Tuesday January 17, 1995
Thk Battalion • Page 5
Earthquake rocks western Japan,
38 reported dead, 200 missing
TOKYO (AP) — A powerful
predawn earthquake slammed
western Japan on Tuesday, re
portedly killing at least 38 peo
ple, injuring hundreds and leav
ing hundreds more trapped in
the rubble of collapsed buildings.
The earthquake, with a pre
liminary magnitude of 7.2, was
believed the most violent to
have struck a densely populat
ed urban area in Japan in at
least two decades.
The quake sparked fires
throughout the major port city of
Kobe, 280 miles west of Tokyo,
where the quake was barely felt.
It was felt strongly in Osaka,
Japan’s second-largest city,
about 22 miles east of Kobe.
Japan’s public television,
NHK, reported 38 deaths, but
the toll was expected to climb.
Up to 200 people were be
lieved buried in rubble in the
western city of Ashiya, a posh
residential area near Osaka,
NHK reported.
In Kobe, a portion of elevated
expressway collapsed, and a ma
jor fire was raging near the city
center in Kobe. Smoke billowed
over large sections of the city.
Deaths were also reported on
Awaji Island, located in the In
land Sea off Kobe and epicenter
of the 5:46 a.m. (3:46 p.m. EST
Monday) earthquake.
Japan is one of the world’s
most seismically active areas,
but this quake’s destructive
ness shocked even Japanese
rescue officials.
“I’ve never felt such a large
earthquake before,” said Takeshi
Sakamoto, head of rescue opera
tions on Awaji Island, where the
quake was centered.
The Cabinet was to hold an
emergency meeting to discuss
disaster measures. Stock trading
was suspended for the morning
on the exchange in Osaka, about
22 miles east of Kobe.
More than a dozen after
shocks rattled the area in the
three hours following the quake.
More aftershocks were expected,
adding to fire danger from bro
ken gas mains.
Trains were derailed by the
force of the quake. Power was
knocked out in some areas and
underground pipes burst, send
ing water gurgling onto streets.
People huddled in the streets,
wrapped in bedding, some bleed
ing from cuts and scrapes. Tele
vision showed footage of a
woman climbing from the win
dow of an inn in which others
were believed trapped.
The shaking lasted about 20
seconds, according to survivors.
The jolt was strong enough to
twist doorframes, making it dif
ficult to escape from buildings.
Telephone service was disrupt
ed by the quake. Callsto Kobe and
Osaka yielded recordings saying
they could not be connected.
Bush looking forward to inauguration
AUSTIN (AP) — Poised to be
come the state’s 46th governor,
George W. Bush said Monday, “I
can’t wait for noon tomorrow.”
At noon
Tuesday, Bush
becomes only
the second Re
publican to hold
the state’s top
office since Re
construction.
Appearing at
a Republican
Party fund-rais- Bush
ing luncheon
with former GOP Gov. Bill
Clements, Bush got a preview of
what awaits him.
“If you can’t be president,
the next best thing is governor
of this great state,” said
Clements, 77, who was elected
in 1978 and 1986.
Bush and Lt. Gov. Bob Bul
lock, a Democrat re-elected last
November, will be sworn in at
noon in ceremonies on the front
steps of the Capitol.
Outgoing Democratic Gov.
Ann Richards is traveling in Cal
ifornia and won’t attend, her of
fice said. Bush praised her for
being “extremely helpful” during
the two-month transition period.
With one eye on final prepa
rations and one on the weather.
Bush made a whirlwind tour of
Austin on Monday.
He appeared at receptions,
spoke to the GOP luncheon, met
with the news media and attend
ed an evening musical gala. His
father, former president George
Bush, planned to attend the
evening concert.
“I am fully prepared to be
your governor. And I can’t wait
to do so. It is a huge honor,” the
governor-elect said.
Offering a preview of his in
augural address and plans for
his four-year term. Bush said he
expects a good reception from
the Democratic-controlled Legis
lature to his calls for reforming
welfare, education, juvenile jus
tice and the state’s system of civ
il lawsuits. ,
“It’s a result of having won an
election by 352,000 votes, partic
ularly one in which I stressed is
sues and philosophy. So long as I
stick to philosophy, I’ve got an
excellent chance ... of having
substantive reform,” he said.
Forecasts for rain on Tuesday
had organizers hoping for the
best, with outdoor inaugural
events to include the noon
swearing-in, a barbecue on the
Capitol lawn and a parade
through downtown Austin.
The two days of festivities for
Bush and Bullock are expected
to cost about $1.5 million, said
Inaugural Committee Chairman
Donald Evans.
Evans said two-thirds of that
total, about $1 million, is coming
from corporate donations. The
remainder is coming from ticket
sales, he said.
Some citizens’ groups con
tended that the companies are
seeking to win influence with
the new administration. Bush
disputed that, saying the corpo
ration contributions help keep
the events affordable for all.
“This is not any undue influ
ence being gained here,” he
said. “It means that citizens
can pay $2 for a barbecue meal
and $10 for a gala ticket. As a
matter of fact, I found out for
the first time who was under
writing the inauguration when
I read the program.”
January 17, 1995 7:00 pm
College Station Baptist Church
2555 South Texas Avenue College Station 693-8564
Howdy Fellowship
Come start the semester off in College Christian Fellowship sponsored by the Texas A&.M MBSF (Mission
ary Baptist Student Fellowship). It’s time to see old friends and make new ones while sharing in the fellow
ship of brothers and sisters in Christ. Each semester, the Texas A&M MBSF sponsors a “Howdy Fellowship”
providing refreshments and sharing testimony and scripture. Each Tuesday evening through the course of the
semester the MBSF meets at the College Station Baptist Church for a special time of fellowship. Activities
include videos, lecturers, and various outings. On 11 February, we plan to attend an annual College Students
Retreat in North East Texas. The MBSF weekly meetings and monthly dinners provide a much needed relief
and comfort to students during the sometimes difficult and trying times of college life. Why not share your
experiences with fellow disciples of Christ? You are not alone. Study groups are also created to share the
knowledge and experience others have gained.
“Again, 1 tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be dotre for you by my father in
heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am 1 with them."
Matthew 18:19
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THERAPY OR ABUSE?
Hospital chain exec pleads guilty in bribe scheme
BX. JLTtVtX K. REJLO
CiuaniQtt Dallas Bureau
DALLAS — A former vice president of the
Psychiatric Institutes of America pleaded
guilty Monday to taking part in a nationwide
bribery and Medicare fraud acheme and
pledged to cooperate with federal investiga
tors.
Peter Alexis. 44, Is the highest-ranking
official of tho chain of psychiatric hospitals
to be charged in the alleged scheme and is
the first company executive to say that
wrongdoing was part of a^cornpany-widc
plan.
Alexis pleaded guilty to conspiracy and
making a false statement to the govern
ment
Investigators claim PiA. then a subsidiary
of -National Med»ca» Knlerpeist's.-peid kick-
backs to doctors and therapists fer referring
patients to PIA hospitals and for inflating
bills for patients covered by Medicare
Assistant tLS. Attorney Christopher Curtis
said the '*amouotj>Mos5, and .value of the
bribes paid” in Texas alone was as high as
$40 million. He did not offer a national
estimate. .
National Medical Enterprises said in
April that it may pay $3?5 million to settle
federal and state fraud investigations. The
settlement would not protect current or
former employees from prosecution for
their individual roles in Illegal schemes
' NMET has also paid mllllons of doTTarsTo
settle civil lawsuits brought by Insurance
compames-snd former patients end- thetr
families
U S. District Judge Joe Kendal: postponed
sentencing indefinitely while Alexis cooper
ates with the FBI and federal prosecutors.
^Th^„iriyesugation_wiU focus on. other PIA
executives as well as recipients of the
bribes, according to a source close to the
Kendall said during Monday’s arraign
ment that some physicians may be sleeping
poarly new that Alexis has entered Into a
pica bargain with the Justice Department.
Curtis said that if Alexis cooperates, the
government will consider asking Kendall
for aVeduce'daenfcnce.
The two charges to which Alerts pleaded
guilty-carry-pumshmem of as much ** JO
years in prison and a siOC DOO fine.
PiA was a subsidiary of NME from 1$W
until 1YS2 when k became a division of the
company. Alexis worked for PiA in Fcrt
Worth and Dallas from November IMS until
December 1S9C. He was regional vice presi
dent for Texas from June 1589 until Decem
ber :S90. overseeing J3 hospitals.
In January, a fedcra: grand jury in To
peka. Kan., indicted the former chief execu
tive of an NME psychiatric hospital and one
Sea 0A18E8Y on P*g* ?0A.
-Houston Ghronicle
June 28, 1994
If you were treated at one of the hospitals listed below
between 1986 and 1991, please take note.
The company that operated these hospitals, National
Medical Enterprises (NME), has been prosecuted for
improper treatment of patients and insurance fraud.
Federal and state authorities have investigated or pros
ecuted NME, and a number of insurance companies
have successfully sued NME and recovered losses.
According to NME documents and court records:
- company hospitals admitted patients without
clinical evaluations by licensed professionals
- NME owned hospitals billed insurance
companies for treatments that never occurred
- a Vice President of an NME company pled guilty
to paying bribes and illegal kickbacks to secure
insured patients for their psychiatric hospitals
If you were a patient at any of these hospitals, call to
find out more:
Arbor Creek Psychiatric Hospital
(Sherman)
Baywood Hospital (Webster)
Bedford Meadows Hospital (Bedford)
Brookhaven Psychiatric Pavilion (Dallas)
Cedar Creek Hospital (Amarillo)
Colonial Hills Hospital (San Antonio)
Laurelwood Hospital (The Woodlands)
Psychiatric Institute of Fort Worth
(Fort Worth)
Stafford Meadows Hospital (Stafford)
Twin Lakes Hospital (Denton)
Willowbrook Hospital (Waxahachie)
KEY QUESTIONS FOR FORMER PATIENTS
► Were you admitted to the hospital without
an evaluation by a psychiatrist?
► Did anyone discuss your discharge plan
prior to treatment?
► Were you discharged when the insurance
benefits were exhausted?
Were you hospitalized longer than you felt
necessary - because of remaining insur
ance coverage?
► Was the focus of your hospitalization your
insurance coverage?
^ Did your treatment include therapies
such as art, recreational dance, music or
biofeedback?
If you have further questions or information about
this case, please call between 8:00 am and 9:00 pm.
(800) 470-0663
659-7600 in Houston
Kenneth T. Fihich
Fibich &. Garth
909 Fannin, Ste. 800
Houston, TX 77010
Board Certified, Civil Trial
Law- Texas Board of Legal
Specialization
James R. Moriarty &.
Associates
1950 Heritage Plaza
1111 Bagby
Houston, TX 77002
Not certified by the Texas
Board of Legal Specialization
Serving the Brazos Valley.
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