COVID fraud, plastic recycling, nursing homes, and more

Check guilty doctor for other cheating

The case of Dr. Konstantinos "Dino" Zarkadas needs to be taken a step further than this punishment ["Sentenced in COVID aid fraud," News, March 19]. If he would steal money from the government, I think the prosecutors need to look back and check into Zarkadas' Medicare and Medicaid billing practices because they might find a whole bunch of money he got for services that he did not perform. Private insurance companies should also investigte his practice. These might not be the only incidents in which he defrauded the government.

Barbara Scibetta, West Babylon

Make plastic recycle signs easier to see

I regularly bring my recyclables to the Huntington Town recycling center ["Culture shift needed to increase recycling," Opinion, March 17]. It is more efficient than my garbage collector’s procedure to separate them from the general garbage stream at their plant. However, I have a problem with discarded plastic products that provide recycling information with small triangles on plastic items (numbered 1 to 7), identifying different types of plastic. In many cases, the triangles are minuscule. After finding the tiny logo, a magnifying glass is needed to identify the number. The numbers are important because I learned that only triangles with a 1 or 2 inside are, for the most part, actually recycled. The others are incinerated or go to landfills. Laws should be passed that plastic containers clearly identify this information and do not require eagle-eye vision. Consumers, of course, should look to buy products that use less plastic. Since that may be difficult, they should look for plastic products with triangles containing numbers 1 or 2.

Bill Domjan, Melville

Nursing homes need collective reform

As a recently retired 38-year nursing home administrator, I sadly have been hearing similar calls for nursing home reforms for decades ["Health audit a vexing diagnosis," Editorial, March 18]. Usually, we get watered-down, burdensome paperwork requirements that have no impact on clinical care or outcomes. Call me cynical, but I am not confident meaningful reforms will occur. Until owners, unions, politicians and regulatory agencies summon collective courage and resolve, we will continue to see a lot of talk and little action. Thus, bad resident outcomes, poor staffing levels and lack of accountability and standards will persist.

Michael Tartaglia, Franklin Square

Disabled services deserve key funding

Gov. Kathy Hochul has proposed important funding for the intellectual/developmental disabilities service sector ["Disabled workers get new friend in Albany," LI Business, Feb. 23]. Workers’ bonuses for the direct care staff and a one-time 5.4% cost-of-living increase have been included. These proposed investments are a hopeful first step, but for a service system that is in immediate crisis, more action is necessary.

The average starting wage in New York for a direct support professional is $14.56 an hour. Direct support professionals provide lifesaving care to people with disabilities and have a lot of responsibility.

The low wages have led to a staffing crisis. In New York, nearly half of the agencies have closed programs or reduced operations due to staffing shortages. Several residential group homes have closed due to lack of staffing, forcing people with disabilities to relocate.

The time to properly fund the I/DD service system is now. It is crucial that state legislators keep the proposed investments in the budget with the additions of a permanent wage increase for direct support professionals and a permanent annual cost-of-living adjustment for the nonprofit agency providers.
Geri Athenas-Bennett, West Islip
The writer is a member of the Long Island Family Supports Advisory Council.

Karma and solution for parkway trucks

Kudos for the editorial about the reckless drivers who weave in and out of traffic ["Action needed on road mayhem," Opinion, March 11]. Speed cameras are way overdue. I did get a bit of satisfaction recently when one of those weaving drivers came within an inch of my car and then, a few miles down the road, I saw his fancy car upside down with him standing outside, surveying the damage. He apparently wasn't hurt, but that was karma at its best. I drive a lot and regularly see oversized trucks on parkways hitting the overpass or having to be backed off the parkway. Here's a simple, low-tech, effective and inexpensive solution: Put two poles on entrance ramps with a chain with bells hanging from it. If a truck rings the bells, it's time to back up and not get on the parkway. It likely would cost no more than one of the high-tech solutions that's often been discussed.
Terry McPherson, Bellmore