Masked Conn. teen killed by dad called a good kid

NEW FAIRFIELD, Conn. (AP) ? Tyler Giuliano had no trouble with the law. The teenager loved flying small planes as a Civil Air Patrol cadet and seemed happy as he played an online game with friends Wednesday night. But hours later, authorities say, Tyler was outside wearing a black ski mask and wielding a knife when he was shot by his father, who thought he was a prowler.

No immediate charges were brought against Jeffrey Giuliano, a popular fifth-grade teacher, in the slaying of 15-year-old Tyler, who was gunned down in his aunt's driveway next door to his own home in New Fairfield around 1 a.m. Thursday.

"It's something out of a Hollywood script," said John Hodge, the first selectman, or top elected official, in the town of nearly 14,000 people about 50 miles from New York City. He said he couldn't recall another killing in his eight years on the job.

State police spokesman Lt. J. Paul Vance said the boy had never been in trouble with the law, and some of those who knew him described him as a good kid with an easygoing personality. Investigators and acquaintances said they were at a loss to explain what he was doing outside dressed all in black and carrying a weapon.

"Certainly, that is the major question we are trying to answer at this point," Vance said.

State police said the shooting happened after Jeffrey Giuliano got a call from his sister next door saying that someone might be trying to break into her home in their neighborhood of attractive colonial-style houses. Giuliano grabbed a handgun and went outside to investigate, troopers said.

He confronted someone in a ski mask and opened fire when the person came at him with something shiny in his hand, police said.

When police officers arrived, Tyler was lying dead in the driveway with a knife in his hand, and his father, in a T-shirt and shorts, was sitting on the grass. Detectives informed the elder Giuliano several hours later that he had shot his son, Vance said.

"All in all, it's a tragedy," Vance said.

Police were investigating whether the father's gun was registered.

No one answered the door at Giuliano's home or his sister's.

Tyler was a student at New Fairfield High School and a Civil Air Patrol cadet. Some of those who knew him said he enjoyed spending time with family and flying gliders and small planes. He was adopted by Giuliano and his wife a few years ago, friends said.

One classmate said many students were baffled by what happened.

"I just thought it was so weird when I heard because I knew Tyler, not very well, but he was just a sweet person and he always made everyone laugh. I met him in the chorus room, actually, and he just wasn't the type to do what happened," said Erin Pallas, 16. "So it didn't make sense to us. It doesn't make sense to the student body."

Brett Rasile, a 14-year-old friend, said he and Tyler were playing an online game called Minecraft while talking and laughing together via Skype until about 10 p.m. Wednesday, when Tyler said he had to go to bed. Brett said Tyler wasn't in any trouble that he knew of, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

"Same old Tyler. He was perfectly fine," Brett said. "He didn't really leave any evidence, any hints towards what he would do."

Alicia Roy, New Fairfield superintendent of schools, said the elder Giuliano grew up in the town, holds summer music and zoology camps for his students and plays guitar in a local rock band that raises money for charity. He is affectionately known as "Mr. G" around Meeting House Hill School.

"He was the teacher you requested in the fifth grade. He was a great teacher. All the kids loved him," said Rosemary Rasile, Brett's mother.

Brian Wyckoff, 17, said Mr. G "was always walking around with a smile on his face. He always says hi to everyone."

The high school stayed open late to provide grief counseling for students and parents.

"The community is deeply saddened, and our hearts go out to all the family members," Roy said.

___

Associated Press reporter Dan Sewell reported from Cincinnati. Pat Eaton-Robb and Stephen Singer reported from Hartford, Conn. AP video journalist Ted Shaffrey also contributed to this story.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/masked-conn-teen-killed-dad-called-good-kid-065437884.html

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Judge rejects bid for dismissal of hospitals' Medicaid lawsuit ...

September 29, 2012 2:00 AM

CONCORD ? A lawsuit filed last year by Exeter Hospital and nine other of the state's largest hospitals about changes in Medicaid policies and reimbursements will be allowed to continue.

On Thursday, U.S. District Court Judge Steven McAuliffe ruled against the state's motion to dismiss the suit. In his ruling, McAuliffe said he had multiple questions that still needed to be answered about the case and that a hearing would be scheduled on Nov. 1.

The 10 hospitals sued the N.H. Department of Health and Human Services, which administers the state's Medicaid program, over changes in Medicaid policies and reimbursements. One of the suit's core arguments is the state failed to provide hospitals with notice and an opportunity to comment on the reduced rates before they were finalized. The hospitals argue the state reduced reimbursements to accommodate state-budgetary preferences.

McAuliffe ruled the hospitals have proven they suffered hardships because of the cuts and are entitled to a hearing.

"(The) plaintiffs have made a substantial showing that hardship is being suffered by both providers and Medicaid-eligible patients due to the reduced rates, and that continuing enforcement of those rates, if unlawful, will at some point result in irreparable injury (e.g., loss of medical care facilities, providers and the concomitant inability of Medicaid patients to obtain needed care)," McAuliffe wrote in his hearing.

McAuliffe said he wants the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services to answer the following series of questions at the Nov. 1 hearing:

* Should the court stay the Medicaid reductions pending a federal review of the cuts.

* Do federal officials believe the proper Medicaid rules were followed by the state in making the cuts.

* Do federal officials plan to take action against the state over the cuts.

* Do federal officials plan on approving the cuts.

The biggest hit to the hospitals during the most recent budget cycle were changes made to the Medicaid Enhancement Tax.

The MET is a 5.5 percent tax on net patient service revenue on all hospitals in the state. Up until recently, the tax revenue was returned to the hospitals through the Disproportionate Share program, but those reimbursements were eliminated in the recent budget, resulting in $250 million in cuts to the state's 13 largest hospitals, including Exeter.

"While state budgetary concerns cannot conclusively dictate Medicaid reimbursement rates, they do play a significant and legitimate role in the rate-setting process," McAuliffe wrote in his ruling. "But, even where significant state budget issues arise, still, Medicaid reimbursement rates must be set by participating states in accordance with methodologies and standards that are published in a state plan and approved by the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services (currently through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services), and those rates must meet minimum federal statutory standards."

As a result of the Medicaid cuts, hospitals across the state made numerous staff reductions. Exeter Hospital cut 110 full-time equivalent positions throughout Exeter Hospital, Core Physicians, Exeter Healthcare and Synergy Health & Fitness. It also closed Exeter Healthcare, a skilled-nursing facility that accepted patients who need long-term access to ventilators. Eight patients using the facility were transferred elsewhere in the state.

Exeter Hospital officials applauded the most recent ruling. "We're pleased the judge has recognized the legal merit of the case," said Exeter Hospital spokeswoman Debra Vasapolli.

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Source: http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20120929-NEWS-209290317

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