Press Release - Consumer Health Care Information

FROM: HOLLEY CARNRIGHT

DATE: JANUARY 31, 2017

RE: PRESS RELEASE - CONSUMER HEALTH CARE INFORMATION AND COMPLAINTS ABOUT CARE

According to the Ulster County District Attorney’s Division of Consumer Affairs, the New York State Department of Health’s (www.health.ny.gov) website includes information concerning physician credentials and disciplinary actions, results of recent hospital and nursing home surveys, performance measures for managed care plans, and physician and hospital performance for cardiac bypass surgery. Consumers and providers will also find information on how to file a confidential complaint about healthcare quality, review public health laws and regulations, and gain access to clinical guidelines and other healthcare best practices.

Below is a list of telephone numbers for Complaints about Care…

Adult Care and Assisted Living Complaints – 1-866-893-6772

Funeral Homes/Directors Complaints – 518-402-0785

Home Care and Hospice Complaints – 1-800-628-5972

Hospital Patient Care Complaints – 1-800-804-5447

Hospital and Diagnostic and Treatment Center Complaints – 1-800-804-5447

Laboratory Complaints – 1-800-682-6056

Medicaid Fraud Hotline – 1-877-87FRAUD

Managed Care Complaints (including commercial health plans and Medicaid managed care) – 1-800-206-8125

Nursing Home Patient Care Complaints – 1-888-201-4563

Professional Medical Conduct Complaints – 1-800-663-6114

The New York State Department of Health can be reached at 518-474-7354. Ulster County Consumer Affairs can be reached at 340-3260.

Press Release - Hearing Aids

FROM: HOLLEY CARNRIGHT

DATE: JANUARY 23, 2017

RE: PRESS RELEASE - I THINK I MAY NEED A HEARING AID.  WHAT

    SHOULD I DO?

If you think you might need a hearing aid, you should have a hearing evaluation performed by a licensed audiologist before making a purchase. You can also contact the New York State Education Department (518-474-3817 X100) for audiologist information.

Audiologists who sell hearing aids must be registered with the Department of State as hearing aid dispensers, in addition to being licensed by the State Education Department as audiologists. 

To obtain a copy of New York State’s A Consumer’s Guide to Hearing Aids, call the Ulster County District Attorney’s Division of Consumer Affairs at 340-3260.

Press Release - Johnnie Simpson Appeal

FROM:     HOLLEY CARNRIGHT

DATE:     JANUARY 20, 2017

On January 19, 2017, the Appellate Division, Third Department unanimously affirmed the April 14, 2015 conviction of Johnnie Simpson, a/k/a Gazoo upon his plea of guilty of the crime of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, a class B felony.

Defendant’s conviction stems from a series of cocaine sales he made to a confidential informant under the supervision of Kingston Police.  After the CI arranged a third controlled buy, defendant was arrested and found to be in possession of cocaine prior to the completion of the sale.  Defendant was thereafter charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fourth degree and criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree.   Defendant subsequently pled guilty to criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, and was sentenced by County Court Judge Donald A. Williams to a determinate term of six years to be followed by two years of postrelease supervision. 

On appeal, defendant argued that his attorney was ineffective and that he had a conflict of interest. These claims were, however, properly rejected by the Appellate Division, Third Department after a full exploration of the underlying facts.

On appeal, the defendant is represented by Raymond D. Sprowls, Esq. of Walden, New York.  Assistant District Attorney Joan Gudesblatt Lamb, Esq. handled the appeal for the District Attorney’s Office.

Press Release - Charles M. Burgher Conviction

FROM: HOLLEY CARNRIGHT
DATE: JANUARY 20, 2017
RE: PRESS RELEASE

DISTRICT ATTORNEY D. HOLLEY CARNRIGHT ANNOUNCES:  KINGSTON MAN CONVICTED OF MULTIPLE COUNTS OF AGGRAVATED FAMILY OFFENSE

After less than two hours of deliberations, an Ulster County jury found Charles M. Burgher, 25, guilty of three counts of Aggravated Family Offense. The Hon. Donald Williams presided over the trial.

On February 24, 2016, Kingston Police Department responded to multiple calls reporting a woman screaming. The victim had tried to protect herself that morning by shutting herself inside her bathroom. The defendant broke down the bathroom door around her, then threatened and hit her with a metal pot until she was cornered in her bathroom, lying in a box of cat litter. The victim managed to secretly call the police. Simultaneously, a downstairs neighbor who had heard the victim screaming also called the police. Officers Michael Ryan, Christopher Spylios and Keith Pagan arrived on the scene within minutes of the phone calls and arrested the defendant.

Aggravated Family Offense is a relatively new felony offense. The Legislature enacted the law in 2012 to address repeat domestic violence offenders who continue to commit misdemeanor offenses against their victims. Burgher had previously been convicted of a domestic violence misdemeanor in January of 2015 against a different victim. This prior conviction elevated his crimes on February 24, 2016 to the felonies of Aggravated Family Offense. Burgher has three other convictions for domestic violence crimes.

Burgher will be sentenced on March 24, 2017 and faces up to two to four years in state prison for his convictions.

The case was prosecuted by Ulster County Assistant District Attorney Carly P. Wolfrom and Assistant District Attorney Timothy Lawson.  The defendant was represented by Eric Naiburg, Esq.

Press Release - Recardo Langston Plea

FROM:   HOLLEY CARNRIGHT

        ULSTER COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY

DATE:   JANUARY 13, 2017

SUBJECT: PRESS RELEASE – RECARDO LANGSTON

On January 13, 2017, Recardo Langston, of Kingston, New York, age 31, pled guilty, in Ulster County Court, to the class B felony of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree. 

On June 2, 2016, Investigators from the Ulster Regional Gang Enforcement Narcotics Team (URGENT) received information that the defendant may be transporting narcotics in Kingston.  At approximately 4:21 in the afternoon, an Investigator from URGENT observed the defendant fail to stop at a stop sign and attempted to initiate a traffic stop of the defendant’s vehicle. 

Instead of stopping, the defendant led officers on a high speed chase through the City of Kington from the Boulevard in uptown Kingston down to Abeel Street.  While attempting to make a turn onto Abeel Street, after going the wrong way down a one way street, the defendant lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a building.

After the defendant’s vehicle crashed he exited the vehicle and fled on foot.  The URGENT Investigator and his police dog, K-9 Triton, as well as multiple other officers, gave chase.  As the defendant was running he was throwing cocaine in an attempt to destroy the evidence.   The defendant was apprehended by K-9 Triton and held until he was secured by the other pursuing officers. The cocaine was later collected.

Unfortunately, due to injuries sustained in the incident K-9 Triton was forced to retire from service.

Langston is scheduled for sentencing on March 10^th.  In addition to the Ulster County indictment, Langston is facing federal cocaine distribution and conspiracy charges.

Assistant District Attorney Lisa Bondarenka prosecuted the case.  The defendant was represented by Bryan Rounds.

The following agencies have members assigned to URGENT: Ulster County Sheriff's Office, Ulster County District Attorney's Office, Town of Woodstock Police, Town of Lloyd Police, Town of Shandaken Police, Ulster County Probation, Town of Plattekill Police, Town of Marlborough Police, Town of New Paltz Police, Village of Ellenville Police and the United States Department of Homeland Security Investigations.

Press Release Herbert Brown

Press Release - Beware of Pitfalls of Medical Credit Cards

FROM: HOLLEY CARNRIGHT

DATE: JANUARY 12, 2017

RE: PRESS RELEASE – BEWARE PITFALLS OF MEDICAL CREDIT CARDS

With increasing numbers of health care professionals urging patients to use medical credit cards to pay for treatments not covered by their insurance plans, Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman issued a consumer alert on the risks associated with health care financing. A copy of this alert is available from the Ulster County District Attorney’s Division of Consumer Affairs.

Consumers should consider these tips to avoid problems associated with these cards and lines of credit:

·       Give yourself time to understand the terms of financing. Take the time to read the entire contract; don’t rely on a sales pitch.

·       Resist any pressure to apply immediately, even though it is your provider who is offering you the financing.

·       If your provider tries to charge you in advance of treatment, ask to be charged for each visit separately instead. If your request is refused, consider finding another provider.

·       If the services will span more than one visit, ask for a detailed treatment plan.

·       If applying for deferred interest (“no-interest”) financing, understand how the deferred interest will accrue and when it will be imposed. Understand the monthly payments you must make in order to avoid interest.

·       Ask your provider for alternative payment options, such as an in-house payment plan. Your provider may also be willing to negotiate the fee. Once you sign up for a credit card or other financing, you may have more difficulty addressing billing matters with your provider.

·       Make sure your insurance coverage, if any, is exhausted before using a credit card or other financing, and don’t allow your provider to charge your credit card for any service that should be covered by insurance.

Consumer Affairs can be reached at 340-3260.