An improved patient delivery system is a necessary pre-condition for affordable and quality health care.
What do I mean by a “patient delivery system”?
Understanding patient delivery system means recognizing that people without health insurance do not receive treatment until they are in an immediate life-threatening situation.
I cannot back this up with a scientific study, only my daily experience. But that experience contradicts an oft cited myth that no one who needs health care is turned away. One of the most common reason that people call our office is because something happened to their health insurance that lead to a denial of treatment.
It may be as simple as the doctor calling the wrong number or it may be that the member has failed to pay their share of their health insurance premium. But the reasons don’t make the stories any the less heart breaking.
The owner of a Maui financial services loan company filed for personal bankruptcy the same day as his company, claiming nearly $23.8 million in unsecured debt.
Lloyd Y. Kimura’s Chapter 7 filing late last month came on the same day as his company, Maui Industrial Loan & Finance Co., also filed for Chapter 7
Much of the unsecured liability Kimura listed — $16.2 million — is duplicated in Maui Industrial Loan & Finance’s filing with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court.
The Wailuku-based firm ran afoul of state regulators last year and was ordered by state Commissioner of Financial Institutions Nick Griffin to cease taking deposits or borrowing money.
Mayor Charmaine Tavares Delivers 2010 State of the County Address
February 11, 2010 Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WAILUKU, Maui, Hawaii- Mayor Charmaine Tavares delivered her fourth State of the County Address to a standing-room-only crowd this morning in the County Council Chambers.
In her 35-minute speech that included highlights of 2009 and touched on declining revenue, Mayor Tavares challenged the Governor’s administration and the Legislature to examine all other sources of state revenue, including the numerous State special funds as well as the State’s taxing authority before moving to take away the Transient Accommodations Tax (TAT) from the four Counties.
Drawing comparisons to the win by the New Orleans Saints in the Superbowl, Mayor Tavares spoke about the underdog team rebounding after odds were stacked against them.
“The people of Maui County have risen to the challenges of the economic downturn,” Mayor Tavares said. “The strength, determination and resolve of our people in times of adversity and great need have been seen time and time again.”
This is the sweetest, best tasting, Pineapple in the world.
Grown on Maui by Hali'imaile Pineapple Co.
Please buy this product!!! PRIDE IN ISLAND!!!
Mayor Tavares gave special recognition to the five founders of the new Haliimaile Pineapple Company- Darren Strand, Rudy Balala, Pardee Erdman, Doug Schenk and Doug MacCluer- thanking them for their efforts to continue pineapple farming on Maui following the shutdown of Maui Land & Pineapple Co.’s pineapple operations.
Maui Land & Pineapple Co. has named Ryan L. Churchill president and chief operating officer of the Kahului-based company.
Churchill, who has served as senior vice president of corporate development since 2007, will be responsible for day-to-day operations of ML&P (NYSE:MLP) and its operating divisions of Kapalua Land Co. Ltd., Community Development and Asset Management.
In his previous role in corporate development, he was responsible for executing the company’s strategic transactions and managing its real estate holdings and development projects.
Churchill, who joined ML&P in 2000, also has served as vice president of community development, vice president of planning for the company’s resort segment, Kapalua Land Co., and as development manager.
“Ryan has a proven leadership record on a number of key projects for the company,” ML&P Chairman and interim CEO Warren H. Haruki said in a prepared statement. “His keen management skills, his ability to work effectively with others, and his deep sense of commitment to our community make him a solid choice for this key executive position.”
Before joining ML&P, Churchill worked for KPMG LLP in Honolulu and with Fieldstone Communities, a home builder in southern California.
The Kailua native is a graduate of the University of Arizona in Tucson and holds an MBA from the University of California, Irvine.
Change in Directors or Principal Officers, Financial Statements and
Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Principal Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Principal Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
(c) On February 8, 2010, the Board of Directors of Maui Land & Pineapple Company, Inc. (the "Company") appointed Ryan L. Churchill (age 38) as President and Chief Operating Officer for the term of office that expires in May 2011. Mr. Churchill served as Senior Vice President/Corporate Development of the Company since March 2007, and as Vice President/Community Development from November 2005 to March 2007. He was Vice President/Planning of Kapalua Land Company, Ltd., the operating subsidiary responsible for the Company’s Community Development and Resort segments, from June 2004 to November 2005 and Development Manager from October 2000 to June 2004.
Complaint claims Kimura used account access to loot couple By HARRY EAGAR, Staff Writer
POSTED: February 10, 2010
WAILUKU – Another creditor has filed a million-dollar lawsuit against Wailuku certified public accountant Lloyd Kimura. Unlike previous claims, this one also names his accounting firm, Lloyd Y. Kimura CPA.
Kimura filed for bankruptcy two weeks ago, listing debts of about $23 million. His wholly-owned industrial loan company, Maui Finance, also filed for bankruptcy.
Among the creditors in both bankruptcies were Ronald and Miriam Jacintho, owners of Rojac Trucking, Rojac Construction and Jacro Lowbed Services, who were listed as $1 million creditors of Maui Finance. In their lawsuit filed earlier this month in 2nd Circuit Court, they claim their losses were higher, although the complaint did not disclose the total.
This complaint, filed for the Jacinthos and their Dairy Road Property LLC by attorney Lyle Hosoda, differs from other lawsuits by also alleging that Kimura, as their accountant, had access to their accounts and looted them.
Feb. 9 (Bloomberg) — A global sugar shortage, which drove prices to the highest level in three decades, may peak in the third quarter this year on demand from the U.S., Mexico, India and Pakistan, according to U.S.-based Tropix Capital Management.
Maui Cane Tassels CLICK for larger image.“As we enter the second quarter, we enter the inter-crop period for South Brazil when export supply is minimal,” Sean Diffley, founder of the hedge fund and former head of sugar trading at ED&F Man Holdings Ltd., said by email. “Countries like Russia will return to the market in force. The acutest part of the deficit may not be apparent until the third quarter.”
India, China, Indonesia, Pakistan, Egypt and Russia are among countries planning to buy sugar to cool domestic prices, worsening a deficit that may reach 11.92 million tons in the year ending April 30, up from 8.32 million tons predicted in October, Kingsman SA said yesterday. The shortfall may be 5 million to 6 million tons this season, according to Tropix.
“The world stocks-to-use ratio should reach 20 year lows in the second half of this year,” said Diffley, who worked for 16 years at ED&F Man, one of the biggest sugar trader.
India, the biggest user, may need to import an extra 2.5 million to 3 million tons this season to meet a 7 million ton deficit, according to Kingsman. Pakistan, Asia’s third-biggest user, plans to purchase 1.25 million tons by June. The country “apparently bought 100,000 tons” from Cargill Inc. in the past few days, Michael McDougall, a Newedge USA senior vice president said yesterday in a report from an industry event in Dubai.
China Drought
China, the biggest consumer after India, may have a deficit of 3.3 million tons this year after drought and cold weather cut yields, the Guangxi Bulk Sugar Exchange Center said last month. Thailand, the second-biggest exporter, may produce 7.2 million tons in the year started in November, less than the forecast.
“There’s a real rationale to be invested in sugar, at least until March,” when the Brazilian harvest begins, Hussein Allidina, head of commodity research at Morgan Stanley, said in an interview in Dubai. Prices will extend gains as a deficit was expected to last through the season ending Sept. 30, he said.
CLICK HERE for large imageMarines at Kaneohe Bay are due to help endangered native birds this week by driving amphibious assault vehicles through the mud as part of three days of exercises that begin today.
The annual exercises at the Nuupia Ponds Wildlife Management Area at Marine Corps Base Hawai’i are called "Mud Ops."
The vehicles break up weeds on mudflats, improving foraging and ground-nesting opportunities for endangered Hawaiian Stilts that live there.
Without these efforts, the invasive pickle weed would crowd the birds out of their natural habitat.
The number of Hawaiian stilts using the ponds has grown to 160 from 60 since the Marines began Mud Ops 28 years ago.
Other native and migratory waterbirds have also started using the Windward O’ahu ponds more.
