March 9, 2004

Managed care companies that pulled out of areas across country few years ago are returning now that federal Medicare reimbursement rates have gone up; Bush administration's plan caled for $46 billion to be pumped into these health insurance programs over next 10 years; number of Medicare beneficiaries enrolling in managed care plans has started to rise in Hernando County, Fla; Humana Inc's chief executive Michael McCallister comments; map; chart (M)

European Aeronautic Defense and Space Co reports fourth-quarter profit of 276 million euros ($342 million), compared with loss of 322 million euros a year earlier; photo (S)

A man was accidentally shot dead last night during an initiation ceremony at a Masonic lodge on Long Island, the police said. The victim, whom the police identified as William James, of Medford, was being inducted into the Fellow Craft Club, a social club within Southside Masonic Lodge No. 493 in Patchogue, said Lt. Jack Fitzpatrick, commanding officer of the Suffolk County Police's homicide squad.

New York City scrambles to return 6,000 automobiles seized from people accused of crimes; Judge Michael B Mukasey ordered city in January to schedule hearings for past seizures for all owners within one month; city is unable to arrange so many hearings, so it is basically telling people to come and get their cars (M)

Martha Stewart returns to federal court in Lower Manhattan for session with probation officer, as her company's board meets to consider how company, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, will function after her conviction on criminal charges; Reuters reports Stewart has resigned as director of Revlon Inc; Stewart submits to questions that will form part of presentencing report to be delivered to Judge Miriam Goldman Cedarbaum before Stewart's sentencing June 17; Stewart thanks her supporters as she leaves courthouse; New York Times spokeswoman Catherine J Mathis says two columns that New York Times Syndicate distributes will be renamed and written by people other than Stewart, starting immediately; weekly 'AskMartha' column on housekeeping and entertaining will be written by various editors from Martha Stewart Living magazine and known simply as 'Living'; column 'AskMartha Weddings' will be written by Darcy Miller, editorial director of Martha Stewart Weddings magazine and renamed 'Weddings'; Stewart's syndicated TV program Martha Stewart Living is taken off air on 12 local CBS stations owned by Viacom Inc and few UPN local stations, including those in major media markets; Stewart's co-defendant Peter E Bacanovic, who was found guilty of various federal charges, also attends separate presentencing hearing; photo (M)