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Kokua Line June Watanabe |
No overnight camping
at Ala Moana allowedQuestion: Since the Fourth of July falls on a Sunday this year and many people will be camping out at Ala Moana to secure the best picnic spots, will police allow parking overnight on Saturday for this special occasion? Either that or there will be a big scramble to move cars out of the no-parking zones at 10 that night and then another scramble back to park cars in the morning.
Answer: Not only is yours a timely question, but the answer will obviously surprise you.
The Honolulu Police Department says no overnight camping will be allowed anywhere in Ala Moana Park, and it is warning people to be aware of parking restrictions and park rules.
Parking and unloading will be allowed on Ala Moana Park Drive, between the park's two concession stands, beginning at 4 a.m. Sunday.
That area is a tow zone from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m., and any cars parked before 4 a.m. will be towed, the Police Department said in a news release issued in anticipation of the thousands of people who will watch the Fourth of July fireworks display at the park.
From 2 to 6 a.m., parking in areas outside the tow zone is limited to one hour; there is no time limit after 6 a.m., according to police.
Meanwhile, the parking lot at Magic Island will open at 5 a.m. Overnight parking is not allowed, and cars left when the lot closes at 8 p.m. the night before will be towed.
And don't bring dogs or fireworks, including "hoax devices or improvised explosive devices," or police say you could be cited or asked to leave the park.
Q: I read Monday's column about not being able to use another Medicare discount card if I used the Medicare discount card issued through the HMSA 65C Plus plan. I called HMSA at least twice to see if I could use my Together Rx drug discount card, and they told me as long as it isn't a Medicare discount card, I could use it. But HMSA won't tell me if I can use my Together Rx card and still be in the HMSA 65C Plus plan. I don't want to disenroll from the plan because I need the health coverage. Can HMSA provide a list of discount cards we can use and still be in the plan? It's very confusing.
A: Yes, it is very confusing, and apparently Monday's answer did not make it that much clearer for some readers. Here's another attempt.
"The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services limits a Medicare beneficiary to enrolling with only one Medicare-approved card," said Cliff Cisco, senior vice president for HMSA. "A member may use as many discount cards from other sources as they can collect and not be in conflict with their Medicare-approved card."
Together Rx is a program established in 2002 by several pharmaceutical companies to help lower-income, uninsured Medicare beneficiaries obtain needed prescription drugs at a lower cost.
But Cisco said the Together Rx card is not a Medicare-approved card and "therefore, it is OK to use." You won't be booted out of the HMSA 65C Plus plan for using it.
The "Medicare approved" logo is clearly shown on every approved card, according to Cisco, so no list is really needed.
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Honolulu 96813. As many as possible will be answered.
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