the county’s current Sheriff’s Office. U.S. 90 intersections of Southwest D’andra Cole Insurance Services Office rat- Reuben L. Carrigg, 36, of Real Terrace, Southwest Bascom and Sgt. Pete ing and prevent a spike in fire Jacksonville, was northbound on Norris Road, and State Road 247, insurance premiums for coun- Interstate 75 with Vanessa Ann the report said. Speeds reached Spurlock Jr. ty residents, officials said. Raynor, 22, of Orange Park, when 70 to 80 mph. speak to Vanessa The first in a series of their black 2008 Kia SUV began Deputies said a witness advised Ann Raynor after meetings on the assessment changing lanes and driving on the deputies that the vehicle was she was detained change drew about 30 peo- road shoulder for “no reason,” parked behind the Sherwin Sunday morning. ple to the Columbia County deputies report. Williams store at 1912 W. U.S. School Board Administrative Deputy Josh Latimer turned on 90. When deputies arrived his signal lights and conducted a CHASE continued on 3A ASSESSMENT continued on 3A traffic stop after the couple pulled PATRICK SCOTT/Special to the Reporter Vol. 139, No. 145 People . 2A CALL US: TODAY IN COMING (386) 752-1293 92 73 Opinion . 4A PEOPLE WEDNESDAY SUBSCRIBE TO T-Storm Chance Obituaries . 5A THE REPORTER: Advice & Comics . 3B Deputies Local news Voice: 755-5445 Fax: 752-9400 WEATHER, 2A Puzzles . 2B promoted. roundup. 2AWEATHER 2A LAKE CITY REPORTER DAILY BRIEFING TUESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2013 Page Editor: Jim Barr, 754-0424 Celebrity Birthdays Saturday: Saturday: Saturday: n Trombone player Jimmy (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) 2-7-11-15-43-45 Afternoon: 6-4-5 Afternoon: 7-1-1-7 Saturday: Pankow of Chicago is 66. is 51. x2 Evening: N/A Evening: N/A 8-16-22-31-33 n Singer Robert Plant (Led n Rapper KRS-One is 48. Zeppelin) is 65. n Actor Billy Gardell (“Mike n Singer Rudy Gatlin of the and Molly”) is 44. PEOPLE IN THE NEWS Gatlin Brothers is 61. n Singer Fred Durst of Limp n Singer-songwriter John Bizkit is 43. Hiatt is 61. n Guitarist Brad Avery of n Actor-director Peter Horton Third Day is 42. (“thirtysomething”) is 60. n Actor Misha Collins n “Today” show weatherman (“Supernatural”) is 39. Franklin not attending award luncheon Al Roker is 59. n Singer Monique Powell of NEW YORK n Actor James Marsters Save Ferris is 38. retha Franklin will not be attending a baseball lun- cheon during which she was to receive a “Beacon” Daily Scripture award for embodying the Aspirit of the civil rights movement, The Associated Press has learned. Whoever has the Son has life; Franklin, 71, has already canceled whoever does not have the Son several concerts recently because of God does not have life. of undisclosed health reasons. In a statement issued Monday by Major League Baseball, the Grammy-win- —1 John 5:12 ning “Queen of Soul” referred to ongoing “treatment” that prevented her from traveling. Franklin lives in the Detroit area; the luncheon is Lake City Reporter HOW TO REACH US being held in Chicago on Saturday. BUSINESS As recently as last week, Franklin Main number . .(386) 752-1293 Fax number . .752-9400 Controller Sue Brannon. .754-0419 had been expected to attend the lun- JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter Circulation“ . .755-5445 ([email protected]) cheon. Online . www.lakecityreporter.com CIRCULATION “I greatly appreciate being a New deputies The Lake City Reporter, an affiliate of Beacon Award recipient,” Franklin Community Newspapers Inc., is pub- Home delivery of the” Lake City Reporter Columbia County Sherriff Mark Hunter (center) poses four deputies who were pro- lished Tuesday through Friday and should be completed by 6:30 a.m. said in her statement. “Presently, I Sunday at 180 E. Duval St., Lake City, Tuesday through Friday, and by 7:30 am unable to travel as I continue my moted recently during a ceremony at the Sheriff’s Office on Monday. Pictured are Fla. 32055. Periodical postage paid at a.m. on Sunday. treatment. I am working toward a (from left) Cpl. Clint Dicks, Cpl. Thomas Mansfield, Hunter, Sgt. Rick Glover and Lake City, Fla. Member Audit Bureau of Please call 386-755-5445 to report any full recovery.” Sgt. Don Meyer. Circulation and The Associated Press. problems with your delivery service. All material herein is property of the Lake In Columbia County, customers should Franklin and former baseball star City Reporter. Reproduction in whole or Bo Jackson were to be presented call before 10:30 a.m. to report a ser- in part is forbidden without the permis- vice error for same day re-delivery. After for her and the Rev. Jesse Jackson, him find and pursue his passion. sion of the publisher. U.S. Postal Service “Beacon” awards, which in previ- 10:30 a.m., next day re-delivery or ser- a family friend, referred to her sur- Goodman, a St. Louis native who No. 310-880. ous years have been given to Willie vice related credits will be issued. gery as “serious.” has starred in stage, television and POSTMASTER: Send address changes Mays and Harry Belafonte among In all other counties where home delivery film roles, told the students to appre- to Lake City Reporter, P.O.