Football Ferns book first games since OlympicsThe star has described reaching the milestone as "cuckoo loco" Chappell Roan has celebrated the fact that her song ‘Good Luck, Babe!’ has reached one billion streams on Spotify . The single was first released in April this year, written by Roan alongside Justin Tranter and Dan Nigro. It became Roan’s breakout hit, hitting Number Two in the UK and Number Four in the US, and has been nominated for Song of the Year and Record of the Year at the Grammys . Roan has reacted the news that it has crossed the milestone, writing on Instagram: “Good Luck Babe hitting a billion streams on Spotify is cuckoo loco. All I have to say is thank you.” A post shared by ・゚: *✧ Chappell Roan ✧*:・゚ (@chappellroan) Other recent songs to reach the one billion streams mark on Spotify include Sabrina Carpenter ’s ‘Espresso’ and Billie Eilish ’s ‘Birds Of A Feather’. The news comes just days after Franz Ferdinand covered the song on Jo Whiley’s BBC Radio 2 show . “It’s just an amazing song by an incredible artist,” said frontman Alex Kapranos . “It’s funny, you get some artists that have a moment, often it’s kind of divisive.” “Some people absolutely love them and some people hate them. But I’ve not come across anybody I know, none of my friends, nobody I know, who doesn’t like this artist. They’re just so good. This song’s incredible so we’re going to play it.” ‘Good Luck, Babe!’ was not included on Roan’s debut album ‘The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess’, which is up for Album of the Year at the Grammys. In a four-star review of the record , NME wrote that it is “a display of Roan’s bold and brazen pen, where she places searing revelations alongside some deliciously cheeky choruses.” Roan has been outspoken about how experience of sudden fame this year, comparing it to “an abusive ex-husband” . In an interview with The Face , the former NME Cover star vented about the normalisation of extreme fan behaviour including “stalking, talking shit online, [people who] won’t leave you alone, yelling at you in public.” She added: “I didn’t know it would feel this bad.” Prior to that, she had taken to TikTok to share her thoughts on “weird” and “creepy” followers , calling out the “predatory behaviour” of so-called “superfans” that includes “nonconsensual physical and social interactions”. Related Topics Chappell Roan Pop SpotifyWith Trump on the way, advocates look to states to pick up medical debt fight
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New Delhi: Bihar's deputy CM and senior BJP leader Vijay Kumar Sinha on Wednesday said that a BJP government on its own will be a fitting tribute to the late former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee . ET Year-end Special Reads It's all Gucci for Indians' luxury craving even as economy shows wrinkles Investing in 2025: Will domestic funds continue to counter FPI sell-offs amid rising valuations? 2024 exposed the underbelly of India's Silicon Valley Paying homage to Vajpayee on his 100th birth anniversary in Patna, Sinha said: "BJP workers have liberated Bihar from jungle raj. But the mission is still not accomplished. Only when BJP has its own government in Bihar, we will be able to pay true tribute to Atal Bihari Vajpayee." "Only when BJP forms a government (on its own) in Bihar, the fire and yearning inside the hearts of the party workers will be pacified. Because, even today, the people of jungle raj are spoiling the social harmony of Bihar. Even today Bihar is suffering from their influence," he said. Incidentally, BJP is an alliance partner of Janata Dal (United), whose leader Nitish Kumar is the state's chief minister. Sinha's statements have come a day after Bihar BJP's core group announced that the party will contest the next assembly elections under Kumar's leadership. The statement is bound to create ripples in Bihar political circles. Web Development Java 21 Essentials for Beginners: Build Strong Programming Foundations By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Data Science MySQL for Beginners: Learn Data Science and Analytics Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance A2Z Of Finance: Finance Beginner Course By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Office Productivity Mastering Google Sheets: Unleash the Power of Excel and Advance Analysis By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance A2Z Of Money By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Generative AI for Dynamic Java Web Applications with ChatGPT By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Entrepreneurship From Idea to Product: A Startup Development Guide By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Web Development C++ Fundamentals for Absolute Beginners By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Modern Marketing Masterclass by Seth Godin By - Seth Godin, Former dot com Business Executive and Best Selling Author View Program Web Development Advanced C++ Mastery: OOPs and Template Techniques By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Basics of Generative AI: Unveiling Tomorrows Innovations By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development Maximizing Developer Productivity: The Pomodoro Technique in Practice By - Prince Patni, Software Developer (BI, Data Science) View Program Web Development Master RESTful APIs with Python and Django REST Framework: Web API Development By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance AI and Generative AI for Finance By - Hariom Tatsat, Vice President- Quantitative Analytics at Barclays View Program Web Development Django & PostgreSQL Mastery: Build Professional Web Applications By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI and Analytics based Business Strategy By - Tanusree De, Managing Director- Accenture Technology Lead, Trustworthy AI Center of Excellence: ATCI View Program Fearing repercussions, Sinha came out with a video later in the day to reiterate that Kumar continues to be the leader of the NDA. "Nitish Kumar was the most favourite of Atalji and he was sent to Bihar to establish good governance. He played an important role in ending the jungle raj between 2005 and 2010... The people responsible for jungle raj will not get another chance in Bihar. The next government will be based on the ideology of Atalji and under the leadership of Nitish Kumar," he said. When contacted, JDU chief spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan told ET: "All the five parties in NDA in Bihar are in agreement that under the visionary leadership of Nitish Kumar, Bihar has witnessed transformation over the last two decades and he is the undisputed leader of NDA in Bihar. Therefore such statements are irrelevant." (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
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Few things remain recognizable in college football in 2024, but at least one thing remains constant: The coaching carousel is always spinning. Inevitably, teams will choose to part ways with their current coaching staff and embark on a new, more exciting era while hoping they don't find themselves back in the same spot just a few years later. One coach was fired before the 2024 season even began, as Utah State's Blake Anderson was let go in July for allegedly regarding the reporting of sexual misconduct allegations. And Fresno State's Jeff Tedford resigned in July . The timing of coaching searches in the sport will certainly change this season thanks to the . Coaches of teams participating in the 12-team field won't be available until after the first round at least, which comes after early signing day the first week of December. But that won't stop athletics directors from making mid-season changes in an attempt to get a leg up in the coaching market. With that in mind, here's every coach fired so far in 2024. At the age of 63, Tedford resigned from his post at Fresno State on July 15, paving the way for linebackers coach Tim Skipper to take the reins on an interim basis. Tedford, who was previously the coach at Cal for some of the Golden Bears' best seasons, went 44-22 with three bowl wins at Fresno. Anderson was fired ahead of the 2024 season in July after being placed on administrative leave, with Utah State writing in a press release that he “failed to manage the team in a manner that reflects USU’s academic values.” Defensive coordinator Nate Dreiling took over as interim coach for the 2024 season. Anderson, who previously coached at Arkansas State from 2014-20, went 11-3 with a Mountain West title in his first season in 2021 but finished 6-7 with bowl losses in each of the last two seasons. Southern Miss pulled the plug on the Will Hall era on Oct. 20, the morning after a 44-28 home loss to Arkansas State. Hall, a former offensive coordinator at Tulane and Louisiana, was 14-32 across four seasons. The lone bright spot was 2022, which featured a 7-6 finish after a win in the LendingTree Bowl. Houston had a ton of success as a coach before arriving in Greenville, North Carolina, taking Lenoir-Rhyne to the Division II national championship, taking The Citadel to the FCS Playoffs and winning an FCS title with James Madison in 2016. He never quite replicated that sort of winning for the . ECU went 8-5 and won the Birmingham Bowl in 2022 but followed that up with a 2-10 finish in 2023. East Carolina got off to a 3-4 start before Houston was fired on Oct. 20 after losing 45-28 to Army. For fans of the ECU, Houston's biggest sin was how the Pirates performed against in-state opponents, going a combined 0-7 against N.C. State, Appalachian State and Charlotte during his tenure. After going 4-0 since taking over for Houston on an interim basis, ECU made former defensive coordinator Blake Harrell the full-time head coach. It felt like Bloomgren lived on the hot seat for a few seasons at Rice, but the Owls finally cut him loose on Oct. 27 after a 17-10 loss at UConn. Bloomgren, a former understudy of David Shaw at Stanford, never had a winning season in seven years at Rice and went 24-52. Kennesaw State announced on Nov. 10 that Bohannon resigned, but the coach said that he was fired. Nevertheless, he's out after leading the Owls for 11 years, from the inception of the program to its transition to FBS. Bohannon led the Owls to three Big South Championships and a pair of appearances in the FCS quarterfinals, but never won at the same frequency at the FBS level. The Owls were 1-8 this season when Bohannon was let go. A former MAC MVP for Ball State, the let Neu go after a 51-48 overtime loss to Buffalo that ensured a third straight bowl-less season. Neu went 40-63 in nine seasons leading Ball State. The Owls beat FAU on Nov. 16, but Temple decided to fire Stan Drayton the next day anyway, beginning its third coaching search since 2018 when Geoff Collins left for Georgia Tech. Drayton, a longtime college and NFL running backs coach before getting the top job at Temple, went 9-25 in just under three seasons as a head coach. Two days after a 35-34 overtime loss to Liberty, Don Brown's second tenure as the head coach of the Minutemen came to an end. Brown led UMass to an FCS title game appearance back in 2006, but he nor the Minutemen have been able to recreate winning ways. UMass was 6-28 over the past three seasons under Brown, with just two wins against fellow FBS opponents. Herman will continue to make a lot of money to not coach. Amidst a five-game losing streak and an 18-15 loss to Temple, FAU cut Herman loose on Nov. 18, less than two full seasons into his gig in Boca Raton. Herman was 6-16 over the past two seasons, never recreating the success he had at Texas or Houston, where he went 5-1 in bowl games. More importantly, the firing of Herman means that every FBS program with Owls for a nickname has fired their coach this season (FAU, Kennesaw State, Rice and Temple). The Biff Poggi experiment has come to an end in Charlotte. Poggi, a 64-year-old Baltimore native with an affinity for sleeveless shirts, was previously a very successful high school coach in Maryland and an assistant at Michigan before the 49ers took a gamble on him less than two years ago. Aside from notching two wins against in-state foe East Carolina, there wasn't much success for Charlotte under Poggi, who didn't make life easier for himself as he publicly called out fans and media members. The 49ers went 6-16 in Poggi's two seasons, and he was fired after a 59-24 loss to South Florida that eliminated Charlotte from bowl eligibility. Central Michigan announced on Nov. 20 that McElwain is retiring from football after coaching the Chippewas for six seasons. He led Central Michigan to a 9-4 mark and a Sun Bowl win in 2021, but hasn't been able to sustain that success, posting three straight losing seasons. Before Central Michigan, McElwain coached at Colorado State and Florida. The 62-year-old has a 77-63 overall record. He was the SEC Coach of the Year in 2015 and he also had stops at Alabama and Michigan as an assistant. Mack Brown's second run at North Carolina is ending, despite the 73-year-old coach recently saying he intended to return. The school announced it fired Brown in Week 14, and it's the first Power Four opening of the 2024-25 coaching carousel. After previously coaching the Tar Heels from 1988-1997, Brown returned for the 2019 season and coached the team to six bowl game berths in that stretch, including this season. He has a 113-78-1 overall record with North Carolina and was 44-32 in his second stint, but in the last couple years, the program has struggled, finishing 8-5 in 2023 and currently having a 6-5 record in 2024 ahead of the regular-season finale against NC State. ESPN reported on Saturday, Nov. 30 that Malzahn is resigning as UCF's head coach to become the offensive coordinator at Florida State. UCF went 4-8 this season — its worst mark in four seasons under Malzahn — after losing 28-14 to Utah in its regular season finale. Malzahn took the reins of the Knights in 2021 and helped them transition from the American Athletic Conference to the Big 12. In four seasons, he went 28-24 with three bowl appearances. Before his tenure at UCF, Malzahn was at Auburn for eight seasons and Arkansas State for one. He was the offensive coordinator for Auburn's national championship team in 2010.
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By 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. 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.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A freelance photographer and local government official from Illinois has been arrested on charges alleging he joined a mob's on the U.S. Capitol and pushed against a police officer’s riot shield, according to unsealed on Friday. Patrick Gorski, 27, was arrested in Chicago on Thursday on charges including obstructing law enforcement officers during a civil disorder, a felony. A federal judge ordered him released on bond after his initial court appearance. Gorski didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment. An attorney who represented him after his arrest declined to comment on Gorski's behalf. Authorities allege that during the attack, Gorski climbed scaffolding, breaching police lines, and took photos and videos inside the building. He yelled at officers, pushed against an officer's riot shield and was eventually forced out after being sprayed with a chemical irritant, authorities said. When the FBI interviewed him, Gorski did not claim that he was working as a photojournalist and said he didn't bring his professional camera to the Capitol. He told federal agents that he had worked as a photographer for the Chicago Fire Department and for Donald Trump’s 2020 presidential campaign. He has not professionally published any photographs of the Capitol riot, according to the FBI. An FBI agent’s affidavit says some of Gorski’s sports photographs are available through Getty Images and have been “picked up” by The Associated Press and USA Today. Authorities said Gorski has continued to take photos at some local sporting events in Chicago but hasn't published any political photographs in the last five years. Gorski is not an Associated Press journalist and has never been employed by the news organization, said Lauren Easton, AP's vice president of corporate communications. "We have distributed some photos he took for AP’s photo partners and member news organizations," Easton said in a statement. Gorski's resume says he works as a building commissioner for the Village of Norridge, Illinois, and graduated earlier this year from Southeastern Illinois University with a master’s degree in public administration. He attended then-President Trump's “Stop the Steal” rally near the White House on Jan. 6 before he marched to the Capitol in a group of people that included conspiracy theorist and , who has hosted a show on Jones' Infowars website. On the west side of the Capitol, Gorski climbed up a wall onto stairs, helped another rioter onto the wall and removed a tarp covering scaffolding, according to the FBI. He climbed up and down the scaffolding before he helped pass a bike rack to other rioters, the agent's affidavit says. Gorski pointed and yelled at police officers outside the building. He also clapped and chanted, “Let us in!” After rioters broke through a police lines and sent officers retreating, Gorski hung a flag over the edge of a balcony. Gorski used his phone to take photos or videos inside a tunnel entrance that police were guarding, according to the affidavit. He screamed at the officers, “This is our house!” as he pushed against an officer’s riot shield, the FBI said. Gorski left the tunnel after several minutes and entered the Capitol through the Senate Wing door, taking more photos or videos inside the building, the affidavit says. An officer had to forcibly move Gorski from a doorway in another part of the Capitol, according to the agent. Gorski retreated after police sprayed him with a chemical irritant. Approximately one year after the attack, the FBI received a tip that Gorski had posted photos of the riot in a group chat with friends. More than 1,500 people have been charged with federal crimes stemming from the Capitol riot.Joe Burrow's home broken into during Monday Night Football in latest pro-athlete home invasionGrades are in: Pat Bryant sparks another Illinois win
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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. 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 . Led by Biden appointee Rohit Chopra, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has , going after aggressive collectors and exposing problematic practices across the medical debt industry. Earlier this year, the agency proposed landmark regulations to 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 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 . “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 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, 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 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.Russian police raid Moscow nightclubs in LGBTQ+ crackdown