Page 6
University Daily Kansan, September 1. 1983
Shuttle's second day includes Reagan call
By United Press International
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — The nation's first black spaceman successfully launched an Indian satellite from Challenger's cargo bay yesterday, but back on Earth, Guion Bluford's historic flight into space is being accepted with quiet dignity in Harlem, N.Y.
Bluford won President Reagan's praise for advancing an American "era of brotherhood."
Reagan talked with Bluford and the rest of Challenger's crew — Richard Truly, Daniel Brandenstein, Dale Gardner and William Thornton — from his ranch at Santa Barbara, Calif.
Hours earlier the astronauts had sent the satellite spinning into space to achieve the main goal of their mission.
"You are paving the way for many others and are making it plain that we are in an era of brotherhood here in our land." Reagan told Bluford.
"You will serve as a role model for so many others and be so inspirational."
In a call that began, "This is the Ranch. The president is on the line." Reagan praised the astronauts for their commitment and commitment to research.
"You've set a fine example for all our young people who represent our hope for the future," Reagan said. "God bless you."
"Thanks so much. We are very pleased and proud to be here," responded Truly, the commander for Challenger's third flight.
Reagan, 72, also joked that Thornton, at 54 the oldest astronaut to fly in space, had a "specially warm place in my heart." It makes me think that maybe someday I might be able to go along."
Reagan's call came on Challenger's 23rd orbit, 184 miles above the Earth, and capped the astronauts' second day in space. They spent most of yesterday on the sort of commercial work that NASA hopes will make the shuttle eventually navy for itself.
The Challenger was performing well, with only minor snags. One was an internal hydraulic system leak that was ruled no problem. Another was a false fire alarm in the cabin.
Blauford punched a few buttons on Challenger's console and sent the Inset IB satellite spanning from the shuttle's cargo bay into space like a blue and gold hibiscus sparking in the glare of the sun.
Forty-five minutes later, a rocket on the Inas-tIB fired to start the satellite on its climb to its proper altitude at slot 22.383 miles above the Earth.
Experiments run
Gardner used the shuttle's space medicine machine to separate live kidney and pituitary gland cells in experiments for an aerospace company. Scientists hope the experiments, which started with pancreas cells on Tuesday, will lead to cell therapy for diabetes and growth disorders.
NASA earned $14 million for the satellite launch, the sixth such launch from a shuttle. The medicine experiments are intended to promote the commercial use of space and generate more business for the
The Indian satellite will improve the country's telephone and television communications and also provide weather warnings to the millions who live in India's cyclone-prone coastal areas.
the satellite is equipped to relay 8,000 simultaneous long-distance telephone calls and to beam social and educational television programming directly to 100,000 antenna placed in rural communities across the country of 613 million people.
Methods advance
In addition, the satellite is designed to transmit weather photos every half-hour around the clock, showing cyclones, frontal systems and other weather phenomena as they develop around India. The weather pictures are expected to enable cyclone detection 12 hours to 24 hours earlier than conventional methods.
The satellite deployment was the reason for Challenger's unprecedented night launch and the night landing scheduled to end the mission early Monday at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.
In Harlem, John Young, 16, selling soft drinks from a push cart, took a colorblind approach that was typical of Harlem residents.
"I'ts very significant and very nice that he's the first one of our race. He may even have a chance to see creatures from another world." I am proud to be in color. I'm happy, but I was happy when the first astronaut went up."
With her two children buzzing around on tricycles, Jainice Mason was selling dresses on Frederick Kearns and the knowledge of Bluford's accomplishment
Fixed-cost Medicare aimed to cut costs
WASHINGTON — The Reagan administration, in the first major change ever made in Medicare payment practices, yesterday ordered a fixed-price plan for hospitals that treat the 29.4 million civilian citizens served by the program.
By United Press International
The new system calls for the government to reimburse hospitals according to fixed payments determined in advance for each type of hospital. The cost of each hospital costs are passed on to the government or private insurers.
The new "prespective payment" system, which begins Oct. 1, is intended to cut the government's annual multibillion dollar cost of the 15-year-old age health care program, without reducing benefits for patients, said officials of the Department of Health and Human Services.
If a hospital's actual costs are more than the amount it receives from the government, it will be forced to absorb the excess. If actual costs are less, it
The new system also involves no new costs for the 29.4 million senior citizens enrolled in the program, and no immediate changes in the sum the government spends on Medicare, Rubin said.
Larry Goldberg, director of financial analysis for the American Hospital Association, said that his organization, which had no experience in tailors, backed the new pricing practice.
The changes, required under a law passed by Congress last spring, will not affect Medicare benefits, assistant Robert Rabin told a news conference.
will be permitted to keep any leftover federal funds.
"There's going to be a change in hospital behavior," he said. "The impulse is there."
But Amy Biderman, spokeswoman for the Health Insurance Association of America, warned that the change could encourage hospitals to increase charges for non-Medicare patients as they decreased their Medicare bills.
The association, which represents 330 private health insurance companies.
James Hacking of the American Association of Retired Persons echoed Biderman's fears that the hospitals will become too expensive costs from their other patients.
estimates cost-shifting practices will add $7.9 billion to the bills of non-Medicare patients this year.
"The they (the hospitals) will not be coerced into changing their behavior," he said, suggesting the program would work properly only if it was expanded to include patients served by all public and private insurance programs.
Efficiency expected
"Prespective payment is not a panacea, but it provides a reasoned, well-planned breakwater against the inflationary health care tide which threatens the Medicare trust fund and almost every single American pocketbook and wallet." HHS Secretary Margaret Heckler said
The program is expected to encourage hospitals to be more efficient, and that efficiency should begin reducing federal Medicare spending in fiscal 1866, said Caroline Davis, administration officer with Health Care Finance Administration.
hospital costs increased at three times
the general rate of inflation, or 12.6
HHS statistics show that in 1982, hospital costs accounted for two-thirds of the $49.2 billion the government spent on Medicare. In that year,
Under the prospective payment system, the government will list illnesses and injuries in 468 diagnosis related groups." Medicare payment will be based on a fixed amount for each case.
Rates will be set annually, with urban and rural price differences considered in the calculations. During the three-year phase in period, other factors also will be considered, including the hospital's historical cost experience.
Special additional payments will be made for patients requiring unusually expensive treatment and for those who are hospitalized for unusually long periods.
Proposal to allow draft of women in health care
By United Press International
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon is preparing legislation to allow President Reagan to order women in health care programs, the draft, a spokesman said yesterday.
The American Nurses Association said it could not support a draft that was aimed only at women in healthcare professions, and the American Civil Liberties Union, which fought male-only draft registration, said the idea raised new constitutional questions.
Capt. Sherry Stetson-Mannix said the Defense Department had been working to bring the U.S. into the war.
as an answer to the expected shortage of doctors and nurses in the event of a war.
"WE ARE CURRENTLY working on a proposed amendment to the Military Selective Service Act with national health organizations," she said. "When we have been appointed to the Office of Management and Budget for approval and further action."
Capt. Stetson Mannix said the legislation would give the president "the authority to register and classify male and female health care personnel in a broad range of officer and enlisted level skills."
She said drifting women into the armed forces would require separate training.
All men must register for possible conscription when they reach their 18th birthday.
WHEN DRAFT REGISTRATION was resumed in 1980, women were excluded by Congress. The Constitution allows the exclusion of women from registration and the draft, the Supreme Court ruled in 1981.
A spokeswoman for the American Nurses Association said the group had not taken a position on the draft. But she added, "We have looked at this proposal and have determined that, in order to ensure that we respect Amendment to the Constitution, it would not be appropriate to single out women in health careers for the draft."
ACLU Director John Shattuck said the idea of subjecting only certain women to the draft - ruses additional threats and risks of equal treatment under the law.
"I find it ironic that the administration is now basically by piece-meal seeking to register women for the draft," he said. He predicted the proposal could create "an administrative nightmare."
Capt Stetson Mannix said the Pentagon estimated the U.S. armed services would be short about 3,000 doctors and 23,000 nurses in the event of a terrorist attack or terrorist threat; do not distinguish between male and female nurses and physicians
ask
Associated Students of Kansas
MEETING TONIGHT PINE ROOM UNION 7:00 p.m.
Our University Our Education Our Future
If we don't care, who will?
Funded by Student Activity Fee
DELTA UPSILON
Coors
presents
KLZR
106
"3rd Annual Drink-Up" (for Muscular Dystrophy)
featuring "THE OPINIONS"
Potter's Pavillion
7:30 p.m.-12 a.m.
Thursday, Sept. 1
$4 Donation
$3 Advance