Features – Page 272

Top Colleges Listed For Medical Assisting Programs

Submitted by Chris Clark on July 20, 2017

RWM News:

FOSTER CITY, Calif. ― Eastern New Mexico University-Roswell Campus has been named the No. 2 best school for medical assisting, according to the data-driven rankings by RWM.org, a resource hub for students.

Medical assistants work various roles within the healthcare industry which majorly includes greeting the patients, arranging the appointment, noting the vital signs, sending the samples to labs, recording medical data and even in some cases in medical billing.

To help students narrow down their choice of schools for Medical assistance, RWM.org

FREE ‘Savvy Caregiver’ For Alzheimer’s Program

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 20, 2017

Alzheimer’s Association News:

ALBUQUERQUE ― Families facing Alzheimer’s disease will have access to a free, seven-week education course in Los Alamos offered by the Alzheimer’s Association, New Mexico Chapter.

The “Savvy Caregiver Program,” course is each Saturday from Aug. 19 through Oct. 7 (except on Labor Day weekend) at the Betty Ehart Senior Center in Los Alamos. Each class is 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The course is free and open to all.

This evidence-based training aims to teach caregivers practical techniques for

Lujan Grisham Urges Colleagues To Shift Priorities To Job Creation, Working Families, Child Nutrition

Submitted by Chris Clark on July 20, 2017

U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham

U.S. CONGRESSIONAL News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a member of the House Budget Committee, helped to kick off today’s hearing on the Republican budget plan. She delivered the following remarks:

“What you’ve heard from all of my colleagues is while our job is to figure out a balanced approach to a federal budget that is meaningful and makes the most sense for all Americans, what we have again is a budget that is imbalanced and, frankly, inappropriate.

2017’s Most And Least Stressed Cities In America

Submitted by Chris Clark on July 19, 2017

WALLETHUB News:

With U.S. stress levels increasing for the first time in 10 years due mainly to the current political climate and workplace-related stress alone costing society more than $300 billion per year, the personal finance website WalletHub conducted an indepth analysis to determine 2017’s Most & Least Stressed Cities in America.

In order to determine where Americans cope best with their stress, WalletHub’s analysts compared the 150 largest cities across 30 key metrics.

The data set ranges from average weekly work hours to debt load

Attorney General Balderas Sues Six Generic Drug-Makers For Putting Profits Over New Mexico Patients

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 18, 2017

Attorney General Hector Balderas

STATE News:

ALBUQUERQUE ― Attorney General Hector Balderas has announced that New Mexico has joined with four other states in filing a lawsuit in federal court alleging that six generic drug-makers entered into illegal conspiracies in order to unreasonably restrain trade, artificially inflate and manipulate prices and reduce competition in the United States for two generic drugs.

“I will continue to hold big out-of-state corporations accountable when then they rip off New Mexico consumers, and when companies put profits

2017 Los Alamos Health Fair: Saturday Sept. 23

Submitted by Chris Clark on July 17, 2017

LAHC News:

The Los Alamos Heart Council, in partnership with Los Alamos Medical Center, is pleased to announce that the 32nd Annual Los Alamos Health Fair will be 8 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Sept. 23, in Griffith Gymnasium at Los Alamos High School.

Applications for organizations and medical providers wishing to exhibit at this year’s Fair will be available the first week of August. If you have previously exhibited or expressed an interest, you will receive the application by email. The application form also will be posted on the LA Heart

LAVNS: Unavoidable Tough Topic

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 16, 2017

Unavoidable Tough Topic

By LAVNS

No one likes to talk about our own or a loved one’s death. However, as much as we may wish to avoid the conversation, the event is unavoidable.

Planning things ahead of time will grant some peace of mind and lessen the family’s burden of making so many difficult decisions at the time of death.

For instance, my husband and I recently talked with our adult daughter to make sure she knew what we both wanted at the time of our deaths, including the location of everything she will need. Listed below are some of the questions that we needed to answer for ourselves and to also ask

Relay For Life Los Alamos Launches Operation Pamper

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 16, 2017

By Tonya Sprouse-Mullins

Relay for Life Los Alamos

As all of you know the Relay for Life Los Alamos event is scheduled for Sept. 30 and the Survivors Dinner is Aug. 12. As this year’s event coordinators Rachal and I are “mixing it up a bit” and the event is going to be AMAZING.

We would like to do something special for a survivor or someone going through treatments. Every woman deserves to feel beautiful and every man deserves to feel handsome .

I have local businesses who have donated their time or products for what I am calling “Operation Pamper”.

If you know someone Read More

Udall, Heinrich Work To Improve Access To Comprehensive Care For Patients With Diabetes

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 15, 2017

U.S. SENATE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich introduced bipartisan legislation to improve patient access to podiatrists in Medicaid and improve care for patients with diabetes who need therapeutic shoes via Medicare.

The Helping Ensure Life- and Limb-Saving Access to Podiatric Physicians (HELLPP) Act would recognize podiatrists as physicians under Medicaid as they are defined under Medicare. The bill would bring Medicaid in line with Medicare and a majority of U.S. health-care delivery systems, and ensure that Medicaid

State Auditor Tim Keller Moves To Halt Health Insurance Extraordinary Dividends

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 14, 2017

STATE News:

SANTA FE ― State Auditor Tim Keller has called on the Office of the Superintendent of Insurance (OSI) to halt the approval of “extraordinary dividend” payments for health insurance companies until issues involving potential underpayments of premium taxes are resolved.

For example, despite current concerns about money that may be owed to the State of New Mexico, companies, including Presbyterian and Lovelace, have had approved dividends of more than $100 million. The Office of the State Auditor (OSA) is conducting an ongoing audit to get to

Luján Amendment To Protect Those Exposed To Radiation Passes House

Submitted by Chris Clark on July 14, 2017

U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján

U.S. CONGRESSIONAL News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. ― An amendment authored by U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) to care for those exposed to radiation was unanimously approved by the U.S. House of Representatives late last night.

The amendment expresses the sense of Congress that it is appropriate for the U.S. government to compensate all miners, workers, downwinders, and others suffering from the effects of uranium mining and nuclear testing carried out during the Cold War.

“Many Americans sacrificed a great deal to ensure our national

Letter To The Editor: Cautions About Hemp/Cannabis

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 14, 2017

By DENNIS LITTLE

Los Alamos

Saying it’s legal (hemp) cannabis is at least misleading and may end up getting someone fired and/or arrested (link). It is legal by New Mexico law but is still a federal crime and the current administration has made it clear they will go after users/sellers even if the state says it’s OK with it.

LANL also has a no-tolerance policy for drugs, so first offense can lead to immediate termination. While the article says that it’s unlikely to show up in testing, they also cover themselves by saying they don’t guarantee it and you can be sure that LANL won’t take an excuse of “they Read More

Salmonella: Make Your Food Safer To Eat

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 14, 2017

CDC News:

You may know that Salmonella can contaminate poultry and eggs, but it also sneaks its way into many other foods. It can contaminate ground beef, tuna, pork, tomatoes, sprouts, and even peanut butter. Learn what you can do to make your food safer to eat.

Salmonella is a bacteria that commonly causes foodborne illness, sometimes called “food poisoning.” CDC estimates Salmonella causes 1 million foodborne illnesses every year in the United States. During the past few years, outbreaks of Salmonella illness have been linked to contaminated cucumbers, chicken, eggs, pistachios, raw Read More

NMDOH: Avoid Ticks And Tickborne Disease

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 14, 2017

NMDOH News:

While many New Mexicans are aware mosquitoes can carry West Nile virus and fleas potentially are infected with Plague, there are lesser known but potentially deadly diseases in the state where the infectious agent is carried by ticks.

“There are usually a few cases of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever every year in New Mexico and occasional cases of diseases such as relapsing fever and Colorado tick fever,” said Paul Ettestad, public health veterinarian with the Department of Health. “The risk to you or your family of being exposed to one of these potentially severe diseases can be greatly Read More

Legal Hemp Comes To Los Alamos

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 13, 2017

Linda Casias of Float Los Alamos shows off a wide variety of legal hemp products carried at her business. Photo by Bonnie J. Gordon/ladailypost.com

By BONNIE J. GORDON

Los Alamos Daily Post

Legal hemp has made it to Los Alamos and is being sold at Float Los Alamos. Owners Linda Casias and her husband Carlos began carrying a number of products containing hempabout 10 months ago, she said.

“A client recommended we should be carrying it and we did some research,” she said. “We found out it is perfectly legal in New Mexico.”

Float Los Alamos carries oils, tinctures, capsules and even honey Read More

DEA Launches Website To Target College Drug Use

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 12, 2017

DEA News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. ― The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration launched CampusDrugPrevention.gov, a new website focused on preventing and addressing college drug use.

“We must talk to folks about the dangers and consequences of drug abuse, and base those conversations on facts and science,” DEA Acting Administrator Chuck Rosenberg said. “With this website, we put valuable information in the hands of higher education leaders who can use it to enlighten, teach, and change the culture.”

This new website is DEA’s latest effort to support drug

AG Files Lawsuit Against Presbyterian Health Plan, Presbyterian Network, Presbyterian Insurance For Fraud

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 12, 2017

Attorney General Hector Balderas

STATE News:

SANTA FE – Today, Attorney General Hector Balderas announced that he has filed a lawsuit against Presbyterian Health Plan, Presbyterian Network and Presbyterian Insurance Co. for fraud based on the systematic, deliberate underpayment of taxes on premiums received or written.

The Office of the Attorney General’s complaint alleges that between 2001 and 2015, Presbyterian routinely filed false claims for premium tax deductions and credits, thereby defrauding the people of New Mexico and evading its legal duty to pay these taxes.

The Read More

State Auditor Responds To Presbyterian Lawsuit

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 11, 2017

State Auditor Tim Keller

STATE News:

SANTA FE — State Auditor Tim Keller responded to the announcement the Attorney General Hector Balderas is suing Presbyterian over allegations that it falsified deductions and credits through the Medicaid program, thus evading tens of millions in premium taxes and surcharges:

“We are confirming that our office is conducting an ongoing audit of premium tax collection that covers many issues with major New Mexico health insurance providers over multiple years. Our work is independent of the Attorney General’s lawsuit and the findings will Read More

Annual Cancer Survivors Dinner Aug. 12

Submitted by CSTadmin on July 11, 2017

COMMUNITY News:

The Annual Cancer Survivor Dinner has been slated for 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 12 at Cottonwood On The Greens.

All cancer survivors are invited to attend with a guest. The dinner is being hosted by the American Cancer Society Los Alamos Relay for Life and Los Alamos Medical Center.

The purpose of the dinner is to honor and celebrate those who have fought cancer or are fighting cancer as well as one caregiver or member of their support system. There is no cost for tickets but those who plan to attend should register in advance. All information on those attending will be kept confidential. Read More

Annual Battle Of The Badges Blood Drive Aug. 3-4

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 11, 2017

Urgent Need: Blood supplies coast-to-coast are dangerously low due to a severe dip in donations leading up to and following the July 4 holiday, prompting a coordinated nationwide call for donors of blood of all types. Forecasting projects a shortfall of 5,700 donations in July and greater shortfalls throughout the summer. Courtesy photo

COMMUNITY News:

“Find the hero in you” … Los Alamos residents have the chance to do just that by joining in the 2nd Annual Battle of the Badges community blood drive noon to 6 p.m. Aug. 3 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 4 in the hall at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Read More

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