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Asbury Park Press

ISLAMIC RADICAL, TWO HOSTAGES KILLED IN AUSTRALIAN SIEGE PAGE 1B

MEETING THE
MISSION
THOMAS P. COSTELLO/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

President Barack Obama thanks troops at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Monday for their service in U.S. actions.

TUESDAY 12.16.14

Obama praises 9/11 generation troops at

joint base visit, warns ISIL of U.S. resolve
KALA KACHMAR @NEWSQUIP

Apparently,
N.J. seniors
eat wrong,
worry a lot

JOINT BASE McGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST President Barack Obama thanked troops for their service, gave a strong warning to ISIL and discussed
the plan to withdraw from Afghanistan during a
speech to troops at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst on Monday.
Obama, who described the countrys involvement in the Middle East as being at a turning point,
said it was the servicemen and -women who made
Americas success possible.
Your generation the 9/11 generation has
met every mission thats been given to you, Obama said. You helped decimate the core al-Qaida
leadership and deliver justice to Osama bin Laden.
He will not be attacking here anymore.
Obama was greeted by Gov. Chris Christie when
he arrived at the base. Obama and the potential
2016 presidential candidate shared a laugh and a
long handshake before heading to the event in a
motorcade. In his remarks, Obama also referred to
his last visit to the Jersey Shore, when he toured
the Point Pleasant Beach and Asbury Park

THOMAS P. COSTELLO/STAF PHOTOGRAPHER

President Barack Obama shakes hands with Gov. Chris

Christie after he addressed service members at Joint
Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst on Monday. In the center is
U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J. Below: Troops gathered for
the presidential visit.

See OBAMA, Page A4

Medicare data show lots

of meds for cholesterol,
blood pressure, ulcers
KALA KACHMAR @NEWSQUIP

Doctors in New Jersey most commonly prescribed

Medicare patients two types of drugs one to reduce
cholesterol and one to lower blood pressure, according
to Medicares Part D program data.
Data from USA Today and ProPublica showed that
Medicare covered $2.42 billion in drugs for New Jersey
patients in 2012; that figure is higher than those for 43
other states.
The data, obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, contains information on more than 1.2 billion
prescriptions written by about 1.5 million doctors,
nurses and other health care providers across the country.
Nationally, Medicare covered $71.8 billion in prescription drugs.
Behind simvastatin, which reduces cholesterol, and
amlodipine besylate, which is for patients with high
blood pressure, doctors in New Jersey most commonly
prescribed levothyroxine sodium which treats hyperthyroidism and omeprazole, which treats acid reflux, according to data.
The cholesterol and blood-pressure-reducing drugs
each accounted for more than 800,000 of New Jerseys
claims, and the other drugs accounted for 634,000 and
577,000, respectively.
The most expensive drug prescribed to Medicare
patients in New Jersey was Nexium, which relieves
heartburn and stomach ulcers, costing $94.2 million for
nearly 300,000 claims.

U.S. doctors who prescribe potent painkillers most

often also get more scrutiny and penalties from
federal and state authorities, and in the future theyll
face even more, Medicare officials say Page 3B

Local appearance by president comes amid

questions about future of Christie, joint base
KEN SERRANO @KENSERRANOAPP

Hulking gray aircraft lined a portion of the

flightline at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst as
Air Force One touched down Monday, perhaps just
a customary display of hardware for a visiting dignitary, or maybe more than that.
But did the commander-in-chief inside the
presidential jet notice?
President Obama, in his speech Monday at the

joint base, did not mention the planes refueling

tankers that the Department of Defense has considered retiring.
But jobs connected to the retirement of the
KC-10 and its impact on the mission of the base
are whats on the mind of many people here.
The refueling tanker means much to the base;
half of them are stationed there. The jets and
See FUTURE, Page A4

Scan this code to view a video of President Obamas address to

the troops at the joint base, and find more, including additional
videos and a photo gallery of the visit, at

www.app.com

CHARGE IN FATAL CRASH

Ex-Long Branch man indicted in death of student, 21. Page A3

HAVE A SLIM CHRISTMAS

10 tips for healthier eating this holiday season. Page D1

ADVICE
CLASSIFIED
COMICS
LOCAL
MOVIES

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OBITUARIES
OPINION
SPORTS
TECH TUESDAY
WEATHER

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NUMBER 300

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VOLUME 135

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