A high-profile violent crime typically sets social media abuzz with tips and theories from amateur internet sleuths, hunting for the alleged perpetrator. But after UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was gunned down in New York City this week without a primary suspect being identified, a rare occurrence happened in the thriving true-crime world: silence online from highly followed armchair detectives. > Watch NBC Bay Area News 📺 Streaming free 24/7 “I have yet to see a single video that’s pounding the drum of ‘we have to find him,’ and that is unique,” said Michael McWhorter, better known as TizzyEnt on TikTok, where he posts true crime and viral news content for his 6.7 million followers. “And in other situations of some kind of blatant violence, I would absolutely be seeing that.” A masked gunman, who is still on the lam, fatally shot the 50-year-old executive in front of a busy New York City hotel Wednesday, police said. Shell casings found at the scene had “deny,” “defend” and “depose” written on them, according to a senior New York City law enforcement official briefed on the investigation. Thompson’s targeted killing has sparked online praise from people angry over the state of U.S. health care. Tens of thousands of people have expressed support on social media for the killing or sympathized with it. Some even appeared to celebrate it. “The surge of social media posts praising and glorifying the killing of UnitedHealth CEO Brian Thompson is deeply concerning,” Alex Goldenberg, a senior adviser at The Network Contagion Research Institute at Rutgers University previously told NBC News . (Thompson was CEO of UnitedHealthcare, not of UnitedHealth Group, its parent company.) In a statement, Thompson’s family said he was “an incredibly loving father” to two sons and “will be greatly missed.” “We are shattered to hear about the senseless killing of our beloved Brian,” the statement said. “Brian was an incredibly loving, generous, talented man who truly lived life to the fullest and touched so many lives.” Still, some of the most popular internet sleuths have sat out the investigation. “We’re pretty apathetic towards that,” Savannah Sparks, who has 1.3 million followers on her TikTok account — where she tracks down and reveals the identities of people who do racist or seemingly criminal acts in viral videos — said about helping to identify the shooter. She added that, rather than sleuthing, her community has “concepts of thoughts and prayers. It’s, you know, claim denied on my prayers there,” referring to rote and unserious condolences. Although Sparks, 34, has been tapped by law enforcement in the past to help train officers on how to find suspects online, according to emails seen by NBC News, she said this time she isn’t interested in helping police. Sparks, who also works in health care as a lactation consultant and holds a doctorate of pharmacy, didn’t mince words when asked if her community was working to find the suspect in Thompson’s murder. “Absolutely the f--- not,” she said. Another popular TikTok sleuth, thatdaneshguy, who has 2 million followers on the platform, made a video that was critical of the health care industry, saying that he wouldn’t try to identify the killer. “I don’t have to encourage violence. I don’t have to condone violence by any means. But I also don’t have to help,” he said. I've identified the CEO killer. He went that way 👉🏽 That attitude among some content creators comes amid amplified attention on frustrations with medical care in the U.S. in the wake of the killing. A Gallup poll released Friday found that Americans believe health care quality is at a 24-year low. Those polled said health care coverage is even worse, with 54% saying it’s fair or poor. Online sleuths have helped the FBI identify hundreds of Capitol rioters and catch previously arrested Jan. 6 defendants committing crimes that the bureau’s own review had missed, in one case even finding evidence of a Proud Boy assaulting an officer in the middle of his seditious conspiracy trial. And when Gabby Petito , 22, went missing as she documented her cross-country travels on social media with her fiancé, online sleuths jumped into action. It was later determined that Petito was killed by her fiancé Brian Laundrie, who died by suicide. At least one person who did try to help find Thompson’s killer was criticized on X, formerly known as Twitter, for doing so. In a viral post, Riley Walz, a software engineer, said he was “fairly confident” about where the shooter fled to on a bike after scouring data from the Citi Bike’s bikeshare program. He said he shared the information with the police. But a source close to Lyft, which operates Citi Bike, later said the NYPD told the company directly that the incident did not involve the bikeshare program. Walz declined to comment Friday. Since his post, some X users have called him a “snitch.” McWhorter, or TikTok’s TizzyEnt, said backlash toward those who did try to help might cause others to not want to step in. “If you’re seeing it in such a groundswell, I have to imagine that factors into some people’s decision,” he said. But mostly, McWhorter said, “there’s this weird thing, this vibe of like, I don’t see a bunch of people just feeling an urgency.” McWhorter posted his first video about the incident Friday evening. The roughly two-minute video was about “how much people don’t care.” What happened was horrific and yet the the world seemed to collectively shrug. Sukrit Venkatagiri, an assistant professor of computer science at Swarthmore College, said many people feel a lack of connection with a wealthy CEO. “They don’t really empathize with who the victim is in this scenario,” Venkatagiri said. Venkatagiri, who has studied the harms of misinformation and disinformation as well as crowd sourcing investigations, said, anecdotally, he has seen less talk of finding Thompson’s killer on spaces like the subreddit r/Reddit Bureau of Investigations, an online sleuthing page on Reddit that claims it is “using the power of the internet to solve real-world problems.” “People are less motivated, from an altruistic perspective, to help this victim in this specific case,” Venkatagiri said. Beyond a lack of online sleuthing, which can sometimes muddy law enforcement’s investigations, there has been a flurry of information released by the New York Police Department. Police released two images of a “person of interest,” including one in which he is smiling while using a fake ID to check out of a hostel on New York City’s Upper West Side, as well as several surveillance videos, including one in which the suspect shoots Thompson. 🚨UPDATE: Below are photos of a person of interest wanted for questioning regarding the Midtown Manhattan homicide on Dec. 4. This does not appear to be a random act of violence; all indications are that it was a premediated, targeted attack. The full investigative efforts of... pic.twitter.com/K3kzC4IbtS Investigators believe the shooter may have traveled to New York City from Atlanta last month by bus, three senior law enforcement officials familiar with the case told NBC News. Investigators have not identified a suspect, although the investigation is ongoing, a senior law enforcement official briefed on the matter said Friday. Police have found dozens of images from surveillance cameras of the suspect from tracking his timeline in Manhattan, the official said. Police have offered a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction. Tom Winter, Jonathan Dienst, Ken Dilanian, Ryan J. Reilly and Bruna Horvath contributed. This article first appeared on NBCNews.com . Read more from NBC News here:The holidays are here, which means Christmas music has fully infiltrated the charts, radio and mall speakers alike. Most of that music precedes this year, from traditional classics sung by Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole and Brenda Lee to contemporary hits from Mariah Carey, Kelly Clarkson and Michael Bublé — all names that regularly appear on the Hot Holiday Songs chart each year. But like every year before it, 2024 is closing with a bevy of new Christmas recordings from modern artists spanning pop, R&B, hip-hop, K-pop, jazz and rock. Some of those artists — Lady Gaga, RAYE and Laufey, to name a few — put their own inventive spins on famous carols that originated long before this year. Others — such as FIFTY FIFTY, Coco Jones and GloRilla and Kehlani — released brand-new anthems celebrating love, light, mistletoe, snow, presents, family and all the good stuff we know and love about the best time of year. Meanwhile, a few musicians like Bleachers, Jessie Reyez and Conan Gray went the complete opposite direction with their original tracks, spurning festive stereotypes and tapping into the more melancholy parts of the holidays that people sometimes struggle with. If you’re ready to stir something new into your Christmas playlists, Billboard presents the 25 best new seasonal tracks from artists of all genres and backgrounds ready for playback as we bid adieu to 2024. And who knows? Some or all of these tracks might just end up becoming new favorites that you’ll return to for yearly listening. Keep reading to see our staff picks below. After performing it with Zane Lowe on Apple’s A Carpool Karaoke Christmas , Lady Gaga surprise-dropped her soulful rock cover of “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” on streaming services, adding hers to a collection of famous spins on the classic by artists and acts including Bruce Springsteen, the Jackson 5 and more. Nigerian star Pheelz gave “Twelve Days of Christmas” a modern Afrobeats shakeup for Apple Music’s exclusive Carols Covered playlist . Also on Apple’s Carols Covered playlist is a gorgeous cover of “O Holy Night” from RAYE, whose effortless vibrato and gospel harmonies will take you to church. German pop-punk rebel Nina Hagen reemerged this holiday season to cover “Silent Night” in her native language — in which the original ode was written — combining peaceful lyrics with vibrant drums and a grooving bass line. Written and recorded for Netflix’s That Christmas , “Under the Tree” features Sheeran’s passionate vocals and swelling strings as he pines after a lost love over the holidays. As the flagship artist introducing younger generations to jazz, it was only right for Laufey to use her prodigal skills for Christmas music. The Icelandic musician sounds gorgeous on all four tracks of her new EP, A Very Laufey Holiday , but her orchestral “Santa Baby” cover is particularly warm and cozy. Brett Eldrege’s smooth crooning sounds exactly like the title of “Warm and Cozy” suggests. The cheerful track is one of eight songs on the singer-songwriter’s new album, Merry Christmas (Welcome to the Family) . Propelled by a slap bass, saxophone and bright harmonies, Jimmy Fallon and the Jonas Brothers’ “Holiday” collaboration is a funky standout from the late night host’s 2024 Holiday Seasoning album. The project also features tracks with Meghan Trainor, Justin Timberlake, Ariana Grande and Megan Thee Stallion, among others. Flirty and plucky, “Parson Brown” finds Dan + Shay paying tribute to one of Christmas’ most under-appreciated characters: the clergy member in “Winter Wonderland” who asks, “Are you married?” The tongue-in-cheek track appears on the country duo’s 2024 festive album, It’s Officially Christmas: The Double Album . The five voices of Pentatonix unite with the two voices behind A Great Big World for a moving ballad celebrating the arrival of the best time of year. Expect emotional piano, swelling strings and gorgeous harmonies when pressing “play,” and don’t be afraid to “sing it loud for all to hear.” Calum Scott and Christina Perri will have you feeling achingly nostalgic with “Kid at Christmas,” on which the duet partners’ voices cascade over emotional piano while singing about the magic of the holidays carrying over from childhood. Through voice-isolating technology , the late Bing Crosby’s estate was able to take an old recording and fashion it into a duet with one of the world’s biggest modern pop stars: V of BTS. The result was a revamped version of one of music’s most enduring holiday classics with the two cross-generational stars’ silky voices blending in perfect tandem. Jennifer Hudson’s dazzling personality and powerhouse vocals shine through on this soulful ode to one of the holiday season’s biggest stressors: Christmas shopping. The original tune is one of 16 tracks on the vocalist’s brand new album, The Gift of Love . The members of Little Big Town harmonize over finger-picked guitar on “Evergreen,” which poetically posits that our memories with late loved ones are forever, even if those people aren’t here with us anymore. The track is one of 11 on the band’s 2024 holiday album, The Christmas Record . On “Holidays,” Conan Gray reflects on the loss of youth, love and innocence measured incrementally with each passing Christmas. “The years have passed but you laugh exactly the same/ When I see you for the holidays,” the California native sings over tender strings and haunting bell tones. Saweetie’s “I Want You This Christmas” is the flirty holiday rap song equivalent of a romantic Christmas fireplace. For anyone you might want to meet under the mistletoe, this is the track to send them. Both Michael Bublé and Carly Pearce get solo moments to shine on the former’s original Christmas tune, each of the singers taking a verse before their voices twist together on the chorus. Bublé also dropped a solo version of the track, as well as one featuring Carlos Rivera. Forget hippopotamuses and two front teeth. Megan Moroney knows exactly what she wants under her Christmas tree: a strapping cowboy. Please, Santa, please. Mt. Joy teamed up with Philadelphia Eagles offensive linemen Lane Johnson, Jason Kelce and Jordan Mailata for “Santa Drives an Astrovan,” a folksy, “Jingle Bells”-sampling standout from The Philly Specials’ 2024 charity album, A Philly Special Christmas Party . Kelly Clarkson, one of the queens of contemporary Christmas music, returned with another holiday banger in 2024. The superstar’s vocals soar on the high-energy “You for Christmas,” which appears on her When Christmas Comes Around ... Again album. FIFTY FIFTY combine fun K-pop with snazzy retro jazz vibes on “Naughty or Nice,” a pace-changing banger that finds the girl group taking a page out of Santa Claus’ book and asking the eternal question: Are you naughty or nice? Only GloRilla and Kehlani could make a Christmas song that’s simultaneously beautiful and bada–. The two women perfectly complement each other’s energies on this dynamic track as the Memphis rapper’s swaggering bars contrast with the R&B vocalist’s melodic refrain: “Nothing compares to the love at Christmas time.” For anyone feeling more like a Grinch or Scrooge about the 2024 holidays, Jessie Reyez’s angry new post-breakup anthem cathartically disavows parties, mistletoe, Santa Claus and everything else about the season. Bleachers shared the melancholy rock track “Merry Christmas, Please Don’t Call” in November for “everyone who experiences the holidays as a time to clean out those who have done you wrong,” frontman Jack Antonoff wrote on Instagram the day it dropped. Coco Jones breathed new R&B-pop life into the Christmas music canon with Coco by the Fireplace , a four-track holiday project. Standout track, “Santa Is Me,” is all about indulging in some well-earned self-love and retail therapy around the holidays, with the singer’s silky voice gliding over a punchy drum beat and lush harmonies as she sings, “If I don’t have anyone, I’m enough for me.”
With Trump on the way, advocates look to states to pick up medical debt fight
Share this Story : Ottawa advocacy groups rally against OC Transpo fare hikes Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Breadcrumb Trail Links Local News Ottawa advocacy groups rally against OC Transpo fare hikes The city passed a motion to increase OC Transpo fares by five per cent to help cover a $120 million transit shortfall. Author of the article: Sadeen Mohsen, Special to the Citizen Published Dec 11, 2024 • Last updated 1 hour ago • 3 minute read Join the conversation You can save this article by registering for free here . Or sign-in if you have an account. At a rally outside Ottawa City Hall, Cédrik Desjardins, a first-year political science student at uOttawa, said an increase in transit fares will only "drive people away". Photo by Sadeen Mohsen / Postmedia Article content As Ottawa city councillors rolled back OC Transpo fare hikes after a lengthy final budget meeting on Dec. 11, a group of protesters outside city hall were clear that any increase in transit costs would have a detrimental impact on those with low income, especially seniors and students. Article content Article content The city passed a motion to increase OC Transpo fares by five per cent to help cover a $120 million transit shortfall. Advertisement 2 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles from Elizabeth Payne, David Pugliese, Andrew Duffy, Bruce Deachman and others. Plus, food reviews and event listings in the weekly newsletter, Ottawa, Out of Office. Unlimited online access to Ottawa Citizen and 15 news sites with one account. Ottawa Citizen ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles from Elizabeth Payne, David Pugliese, Andrew Duffy, Bruce Deachman and others. Plus, food reviews and event listings in the weekly newsletter, Ottawa, Out of Office. Unlimited online access to Ottawa Citizen and 15 news sites with one account. Ottawa Citizen ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Sign In or Create an Account Email Address Continue or View more offers If you are a Home delivery print subscriber, online access is included in your subscription. Activate your Online Access Now Article content A senior’s monthly bus pass will remain at $49 until Feb. 1, 2025, at which point the cost will climb to $58.25. Seniors will continue to have free transit on Sundays and Wednesdays. This marked a significant decrease from last month when the city proposed that senior’s monthly bus passes increase to $108, plus the loss of one of their free transit days. Despite the concessions after a lengthy motion introduced by Coun. Tim Tierney, seniors, students and advocacy groups are demanding better city services. Jane Keeler, 79, was one of several dozen protesters outside before city councillors debated Budget 2025. She says she used to be a regular transit user but found its unreliability “discouraging” and called fare increases “absurd.” “We have all this money going into more transit infrastructure and nothing that really is working reliably,” Keeler said. OC Transpo’s 2024 gross operating budget was $768 million. The budget for 2025 is $856 million. Keeler, who is a member of the volunteer organization ReImagine Ottawa, said the city needs to do better in involving the public for input. Evening Update The Ottawa Citizen’s best journalism, delivered directly to your inbox by 7 p.m. on weekdays. There was an error, please provide a valid email address. Sign Up By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Thanks for signing up! A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Evening Update will soon be in your inbox. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again Article content Advertisement 3 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content “What I really want to see the city do is start consulting the public,” Keeler said. “Ask people what they really need and want.” Sam Hersh, an organizer with advocacy group Horizon Ottawa, said several grassroots organizations were involved in writing an alternative draft budget that called for free transit services throughout the city. “We should be bolder,” Hersh said. “We need a city that’s bold, a city that has a vision.” Hersh said the city should have started budget deliberations earlier in the year. The meetings began in mid-November and were finalized on Dec. 11. He said that transit fare increases limit the “freedom of movement and mobility” for people from low-income communities. Bay Ward Coun. Theresa Kavanagh said she has a “problem” with higher transit fares and wants it to be as accessible as possible for residents, especially seniors. “I’m concerned about the people who are not necessarily commuters but seniors trying to get around the city,” Kavanagh said. “The bus doesn’t come on time and they’re standing there freezing.” Kavanagh, who is also the liaison for older adult issues in Ottawa, said the road to advocating for better transit fares has not been easy. With the opening of the Trillium Line and Stage 2 LRT expansion, she said she’s hopeful it will have a positive impact on local communities and small businesses. Advertisement 4 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content She pointed out there will be a rate freeze into 2025 on the EquiPass, which offers fare discounts for low-income people. “We want to do everything we can to encourage people to ride transit.” Cédrik Desjardins, a first-year political science student at the University of Ottawa who lives in campus residence, said he uses transit often to get to his job in the suburbs. The trek can take up to two hours. “We keep seeing them cut services and make our wait times longer and it keeps spiralling downwards,” Desjardins said. “Now on top of that, we have to pay more for it.” University student union groups have also pointed out fare increases for the U-Pass, the low-cost transit pass for students, cannot exceed 2.5 per cent without agreement from post-secondary institutions. The transit budget council passed calls for a five per cent increase to the cost of a U-Pass, but that is only set to come into effect in September 2025. The city hopes to negotiate that increase with the universities in the U-Pass program over the coming months. “They won’t listen to us when we ask that we need to fund better transit and that the city should be trying a bit harder to fund better transit services,” Desjardins said. Our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark our homepage and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed. Recommended from Editorial 5 ways the new Ottawa budget changes what you pay Ottawa 2025 budget day: Council rolls back seniors' transit fare increase Article content Share this article in your social network Share this Story : Ottawa advocacy groups rally against OC Transpo fare hikes Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Comments You must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments. Create an Account Sign in Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. 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Bang for the bookBy Noam N. Levey, KFF Health News Worried that President-elect Donald Trump will curtail federal efforts to take on the nation’s medical debt problem, patient and consumer advocates are looking to states to help people who can’t afford their medical bills or pay down their debts. “The election simply shifts our focus,” said Eva Stahl, who oversees public policy at Undue Medical Debt, a nonprofit that has worked closely with the Biden administration and state leaders on medical debt. “States are going to be the epicenter of policy change to mitigate the harms of medical debt.” New state initiatives may not be enough to protect Americans from medical debt if the incoming Trump administration and congressional Republicans move forward with plans to scale back federal aid that has helped millions gain health insurance or reduce the cost of their plans in recent years. Comprehensive health coverage that limits patients’ out-of-pocket costs remains the best defense against medical debt. But in the face of federal retrenchment, advocates are eyeing new initiatives in state legislatures to keep medical bills off people’s credit reports, a consumer protection that can boost credit scores and make it easier to buy a car, rent an apartment, or even get a job. Several states are looking to strengthen oversight of medical credit cards and other financial products that can leave patients paying high interest rates on top of their medical debt. Related Articles Some states are also exploring new ways to compel hospitals to bolster financial aid programs to help their patients avoid sinking into debt. “There’s an enormous amount that states can do,” said Elisabeth Benjamin, who leads health care initiatives at the nonprofit Community Service Society of New York. “Look at what’s happened here.” New York state has enacted several laws in recent years to rein in hospital debt collections and to expand financial aid for patients, often with support from both Democrats and Republicans in the legislature. “It doesn’t matter the party. No one likes medical debt,” Benjamin said. Other states that have enacted protections in recent years include Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington. Many measures picked up bipartisan support. President Joe Biden’s administration has proved to be an ally in state efforts to control health care debt. Such debt burdens 100 million people in the United States, a KFF Health News investigation found . Led by Biden appointee Rohit Chopra, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has made medical debt a priority , going after aggressive collectors and exposing problematic practices across the medical debt industry. Earlier this year, the agency proposed landmark regulations to remove medical bills from consumer credit scores. The White House also championed legislation to boost access to government-subsidized health insurance and to cap out-of-pocket drug costs for seniors, both key bulwarks against medical debt. Trump hasn’t indicated whether his administration will move ahead with the CFPB credit reporting rule, which was slated to be finalized early next year. Congressional Republicans, who will control the House and Senate next year, have blasted the proposal as regulatory overreach that will compromise the value of credit reports. And Elon Musk, the billionaire whom Trump has tapped to lead his initiative to shrink government, last week called for the elimination of the watchdog agency . “Delete CFPB,” Musk posted on X. If the CFPB withdraws the proposed regulation, states could enact their own rules, following the lead of Colorado, New York, and other states that have passed credit reporting bans since 2023. Advocates in Massachusetts are pushing the legislature there to take up a ban when it reconvenes in January. “There are a lot of different levers that states have to take on medical debt,” said April Kuehnhoff, a senior attorney at the National Consumer Law Center, which has helped lead national efforts to expand debt protections for patients. Kuehnhoff said she expects more states to crack down on medical credit card providers and other companies that lend money to patients to pay off medical bills, sometimes at double-digit interest rates. Under the Biden administration, the CFPB has been investigating patient financing companies amid warnings that many people may not understand that signing up for a medical credit card such as CareCredit or enrolling in a payment plan through a financial services company can pile on more debt. If the CFPB efforts stall under Trump, states could follow the lead of California, New York, and Illinois, which have all tightened rules governing patient lending in recent years. Consumer advocates say states are also likely to continue expanding efforts to get hospitals to provide more financial assistance to reduce or eliminate bills for low- and middle-income patients, a key protection that can keep people from slipping into debt. Hospitals historically have not made this aid readily available, prompting states such as California, Colorado, and Washington to set stronger standards to ensure more patients get help with bills they can’t afford. This year, North Carolina also won approval from the Biden administration to withhold federal funding from hospitals in the state unless they agreed to expand financial assistance. In Georgia, where state government is entirely in Republican control, officials have been discussing new measures to get hospitals to provide more assistance to patients. “When we talk about hospitals putting profits over patients, we get lots of nodding in the legislature from Democrats and Republicans,” said Liz Coyle, executive director of Georgia Watch, a consumer advocacy nonprofit. Many advocates caution, however, that state efforts to bolster patient protections will be critically undermined if the Trump administration cuts federal funding for health insurance programs such as Medicaid and the insurance marketplaces established through the Affordable Care Act. Trump and congressional Republicans have signaled their intent to roll back federal subsidies passed under Biden that make health plans purchased on ACA marketplaces more affordable. That could hike annual premiums by hundreds or even thousands of dollars for many enrollees, according to estimates by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a think tank. And during Trump’s first term, he backed efforts in Republican-led states to restrict enrollment in their Medicaid safety net programs through rules that would require people to work in order to receive benefits. GOP state leaders in Idaho, Louisiana, and other states have expressed a desire to renew such efforts. “That’s all a recipe for more medical debt,” said Stahl, of Undue Medical Debt. Jessica Altman, who heads the Covered California insurance marketplace, warned that federal cuts will imperil initiatives in her state that have limited copays and deductibles and curtailed debt for many state residents. “States like California that have invested in critical affordable programs for our residents will face tough decisions,” she said. ©2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
A local driver seems to not be worried about driving without insurance. Vancouver police pulled over a Tesla on Nov. 21, 2024, for driving without insurance. It wasn't the first time for this driver this year, according to a social media post by the VPD's traffic section. Or the second. Or the third. In the last year, the driver had been pulled over four times across Metro Vancouver, with incidents in Vancouver, Burnaby, and Coquitlam. Police note he was operating as a rideshare driver at the time he was pulled over. In fact, according to a photo shared by the police, it was the fourth time since May, meaning he's been pulled over more than once every two months for the same issue. "Traffic enforcement used ALPR (Automated Licence Plate Recognition) to catch this driver for no vehicle insurance," state police. Officers issued a $598 for the infraction, and the vehicle was towed. If the driver pays in under 30 days, the fine is reduced to $573; altogether, the fines for driving with no insurance four times add up to at least $2,292. However, while it was the fourth such infraction for the driver this year, his Tesla wasn't impounded, according to the VPD traffic section. "A vehicle with no insurance could be towed to a person’s residence if it can’t be parked on public property," Sgt. Steve Addison tells V.I.A. A note has been sent to the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles and Passengers about the driver, according to the traffic section. The Superintendent of Motor Vehicles and Passengers is a provincial office that acts as the authority for drivers in B.C. and has different powers from the police and can prohibit a person from driving if they have an "unsatisfactory driving record," according to the government .
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NFL ends investigation into sexual assault allegations against Browns QB Deshaun Watson CLEVELAND (AP) — The NFL has closed an investigation into sexual assault allegations against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, who is ending the season on injured reserve for the second year in a row. Tom Withers, The Associated Press Dec 6, 2024 2:24 PM Dec 6, 2024 2:35 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message FILE - Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson talks during a news conference after an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Oct. 13, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File) CLEVELAND (AP) — The NFL has closed an investigation into sexual assault allegations against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, who is ending the season on injured reserve for the second year in a row. The league has been reviewing the case for months , trying to determine whether Watson should be punished. “The matter is closed,” league spokesman Brian McCarthy said Friday in an email to The Associated Press. “There was insufficient evidence to support a finding of a violation of the personal conduct policy.” Watson, who served an 11-game suspension in 2022, was accused of assault in Texas by a woman in September. She was seeking more than $1 million in damages before the sides reached a confidential settlement. Watson strongly denied the allegations through his attorney, Rusty Hardin. The 29-year-old Watson suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon rupture in October. He's been rehabbing the injury in hopes of returning next season. The Browns still owe Watson $46 million in each of the next two seasons after they traded three first-round picks to Houston and signed him to a five-year, fully guaranteed $230 million contract that has backfired. Watson has only played in 19 games over three seasons due to the suspension and injuries. He was acquired by the Browns, who were comfortable with his character despite Watson being accused of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct during massage therapy sessions while he played for the Texans. While he's in the clear with the league, Watson's future with Cleveland isn't so certain. His massive contract — and its salary-cap ramifications — has put the Browns in a bind in terms of trying to improve their roster. Cleveland has had a disappointing season after making the playoffs a year ago and could move on from Watson, but the cost would be exorbitant if the team just releases him. The Browns signed Jameis Winston for one season to be Watson's backup. Winston has gone 2-3 as a starter since taking over and he's put some life into Cleveland's offense, which didn't score 20 points or gain 300 yards with Watson before his injury. His 2023 season was ended by a broken bone in his shoulder, requiring surgery. Winston has indicated he would come back, and he could be a viable option as a starter even if the Browns draft a young QB. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL Tom Withers, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Football (NFL) Bills' push for AFC top seed continues with visit to Rams, who need to keep pace in NFC West Dec 6, 2024 1:49 PM Vikings rule CB Stephon Gilmore out against Falcons with hamstring injury Dec 6, 2024 1:46 PM NFL ends investigation into sexual assault allegations against Browns QB Deshaun Watson Dec 6, 2024 1:43 PMA fight for holiday equality: How Black Santas shaped US civil rights
Sight Sciences Announces the Results of a Budget Impact Analysis for its TearCare® System for the Treatment of Meibomian Gland Disease (“MGD”) Showing Cost Savings Over Existing Reimbursed Treatment Options