Saluting appropriate for all veterans

Dear Editor:

While attending the Meigs County Veterans appreciation event I noticed that many vets not in uniform did not salute during the National Anthem.

I figured this was due to them not knowing about the change — Veterans and active-duty military not in uniform can now render and are encouraged to render the military-style hand salute during the playing of the national anthem, thanks to changes in federal law that took effect Oct 2008.

This includes sporting events. “The military salute is a unique gesture of respect that marks those who have served in our nation’s armed forces,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B. Peake. “This provision allows the application of that honor in all events involving our nation’s flag.” The most recent change, authorizing hand-salutes during the national anthem by veterans and out-of-uniform military personnel, was sponsored by Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, an Army veteran. It was included in the Defense Authorization Act of 2009, which President Bush signed on Oct. 14.

Ronnie Miller

Pomeroy

At what cost?

Dear Editor:

Medicare fraud costs the federal health insurance program millions of dollars annually and ultimately results in higher premiums for Medicare recipients.

The Ohio Department of Aging and the local Buckeye Hills Area Agency on Aging, District 8 (AAA8) are working with consumers across the region to combat Medicare fraud.

Medicare fraud affects all of us. Not only is waste, fraud and abuse taking critical resources out of our health care system, it contributes to the rising cost of health care for all Americans. Working to combat fraud, error and abuse of services, serves all Medicare beneficiaries by keeping health care costs down.

Three steps are included in Ohio’s renewed emphasis on fraud: protect, detect and report. Because every day consumers get ripped off by scam artists, for consumers, the Protect step means protecting personal information as the best line of defense.

There are lots of ways personal information can be used without permission. Consumers should learn to detect potential errors, fraud and abuse.

Reviewing Medicare Summary Notices (MSN) and Part D Explanations of Benefits (EOBs) for mistakes such as being charged for services or products not received, billing for the same thing twice or for services that were not ordered by the physician are key detection steps.

If fraud is suspected in the form of errors or abuse, report it immediately to the Medicare provider or plan. If the response at that level is not satisfactory, contact the Ohio Senior Medicare Patrol at 1-877-808-2468.

Those interested in training as a volunteer with the Southeastern Ohio Medicare Fraud Coalition, an important project to educate rural, isolated seniors about Medicare Fraud, can contact AAA8 at 1-800-331-2644. AAA8 serves Athens, Hocking, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Noble, Perry, and Washington Counties.

Kim Flanigan

AAA8 Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Director

Marietta



Disappointed in cemetery care

Dear Editor:

It seems that those in charge of Beech Grove Cemetery have failed the residents both deceased and alive in selecting the current outfit mowing and trimming the cemetery.

In June my wife and I traveled to Pomeroy to tend the graves of my parents and grandparents. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that the artificial flowers put on two weeks prior was in the trash can, along with most of the flowers in the entire cemetery.

I contacted Jack Krautter and was told that he had talked to the mowing crew and it would not happen again. Well on August 22nd we discovered that they had mowed and thrown the grass clippings on all the stones. It was plastered on when wet and had dried hard. I had nothing to clean them off and so we returned on August 24th with mower, weedeater rakes and brooms.

I mowed our lots, cleaned off the grass the best I could (wet grass stains granite stones) weedeated, and did approximately 15 lots adjoining ours. Some were badly stained due to the wet grass being left on when mowed. Some were so bad that you could not read the names on the stones.

All summer the mowers had cut down live plants, even though I had fenced our peonies. They had cut most live plants to the ground I received a call today from a friend in Pomeroy and was informed that once again the stones had been plastered with grass. Also the trash can was full of artificial flowers.

Apparently these individuals do not realize that monuments, flowers, both artificial and live cost money. Many of the individuals who tend their loved ones graves are retired and on fixed incomes.

Also these lots are purchased and there are deeds issued to every owner of these lots. It is destruction of property when these stones are marred. I was told by a local monument dealer that grass stain will ruin granite stones.

I would hope that the village fathers will take some interest in what is going on in Beech Grove and quickly correct this problem. They have been aware of this problem since June. I can’t seem to get results with this matter.

Jim Ebersbach

Willow Wood, Ohio