NYC declares public health emergency, orders mandatory measles vaccinations

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has declared a state of emergency in response to a measles outbreak in a Brooklyn ultra-Orthodox Jewish community.

April 9 (UPI) – New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in response to a measles outbreak in a Brooklyn ultra-Orthodox Jewish community. The declaration requires people living in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn to receive the measles-mumps-rubella, or MMR, vaccine to help curb the spread of the virus.

The city's health department will check vaccination records of people suspected of making contact with infected patients. Anyone without a vaccination or proof of immunity from the virus could receive a $1,000 fine. Since last October, the community has seen 285 cases of measles, prompting the city to order child care centers and yeshivas in Jewish communities throughout Williamsburg to keep non-vaccinated children from attending until the outbreak subsided. "There's no question that vaccines are safe, effective and life-saving," de Blasio told reporters. "I urge everyone, especially those in affected areas, to get their MMR vaccines to protect their children, families and communities." In January, one yeshiva broke compliance with the city mandate, leading to more than 40 new cases of the measles. Following that outbreak, the health commissioners office issued orders for all yeshivas in Williamsburg to exclude non-vaccinated children from attendance.

"Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that can result in serious health complications, such as pneumonia and swelling of the brain," Oxiris Barbot, commissioner of the New York City Health Department, wrote in the order. "About a third of reported measles cases have at least one complication and in some cases, measles can cause death." So far, most of the cases have affected children under age 18. Only 39 cases involve adults. The order could be lifted as soon as April 17, when the city's health board plans to meet next. Leading into the Passover holiday, when many will gather at temples and homes for services and seders, the health department is calling on New Yorkers, particularly people in the Orthodox Jewish community, to get the MMR vaccine. Health officials are also urging people to vaccinate their children if they plan on traveling to upstate New York, Israel, Europe or other parts of the U.S. where outbreaks are occurring. Throughout the U.S., 465 cases of measles have been reported across 19 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

https://www.upi.com/Health_News/2019/04/09/NYC-declares-public-health-emergency-orders-mandatory-measles-vaccinations/7331554825133/?ls=5

Feds charge 24 in billion-dollar healthcare fraud scheme

April 9 (UPI) – Twenty-four people were charged in a healthcare fraud scheme that targeted the elderly and disabled, and included more than $1.2 billion in losses, the Justice Department said Tuesday. The alleged scheme involved durable medical equipment companies paying "illegal kickbacks and bribes" in exchange for beneficiary referrals from medical professionals working with fraudulent telemedicine companies to fraudulently bill Medicare, the Justice Department said in a statement.

The fraudulent telemedicine companies lured hundreds of thousands of elderly and disabled patients for back, shoulder and knee braces that were not medically necessary, the Justice Department said. The telemarketing network included call centers in the Philippines and Latin America, prosecutors said.

An investigation, which involved more than 80 search warrants across 17 federal districts, resulted in charges against 24 individuals, including officers linked to five telemedicine companies and dozens of durable medical equipment companies, as well as three licensed medical professionals. the Justice Department said. "These defendants – who range from corporate executives to medical professionals – allegedly participated in an expansive and sophisticated fraud to exploit telemedicine technology meant for patients otherwise unable to access health care," Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski said in a statement. Proceeds from plot were laundered through international shell companies and used to pay for luxury cars, yachts and real estate in the United States and overseas, prosecutors said. "This Department of Justice will not tolerate medical professionals and executives who look to line their pockets by cheating our health care programs," Benczkowski said. "I commend the Criminal Division prosecutors and our partners from U.S. Attorney's Offices and law enforcement agencies across the country for their unrelenting efforts to stop this alleged fraud before more money was stolen from American taxpayers." In addition to the charges,the the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services took "adverse administrative action" against 130 durable medical equipment companies responsible for more than $1.7 billion in claims, the Justice Department said.

In South Carolina alone, Andrew Chmiel, 43, of Mt. Pleasant, owner of over a dozen companies involved in the scheme, was charged for his alleged involvement in a $200 million plot related to payments and bribes for unnecessary medical equipment orders. Among those charged also included Creaghan Harry, 51, of Highland Beach, Fla.; Lester Stockett, 51, of Deerfield Beach, Fla.; and Elliot Lowenstern, 56, of Boca Raton, Fla. The three individuals are the owner, CEO and VP of marketing, respectively, of call centers and telemedicine companies, prosecutors said. They face the charges for their alleged participation in a $454 million illegal healthcare kickback and international money laundering scheme related to bribes for referrals of medical equipment orders, prosecutors said.

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2019/04/09/Feds-charge-24-in-billion-dollar-healthcare-fraud-scheme/5521554830356/

>>6111792

Federal Indictments & Law Enforcement Actions in One of the Largest Health Care Fraud Schemes Involving Telemedicine and Durable Medical Equipment Marketing Executives Results in Charges Against 24 Individuals Responsible for Over $1.2 Billion in Losses

Hundreds of Thousands of Elderly and/or Disabled Patients Nationwide and Abroad Lured into Criminal Scheme; Center for Program Integrity, Center for Medicare Services, Takes Administrative Action Against 130 DME Companies That Submitted Over $1.7 Billion

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/federal-indictments-and-law-enforcement-actions-one-largest-health-care-fraud-schemes

>>6111840

If you question anything, it leads to truth, but not (((their))) supposed truth..(((they))) want you stupid and complicit.