ExecutiveMom's Safety and Self Defense Blog

Doctor Convicted of Medical Fraud

As much as I am frustrated with our Health Care system and the access to care for every one who is in need, it's stories like this that are frustrating too...this is just one more example of a system that is being exploited for cash so that our overall costs go up and it becomes unaffordable for us to maintain a balanced system - would love to know your views....

Doctor admits health care fraud

By Heather Ratcliffe

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

10/30/2007

A plastic surgeon  from Ladue  and his company pleaded guilty today in federal court in St. Louis to charges related to a health care fraud in which patients were billed for procedures that were never performed.

Dr.  Richard E. Coin, 54, pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor charge of false demand against the United States, and his business, Reconstructive and Microsurgery Associates, pleaded guilty to one count of a felony health care fraud.

In 2001 and 2002,  Coin and his company billed insurance providers and the government for claims totaling $1 million for surgical procedures that never happened, according to court documents. 

For example, Coin treated a 9-year-old boy who came into the St. John's emergency room with a dog bite on Sept. 4, 2002. Coin admitted the boy  to the hospital and performed surgeries on the child while he was hospitalized for 14 days.

The emergency room records indicate the child suffered a “laceration on the left index finger, multiple puncture wounds” with “bleeding controlled”  -- with his nerves, vascular and tendon functions “intact.”

Yet Coin's surgical report called the boys injuries “very, very significant deep wounds” and the "nature and extent of the injuries were enormously complicated,” according to court documents.

According to Coin's bill, he repeated some of the exact same procedures during the boy's subsequent surgeries. Some of the techniques he charged the patient were on body parts no where near the pat i ent's surgical scars, according to court documents.

He submitted claims to the patient's insurance company, GHP, for $31,900 for the dog bite injury.

click HERE for the whole story.

To find out more about Health Care in the US - don't forget to pick up your copy of Escape from the Pharma Drug Cartel at Amazon.com TODAY.

Escape from the Pharma Drug Cartel

It's FINALLY HERE! My book....!!!!

Kimberly Cheryl was living the American Dream until she was seriously injured in a car accident. Unexpectedly fired by the company she long served, she found herself without a job, without insurance, and without any means of paying off her obligations. She quickly moved from a position of observer and participant of the health care industry to being adversely affected by the same system.

In Escape from the Pharma Drug Cartel, Cheryl reveals how our health care system is broken, unjust, and inhumane. "Every other industrialized nation manages to provide almost all its citizens with guaranteed health insurance, while spending less on health care than we do," Cheryl writes. How is it possible that the United States-a leader in health care development and drug discovery-is not able to provide its citizens with medical care when countries like Australia and China do?

In Escape from the Pharma Drug Cartel, Kimberly Cheryl takes the reader on a shocking, revealing, and provocative tour of the pharmaceutical industry of America as only an insider can.

PURCHASE your copy today and help change the way we view Medical coverage for American Citizens....

My Life....

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What Every Mummy (and daddy) Should Know To Keep Their Kids Safe During Halloween

With Halloween fast approaching, Larry and Kimberly Elliott of Executive Defense Technology are doing a lot of radio and TV interviews on Halloween safety for your kids. An area that they are being quizzed on is safety tips for teenagers that head out for a night of fun.

Remember, Halloween is for teens, too. It is an incredibly exciting time for them because this is the age where kids want to venture out for Trick-or-Treat fun without their parents. They are at an age where being on their own is not only cool but a necessary part of their development as they make their way into adulthood. The good news for you is that you can let them go with a few common sense safety tips:

1. Teenagers should head out in a group of least four individuals or more. Heading out alone is not an option! Make sure your teenager is with a group of good friends. Make sure that they know everyone well. Halloween is not a good time to be running around costumed in the dark with strangers or new friends they are not very familiar with.

2.  Make sure you know exactly where your teenager will be when they are out. Ask them what their plans for the night are and hold them to it. Knowing where your teenager is on Halloween, is not about not trusting them, it is about safety. It is about you, the parent being able to find them in an emergency. Send your child out with a cell phone and have then check in periodically, every 45 minutes/ hour – whatever the two of you agree upon, just to let you know where they are and that they are okay.

3. Teenagers also need to keep their eyes open for the smaller, younger kids. This is one of the nights of the year where all age groups mix together. Teens, even with the excitement of being out on their own should keep their eyes open for the younger kids in case there is someone who needs help or just to simply keep from running into them or tripping over them. Smaller kids are more easily injured when running into larger kids simply because they are smaller.

4. Set a specific time with your child that they need to be home. This year, Halloween falls on a weekday. This means kids have school the next day. Have them home no later than 10 p.m. It will take another hour or so for them to calm down and relax before they can head to bed. Yes, tomorrow, they’ll be tired but the day after is also a part of Halloween memories.

What about those younger ghosts and goblins?  How can we keep them safe?  Actually, one of the biggest threats that parents sometimes overlook on this fun day isn’t going to come from a poisoned piece of candy or a predator lurking in the bushes. Although, we don’t want to minimize those risks either. The biggest danger on Halloween for kids is - injuries from tripping and falling.  The majority of injured children showing up in the Emergency Room will do so with broken arms or wrists, chipped teeth and cuts and bruises from falling or tripping in the dark due to excitement and obstructed vision from masks.

As parents, we are enjoying ourselves visiting with neighbors and talking as we travel “around the block” from house to house.  While you do so, here are some tips for keeping your kids safe so everyone can have a fun, memorable, safe evening:

1. Arm you kids with flashlights so they can negotiate their way down dark paths.  A small, bright light that fits nicely in their hands is best. Make sure any flashlight has fresh batteries and illuminates well.  Carry one yourself.

2.  Remind the kids, before leaving the house about street safety.  In their excitement, don’t let them rush out in front of a car.  Larry Elliott, of Executive Defense Technology, also recommends placing reflective tape on your child’s shoes and on their costumes.

3. Make sure your child’s shoes fit and are tied properly.  Keep costumes above the ground by a few inches so your youngster doesn’t trip on it while walking and running.

And since we don’t want to forget about “Personal Safety”, make sure your children (young and older) follow these suggestions so they don’t become “easy targets” for predators:

1. Stay in well lit areas and avoid dark, lonely locations / paths.

2. Be aware of your surroundings at all times. If someone makes you uncomfortable, cross the street, head the other direction and go to a house of a family that you know and trust. (Review “Safe Houses” with your kids BEFORE Halloween so they know exactly where they can go for help)

3. Never give your name or details about yourself to a stranger.

4. Only visit the houses of the neighbors that you know and are familiar with – don’t drop your children off in areas you are unfamiliar with.

5. Let the adults be the one to answer the door to Trick-or-Treaters. Don’t let the children answer by themselves.

6. Never get close to or into a strangers car or go with them ANYWHERE.  If a car pulls up, advise your children to take a few steps back.  They should never get close enough so they can be grabbed unexpectedly. If someone needs help or directions, they should be asking an adult – not a child!

7. If you are approached, use your voice! FBI statistics say that 70-80% of assaults can be stopped by good verbal boundaries alone.

Staying safe is a choice!  We still have a few days before the Halloween holiday – practice and rehearse safety with your kids so they know what is expected of them and how to prevent accidents or assaults BEFORE they happen.  And, have a safe, fun Halloween!

Author:  Kimberly Cheryl Elliott, MBA, PhD is CEO of Executive Defense Technology, LLC located in Missouri.  The mission of the company is to educate individuals on personal safety and awareness as well as training others the Rape / Aggression/ Defense (RAD) self-defense course.  She is the author of: Take this pill…and sell it! ; Escape from the Pharma Cartel; and Are Your Habits Killing You? A Personal Safety Handbook. She can be reached at www.execdeftech.com.

Upcoming Community Programs you can participate in:    1. RAD Training classes to begin at Oakville high school for girls 13 - 18 and their mothers on Monday, January 7th,2008    2.  RAD Training Classes at Forest Park Community College to begin at University City High School starting March 19th, 2008    3.  3 hour Community Awareness Programs at St Louis Community Colleges - Saturday, February 23: Wildwood community college;  Saturday, March 8: Meremac Community college;  Spring Safety Day at Flo Valley Community college on Saturday, April 19th, 2008;  Saturday, April 26th:  Forest Park Community college;    Saturday, May 10th:  Forest Park Community college - SIGN UP AND JOIN US!

 

To Schedule a Program:  Visit our website to schedule a program for your next Lunch and Learn / business meeting / seminar / get together / home party/ scout meeting/ symposium / conference/ speaker / school assembly - TODAY!

Sisters In Crime's Forensic University

Come Visit us and the Sisters of Crime Writers:

                          Reminder and New Class--Rape Avoidance                     

                        

Hi,

Just a reminder...on Monday the prices for Sisters in Crime's Forensic University, Nov. 1 through 4, at the Hilton St. Louis Airport, go up $50.

So, if you are planning to attend, please be sure to get your registration in before the end of the day!

The price schedule is below:

$250 (before 10/15/07) SinC member
$290 (before 10/15/07) Non-member
$300 (after 10/15/07) SinC member
$350 (after 10/15/07) Non-member
To register go to: www.sistersincrime.org/ForensicU

We've added two RAD sessions to the conference. Check it out--

Rape/Aggression Defense Training (RAD)

This will be a sample of a longer program, focusing on escape techniques and safety awareness. As most of you know, you should NEVER allow an assailant to get you into a car and take you to a secondary location. So, how do you avoid being forced into a vehicle or behind a building or into a secluded area? Executive Defense Technologies will share with you indicators of danger and some specific techniques for escape. These techniques are especially useful for your characters—but even more importantly, the skills you learn in this mini-workshop may SAVE YOUR LIFE. Be sure to wear comfortable clothes if you wish to participate. The Elliotts have 17-years experience in law enforcement, and this training is part of a nationally accredited program. The Elliotts will also have with them a variety of safety equipment you can purchase.

Thanks! And if you have any questions, email us at [email protected]

Joanna Campbell Slan
http://www.joannacampbellslan.com/

Free Speech vs Sensorship - When do we set limits?

As I sat tonight doing research for a "safety" education book I'm writing and a 10th grade RAPE prevention class, I was looking up information on domestic violence, date rape and child molestation. It is noted that one in 4 women will be affected by Rape at some point in their lifetime. What a frightening statistic. So what do we need to learn to prevent these things from happening? First, I have to admit that studying the mind set and beliefs of pedophiles made my stomach turn. 

   

Yes, we need to watch and protect our children from those strangers lurking in the shadows watching our children - law enforcement can only do so much. But, I also know that most perpetrators are not strangers. They, many times, are people our children know and love. So how do we protect our children from people like Jack McClennan and Linsday Ashford who openly admit that they are physically attracted to and love children (ages 3 - 11 for Jack who you can read about at his web site - a place that he created to help pedophiles find children… he even rates the places he visits so other pedophiles can find these young children - sorry no link to his actual site - do not want to promote it) How do we deal with these individuals who think it's okay to have an intimate relationship with young girls? Ashford asserts that many children and adolescents are capable of being informed consenting partners in romantic relationships, and that such relationships can be based on mutual romantic and emotional, not necessarily sexual, connections. As such, according to him, adult-child romantic involvement is not in itself a form of child sexual abuse. Read more about this man here.

   

The following is an example of something from his web site:

   

Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?
This Thursday evening game show on Fox has had a couple cute girls of approximately age 10, but it also demonstrates how intelligent kids that age are (on many questions, smarter than adults) -- yet we're supposed to believe the anti-pedo line that they're not smart enough to understand sex?

   

The following are definitions about pedophiles (in their words from one of their web sites): Child abusers must NOT be CONFUSED with pedophiles-they are not ANYTHING alike. Pedophiles do not kill kids and dump them in ditches-maniacs do that, not pedophiles. Children often love pedophiles and desire relationships/sex with them. Pedophiles protect children and are safe in their care. Pedophiles only want to love children back-is that really too much to ask? Above all, pedophiles love and respect children and care about their wants, needs, desires and opinions. Pedophiles listen to children, they hear their voices and like to spend time with them and take care of them. Pedophiles are not children themselves, a common media myth. Pedophiles are often incredibly smart and intelligent by nature. Rarely are they incompetent or demented. They simply prefer children above all for relationships and for sexual relief. True pedophiles are non-abusive, good members of society, often with impeccable morals. They only want to be accepted for what they are-lovers of children and advocates for the rights of kids not to be abused by misguided adults. Above all, pedophiles love and respect children and care about their wants, needs, desires and opinions. Pedophiles listen to children, they hear their voices and like to spend time with them and take care of them. Pedophiles are not children themselves, a common media myth. Pedophiles are often incredibly smart and intelligent by nature. Rarely are they incompetent or demented. They simply prefer children above all for relationships and for sexual relief. True pedophiles are non-abusive, good members of society, often with impeccable morals. They only want to be accepted for what they are-lovers of children and advocates for the rights of kids not to be abused by misguided adults.

 

So as I try to educate on staying safe and maintaining control of our bodies and our choices, how do I so strongly oppose these individuals right to "free speech" ? Is this free speech, "free" or is it harmful to our children? If these people are married, normal (in their minds), our neighbors, etc. then how to we properly educate our young girls on staying safe? How do we keep them out of the "pathway" of a pedophile? How do we as parents protect them? Teach them without scaring them and mistrusting every one? With addition of the internet and world wide web, we are able to do so many things but so are these people. Even though they don't see themselves as abusers, how do you control undesired behavior and still live in a free and democratic society? Should censorship be allowed in situations such as these? I'm still sick from the misguided beliefs I read - do these adults not understand the lifelong destructive effects they have on their victims? It is not a mutual relationship, they've just taken advantage of a relationship where they should be the "adult" … the one keeping the child safe… the protector not the aggressor….

   

Any ideas? Any good tips on education?

October can be SCARY for Victims of Domestic Violence

Since October is set aside to help heighten awareness of the affects of Domestic Violence, why not support the cause by buying SASSy (Safety and Self Defense Supplies for you) products - proceeds will help victims of abuse.

visit HERE for mace, personal alarms, safety supplies

visit HERE for T-shirts, calendars, hats,etc to support Safety and Self Defense.
Help others get back on their feet and recover TODAY! Thanks for the CARING and SUPPORT!!

Ever Want to Try to Get into the Pharmaceutical Industry?

*NEW*  Book reviews how to write a targeted resume for the pharmaceutical industry, what interview questions to expect and how to answer them, how to put together a functional "brag book", what to expect in your second and third interviews, questions you should ask the interviewing manager and much more

LAND MORE JOBS - GET MORE INTERVIEWS

Do you know what separates the top sales people in any given industry? If you could take two hours to read a book that would help you get the job you want, would you take the time to read it? Sadly, most average people don't take the time to read the books that will help them. It's always the top sales people who invest in their trade; who sharpen their ax constantly. Can you spare the time and make an investment in your future? The purpose of this book is to help you become the best of the best and to help you start preparing for your pharmaceutical / medical sales career NOW! For those of you contemplating pharmaceutical / medical product sales as a profession, this book will give you a foundation on which to build your career. Why is this the book for you? As a pharmaceutical sales representative with 18 years of experience in the industry, I have been a specialty representative, a hospital rep, a product sales instructor, a managed care sales rep and a temporary district manager and I know the industry. This book will cover everything from networking and interview techniques to the importance of attitude and behavior. You see, the greatest sales people, yesterday and today, possess certain traits on which I have always focused my success on. They have a special winning attitude that propels them to success. To be truly valued and successful in the pharmaceutical industry, this is where to start.

I'd love your feedback on the book....click HERE to order from Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble

Health care is not a commodity but a necessity

The great Republican coup of our time has been its successful demonization of socialism. So what does the "s-word" really represent in America? And is it always a harmful thing? When it comes to the health care in this country - it doesn't really matter what we want to call our ideas of Reform - we just need to do it!

Examples of America’s publicly financed and government-run ("socialist") systems include not only the Veterans Administration and Medicare — our most advanced and most efficient health care systems, respectively — but Social Security, public education, law enforcement at every level, and the biggest socialist organization of all, the military.

Today, the New York Times ran yet another article of corruption and deceipt illustrating just what happens to our systems when the "all mighty dollar", profit and individual organizations take over a successfully run government program:

WASHINGTON, Oct. 6 — Tens of thousands of Medicare recipients have been victims of deceptive sales tactics and had claims improperly denied by private insurers that run the system’s huge new drug benefit program and offer other private insurance options encouraged by the Bush administration, a review of scores of federal audits has found.

Michael O. Leavitt, the secretary of health and human services, says the Medicare drug benefit is saving people money.

The problems, described in 91 audit reports reviewed by The New York Times, include the improper termination of coverage for people with H.I.V. and AIDS, huge backlogs of claims and complaints, and a failure to answer telephone calls from consumers, doctors and drugstores.

Medicare officials have required insurance companies of all sizes to fix the violations by adopting “corrective action plans.” Since March, Medicare has imposed fines of more than $770,000 on 11 companies for marketing violations and failure to provide timely notice to beneficiaries about changes in costs and benefits.

The companies include three of the largest participants in the Medicare market, UnitedHealth, Humana and WellPoint.

The audits document widespread violations of patients’ rights and consumer protection standards. Some violations could directly affect the health of patients — for example, by delaying access to urgently needed medications. In July, Medicare terminated its contract with a private plan in Florida after finding that it posed an “imminent and serious threat” to its 11,000 members.

To read more click HERE:

Health care is not a commodity but a necessity, just like education, police protection and national defense, and if calling the efficient provision of health care “socialism” is too challenging for American sensibilities, let’s just call it “culturally advanced.”

Your opinions on the issue?

Don't Keep Violence in The Dark

This month people will wear pink ribbons, buy pink products and watch Kansas City fountains pour with pink in solidarity with Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

It’s beautiful to see so many people come together to fight the good fight. But it’s not the only cause we should take note of this month — October is also Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

It might not have as much brand support. There’s no yogurt or couture or lipstick. But around the world, one out of three women has been a victim of domestic violence, according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline. In Kansas City, 4,258 domestic violence incidents were reported last year. Awareness is key to combating the problem, says Susan Miller, CEO and executive director of the Rose Brooks Center.

“We know that domestic violence hides in the darkest corners of family life,” Susan says. “With increased awareness, support and focus on safety and empowerment, we have seen lives change and families emerge from crisis."

To read the full story click HERE

How can you help heighten the awareness of Domestic Violence this month or how can you support the cause?

We are supporting through travel - all proceeds earned from our travel web site are donated to the Lighthouse - a home helping women move on with their lives and out of an abusive relationship.  To schedule your next vacation/travel arrangement and HELP - click HERE.