Nation in brief

Medicare plans chronic care programs

WASHINGTON - Medicare is hoping to save money by offering hundreds of thousands of older and disabled Americans coordinated care to manage their chronic illnesses.

The government is planning to launch 10 Medicare chronic care programs by the end of the year, Mark McClellan, administrator of the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said Tuesday.

By regularly monitoring people with diabetes, asthma, congestive heart failure and other chronic diseases, coordinated care is intended to prevent a medical crisis that could send the patient to the hospital.

Proponents of disease management say they're seeing savings from programs in place on a small scale.

The chronic care program was included in the Medicare law enacted last year. The pilot projects, each involving 15,000 to 30,000 people, are supposed to last three years and provide the basis for a national chronic care program.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - A former Air Force official pleaded guilty to conspiracy Tuesday, admitting she secretly negotiated for a job with the Boeing Co. while she was overseeing the Pentagon's consideration of a multibillion-dollar contract with the aviation giant.

Darleen Druyun, 56, of Vienna, Va., made the plea in U.S. District Court to a single count of conspiracy, which carries a maximum five years in prison.

"I deeply regret my actions and I want to apologize," she told federal Judge T.S. Ellis III, her voice breaking.

Druyun is to be sentenced Aug. 6 and faces a fine of up to $250,000 with possible prison time. She declined to comment as she left the courtroom, as did her attorney, John Dowd.

Druyun and former Boeing chief financial officer Michael Sears were the subject of a federal grand jury investigation of the Air Force's plan to acquire 100 refueling tankers from the Chicago jetmaker.

The contract was eventually awarded to Boeing. MacDill Air Force Base was among those scheduled to receive new tankers, 16 in 2010 and 16 in 2011.

Boeing fired Druyun and Sears in November for what the company termed unethical behavior.

GAY MARRIAGE: A judge told Multnomah County, Ore., to stop issuing gay marriage licenses Tuesday, but he handed gay couples a historic victory by ordering Oregon to recognize the 3,000 licenses granted in the county. An immediate appeal of the ruling was expected.

ILLINOIS STORM: A severe storm spawning tornadoes cut a swath through north central Illinois on Tuesday, tearing the roof off a school, collapsing buildings and killing at least four people.

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