100
VOL. 100, NO.29 (USPS 650-640)
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
T THE STUDENT NETSHAFT OF THE T UNIVERSITY OF KANSAF
T THE STUDENT NETSHAFT OF THE T UNIVERSITY OF KANSAF
THURSDAY OCT. 5, 1989
ADVERTISING: 864-4358
NEWS:864-4810
KU Med Center pleads case on misfiled claims
By Melanie Matthes Kansan staff writer
Due to a recent Medicare decision resulting in $3.3 million in misfiled claims, officials at the University of Kansas Medical Center have appealed to the U.S. Congress to pass a motion that would reverse the decision.
Eugene Staples, vice chancellor for hospital administration, said the Med Center was asked in August to repay $3.3 million to Medicare.
The reason for the repayment was Medicare's redefinition of a policy regarding educational medical institutions, Staples said.
Because of this sudden change in policy and the resulting Med Center debt, KU officials have appealed to Senate Minority Leader Bole Dole to endorse legislation that would change Medicare's policy, Staples said.
Len Nicoski, chief of Medicare's financial management branch in Kansas City, Mo., said that the requests for repayment were a result of a misinterpretation of the policy, not a redefinition.
He said that the policy misinterpretation was discovered when Medicare's central office decided to examine a sample report of a recent audit regarding the policy.
Nicoski said that examination of sample reports was a common Medicare practice. This ensures that policies are being correctly implemented.
He said the sample reports revealed that Medicare intermediaries were misinterpreting the policy regarding medical schools and many medical schools were being overreburied. The Med Center's intermediary is Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Missouri.
Medicare intermediaries are insurance companies that handle Medi-Cal applications.
Nicoski said there were about 14 other medical schools affected by the misinterpretation of Medicare's policy.
Staples said that each of the medical schools affected by the new policy were appealing to their local congressman for a change in the policy.
He said that after Medicare discovered the policy misinterpretation
they decided to reopen the audit records on fiscal years 1986, 1967 and 1988. The 1987 audit revealed $3.3 million in misfiled claims under Medicare's new policy.
Staples said the Med Center had not changed the way it filed claims to Medicare since 1967 and had never had problems with the policy.
Nicoski said that Medicare had not determined how much the Med Center would be required to pay back for fiscal years 1986 and 1988. He said that the debts for these years would probably be over $1 million per year.
Staples said that requests for repayment for these years were pending upon possible legislation. He said he expected Congress to vote on the legislation in four to six weeks.
Nicosi said that he was not aware of the pending legislation, but that the Kansas City office was awaiting word from the central office about additional reavailments.
Chervl Hanlv/KANSAN
"Our role is to make sure that the policies are correctly implemented," he said.
Let's talk sex
Dennis Dailey, professor of social welfare and professional sexologist, answers questions about sex from the listeners of Randy Miller's morning show on KBEQ 104.3 FM. See related story on page 12.
Med Center reports boost in minority enrollment
Enrollment figures at the University of Kansas Medical Center show a small, but significant increase in minority students enrolled in the first-year class this semester, said Laura Zeiger, coordinator for student affairs at the Med Center.
dents compared to 18 percent of the second-year class, 14 percent of the third-year class and 10 percent of the fourth-year class.
By a Kansan reporter
Billy Jo Hamilton, director of student financial aid, said that the increase in minority enrollment was probably more a result of minority recruitment than of available scholarship money.
Although enrollment figures for Blacks do not account for students who have quit school, the number of Black students at the Med Center has slowly increased for four years, Zeiger said.
She said that 19 percent of the first-year class was minority stu-
the first-year class, four Black students in the second-year class, two Black students in the third-year class and one Black student in the fourth-year class.
An attorney for Richard Grissom Jr. filed the appeal in the 5th Texas Court of Appeals yesterday.
Walter Gehlbach, director of student affairs, said the increase in minority enrollment could be attributed to the summer enrichment program offered to minority students at the Med Center.
Zeiger said these figures were current as of Sept. 19 but did not include the transfer students from Oral Roberts University. These students began classes at the Med Center on Monday.
She said there had not been an increase in scholarship money for minorities at the Med Center in recent years.
Grissom could be released Extradition warrant might be nullified
Grissom faces Johnson County charges of first-degree murder in the disappearances of the Kansas City-area women. He is being held without bond in Dallas while fighting the extradition warrant issued by Kansas governor Mike Havden.
DALLAS — Richard Grissom Jr., who is suspected in the deaths of four Kansas women, could be released from custody in Dallas if an appeals court here nullifies an extradition warrant.
The Associated Press
The program helps premedical minority students prepare for medical school through classroom training while they are still undergraduates.
Grissom was arrested in July at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport after an anonymous tip to police.
There are five Black students in
Paul Shunatona, Grissom's court-appointed attorney, said he submitted written arguments to the appeals department before the court on Oct. 23.
Shunatona said the appeal was based on technical errors in the extradition warrant.
A clerk for the appeals court said prosecutors had until Oct. 11 to submit written arguments.
Grissom is suspected in the disappearances of Joan Butler, 24, of Overland Park, and 22-year-old Lenexa roommates Theresa Brown and Christine Rusch, all of whom have been missing since June.
Authorities said Grissom, had planned a date with the fourth woman, Terri Maness, 25, of Wichita, the night in June that she was strangled and stabbed.
Machinists on strike snarl Wichita traffic
The Associated Press
WICHTA — Striking Machinists Union workers snarled traffic at the Boeing Military Airplanes plant yesterday, and company lawyers got an injunction defining legal picketing activities.
"You mean there are people who still haven't gotten to work? Imagine that," union business representative Jee Taggart said when informed there was a half-mile line of cars around 1:30 p.m.
"V
Despite leaving early in an attempt to get to their 7:30 a.m. shift jobs on job, many people ended up creeping along in traffic for three hours or more.
"It itwed far better than we ever expected it would," Ray Briggs, strike coordinator, said of the pickets' tactic of stopping each vehicle and attempting to convince the occupants to honor the strike lines.
Sedgwick County District Judge Michael Corrigan issued an injunction at the request of Boeing
You mean there are people who still haven't gotten to work? Imagine that.'
- Joe Taggart
union business representative
lawyers Wednesday defining how many pickets are allowed at certain size gates and what they may do.
The injunction's language was pre-approved by union lawyers who agreed they wouldn't appeal.
The court order bars physical contact between pickets and non-striking employees and prohibits the strikers from making "insulting, disgraceful, or abusive remarks or speaking in an intimidating manner" to people trying to
Picket limits range from two people, for gates 25 feet wide or less, to six for gates 90 feet or wider.
U.S. sparked revolt, Noriega says
See STRIKE p. 6
The Associated Press
PANAMA CITY, Panama -- Troops patrolled the city's lightly traveled streets yesterday, and U.S. helicopters watched from overhead on the day after rebel soldiers tried in vain to overthrow Gen. Manuel Antonio Noriega.
"The gringo piranahs want to do away with me," the general, who commands the military and controls the government, said during a brief tour of the street outside Panamanian Defense Forces headquarters.
He blames the revolt on the United States, which has tried to oust him for nearly two years. The Bush administration denied involvement.
Spokesmen for Noriegia said that some of the rebels took refuge at U.S. Southern Command headquarters in Quarry Heights. Southern Command spokesmen would not come to the telephone and no comment was available from the U.S. Embassy.
Newspapers reported that six people were killed in the coup attempt Tuesday morning.
Maj. Edgardo Lopez, an aide to Noriega, would not confirm casually figures or reports that Maj. Moises Giroldi Vega, the Urraca commander and coup leader, was among the
dead. He said at least 60 soldiers and four or five officers were arrested.
Every few minutes, helicopters of the U.S. Southern Command circled over the perimeters of Quarry Heights and Fort Amador. The two U.S.' bases at the western edge of the city were for three yards from the Panamanian head-quarters, where the coup was attenuted.
At the headquarters yesterday, loyal troopers in T-shirts and baseball caps repaired shattered windows and painted and patched the walls. Traffic moved along the streets nearby, but vehicles were not permitted to stop.
Many Panamanians chose to stay home yesterday, and U.S. bases were shut under condition Delta, which restricts movement of personnel. About 12,000 U.S. soldiers are stationed in Panama.
The uprising "aggravated the Panamanian crisis in every dimension and makes it more dangerous," opposition leader Ricardo Arias Calderon told a midday news conference. He said the military regime "is divided against itself and rejected by the great majority of the people."
Civilian opponents of Noriega have denied involvement. The United
States has supported the opposition's efforts against the general, who was indicted in the United States on drug charges in 1988, and has imposed economic sanctions in an attempt drive him out.
U. S. sanctions have damaged the economy, but Noriega remains. He annulled the opposition's election rule and has put down two attempts.
After the battle Tuesday, Noriega replaced the rebellious Urtraca Company, whose 380 men were in charge of headquarters security, with the Machos de Monte, or Wild Boars, a unit that joined the counterattack.
At the United Nations in New York, President Francisco Rodriguez told a news conference that the coup was attempted by a small group of soldiers "fostered" the coup of the United States that found no resonance of any kind within the ranks of the Defense Forces or citizens."
Opposition leader Arias said that Raul Ossa, a vice president of the Christian Democrats, was arrested after the uprising began, but Arias said he did not know why. He said 16 members of the opposition had been arrested in recent days.
Raymond Takiff, an attorney in
Miami representing Noriega on federal charges of drug trafficking and money laundering, said that he spoke with Lopez yesterday while the aide was with Noriega.
Lopez said Noriega would "not seek extreme penalties against those who participated in the coup, but there are those in the military who wished a summary court-martial," Takiff said.
The lawyer quoted Noriegas as saying through Lopez: "The coup attempt was motivated by money and power. The money came from the CIA and the opposition."
In Washington, Secretary of State James A. Baker III found himself explaining why U.S. forces had not intervened. He said the United States had not ruled out military action but would follow "its own timetable."
Reporters saw U.S. soldiers and armored vehicles temporarily blocking roads north and west of the Panamanian barracks Tuesday, as well as the Pan-American Highway bridge across the Panama Canal.
Southern Command officials said that the movements were security measures taken for the safety of U.S. personnel and the canal and that
See NORIEGA, p. 6
Panty and composite thefts remain tradition for greeks
Bv Rich Cornell
Kansan staff writer
Panty raids and composite thefts are an accepted form of fun for most of KU's fraternity and sorority house residents, a Delta Upsilon member said.
Kampschroeder described a typical paranail. First, the pledge group seeks an open door in the sorority house, he said. Often, a kitchen door or cargo door will be open.
Although Delta Upsilon members have not yet staged a panty raid this year, they have long been a favorite prank, said Kammochroeder, Naupille, III, senior.
Pledges have always enjoyed the raids, he said.
"Panty raids are usually a popular thing for actives to make pledges do," Brad Karnschroeder said.
Ther, he said, the men charge through the home, working their way up to the bedrooms.
The women lock themselves in their rooms if they have time, he said. Otherwise, they try to protect their drawers.
"They'll usually stand in front of the dreaer screaming," Kampschroeder said.
"The guys usually manage to overpower the girls."
A sorority will respond to a pany raid by calling the house president, Kampshroeder said. The pledge class then returns the underwear if it has not been damaged.
After getting past the women, the men ransack the dresses in search of underwear and bras, he said. Finally, they leave the house with their loot.
The women sometimes call the police when the men enter the house, he said. When the police arrive, they never press charges but only clear the men from the sorority house.
Kampchroeder said the sorority would send the fraternity a bill to pay for any expenses.
Kamsechroeder said he thought the women did not really mind the raids.
Men are not allowed on the upper floors of any KU sorority houses except during special occasions.
"They are probably, in an odd sort of way, flattered," he said.
House composites are another popular item to steel, be said.
A composite is a framed group of photographs of the house members. A typical composite is about four by six feet.
T.
They'll usually stand in front of the dresser screaming. The guys usually manage to overpower the girls.'
Brad Kampschroeder Naperville, Ill., senior
Kampschroeder said Delta Upsilon members return a sorority's composite when its members come to their house and serenade them. When sorority members have stolen the Delta Upsilon composite, they have returned it with disparaging words and pictures pasted over the members' photos.
Fraternity members prank sorority houses more than the other way around, said Kampschroeder.
Andrea Grimes, Fayetteville, Ark.,"op-
more," said she enjoined "the band" of the Chihome
"Most girls behave themselves better than boys do." he said.
"It keeps things hooip"," the Chi Omega
However, Grimes said, sometimes the men do so too far.
resident said.
"Sometimes, they lake girls on the way to work," she said.
to take someone is to toss him or her into the Chi Omega fountain, she said. People are often laked on their birthday or when they get engaged.
Grimes said that this semester men from the Sigma Alpha Epsilon house had jumped onto people's cars and pulled the occupants into the fountain.
"If they catch us, they put green paint on us." she paid.
caused any problems.
"It's always been in fun." Frost said. "I
She said she hoped her pledge class could successfully take the Beta Theta Pi composite this Halloween. For several years, the Chi Omega sophomore pledge class has stolen the Beta Theta Pi composite.
However, she said, pranks had never caused any problems.
Whitney Frost, a Springfield, Mo., senior also lives in the Chi Omega house. She said house members stole one another's composites less often now than in the past because of concerns about liability.
can only think of a couple of times where we've had to put our foot down."
Noelle Endsley, an Overland Park sophomore, is another Chi Omega resident. She said eight women from her freshman class took seven composites in one night last year.
"We piped them all in our TV room and ensured of the active the next day." Emphasis.
Then, the pledges past magazine pictures onto the composites, Endsley said. The fraternity members had to sing to get their composites back.
Endsley said members from each of the seven fraternities took the Chi Omega composite throughout the year.
Sgt. Schuyler Bailey of KU police said he did not remember an occasion when a sorority or fraternity house member pressed charges for a composite theft or other prank. If charges were filed, he said, entering a house and taking a composite would constitute aggravated burglary.
Bailey said KU police did receive calls about pranks.
"Sometimes, they'll go streaking across campus," he said. "It ties us up when we could be doing other things."