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Dong Jie's directorial vision shines through in the intricate storytelling and visually stunning aesthetics of the film. With a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of the nuances of contemporary youth culture, he masterfully crafts a narrative that captivates and challenges audiences. Each frame is meticulously composed, drawing viewers into a mesmerizing world where the boundaries between illusion and truth are constantly shifting.In the world of football, there are moments that are etched into our memories forever. One such moment occurred on August 14, 2020, when FC Barcelona, under the management of Quique Setien, suffered a humiliating 2-8 defeat at the hands of Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals. It was a night of shock, disbelief, and ultimately, a crushing blow to Barcelona's pride and reputation.
Title: The Legal Aspects of Detective Zhang Kehan's CaseBut that's not all! The update also includes a variety of new quests, challenges, and events for players to enjoy. Whether you prefer to embark on epic story missions, tackle tough dungeons, or compete in thrilling PvP battles, there is something for everyone in this latest update. And for those looking for a challenge, the update introduces new difficulty levels and bosses that will push your skills to the limit.
Published 5:24 pm Friday, December 6, 2024 By Data Skrive The Carolina Hurricanes (17-8-1) visit the New York Islanders (9-11-7) at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York on December 7, 2024, starting at 5:00 PM ET on ESPN+. The Hurricanes are third in the Eastern Conference (35 points), and the Islanders are 13th in the Eastern Conference (25 points). Sign up for ESPN+ today to watch 1,000+ out-of-market NHL games, ESPN+ Hockey Night & more. Watch 1,000+ out-of-market NHL games, ESPN+ Hockey Night & more streaming all season on ESPN+. Looking for NHL tickets? Head to StubHub today and see your team live. Rep your favorite players with officially licensed NHL gear. Head to Fanatics to find jerseys, shirts, hats, and much more. Get tickets for any NHL game this season at StubHub.
Jim Rossman | Tribune News Service Cord cutting used to refer to abandoning pay TV and putting up an antenna to watch free over-the-air TV. Then cord cutting expanded to include streaming services like Netflix and Hulu and individual streaming sources. Related Articles TV and Streaming | Best TV of 2024: A modestly better lineup than usual, but why didn’t it feel that way? TV and Streaming | ‘Emilia Pérez’ leads Golden Globe nominations with 10, followed by ‘The Brutalist’ and ‘Conclave’ TV and Streaming | Column: 40 years after it premiered, ‘The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes’ remains one of the best Doyle adaptations TV and Streaming | What to watch: ‘Flow’ and ‘The Order’ are both worth your attention TV and Streaming | ‘Yacht Rock: A Dockumentary’ review: More than an ironic musical pleasure Now we also include streaming bundles, like YouTube TV or Hulu Live or DirecTV Stream. These bundled services mimic cable and satellite service, in that they have hundreds of channels. The ease or complexity of the cord cutting experience depends on how you have things set up. Let’s take a look at some gift options for your favorite cord cutter. As far as I know DirecTV is the only streaming bundle service that offers its own hardware. The Gemini Air is a small dongle that plugs into an HDMI port on your TV. It is paired with a remote control to allow for easy navigation. If you were an AT&T U-Verse TV customer, the Gemini Air/DirecTV Stream experience will be very familiar. The Gemini Air is a rarity in that it has number buttons. DirecTV Stream has the option of turning on channel numbers in the guide. I’ve used DirecTV Stream with my Roku TV and with the Gemini Air and the Air makes navigating the huge list of channels much easier. The Gemini Air runs the Google operating system, so you can see and use all your other streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Max and more. You can also load apps and games from the Google Play store. The Gemini Air connects to your home’s Wi-Fi network, and it can stream 4K content to your TV. The remote control has a microphone so you can use your voice to search or interact with Hey Google’s voice assistant. DirecTV Stream customers can get a free Gemini Air from AT&T with their service. Additional units are available for $120. There are lots of smart TV brands. Some run on the Roku operating system, some run Google TV and some use their own brand of smart TV apps. If you’d like to add Google TV to any set, you can get Google’s new TV Streamer (4K) for just $99 from store.google.com. The small device connects to your TV’s HDMI port. It also can connect to your home’s internet via Wi-Fi or wired Ethernet connection. The Google TV interface is not tied to any specific streaming service. You can use any streaming service or app that’s available on the Google Play store. It features a simple remote with voice control and the Google TV Streamer is also a hub and controller for Matter and Thread home devices that work with Google’s home ecosystem. If you use an over-the-air antenna for watching your free local channels, I’m betting you’d like the option to record those channels. TiVo used to be the best/easiest way to record OTA TV, but they’ve discontinued their OTA recorders. A great alternative is from TabloTV, which is a small box that you connect to your TV antenna. The TabloTV does not directly connect to your TV. Instead it connects to your home’s Wi-Fi, and the antenna signal is wirelessly sent to any TV or compatible device in your home. Your TV picks up the signal through a free app, which is compatible with smart TV brands like Samsung, LG, Google TV, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV or Android TV. This method is extremely handy if you don’t want to be bothered running an antenna wire from your attic or roof all the way to your TV. It’s also great if you want to use an indoor antenna, but your TV is not situated in a room that faces the broadcast towers. You can place the antenna and TabloTV where you get the best reception. The TabloTV comes in two models – with either two or four tuners. This means you can record or watch two or four shows at a time. TabloTV has onboard storage to record up to 50 hours of shows, but you can plug in any USB hard drive and expand to record thousands of hours of programming. You can also bundle a TabloTV with an OTA antenna if you like, or you can use your own antenna. Two things to know, there are no ongoing subscription costs for guide data, and there is no streaming service integration. You will need another way to add in streaming services like Netflix and Hulu. TabloTV models start at $99.95 for the two tuner model at tablotv.com. The four-tuner model is $139.95, but they may be on sale during the holidays. ©2024 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Saks Global Completes Acquisition of Neiman Marcus Group
In the world of professional football, goal-scoring prowess is often seen as a true measure of a player's skill and impact on the game. And when a young talent bursts onto the scene and achieves a feat that puts him in the same category as legends like Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Neymar, it's certainly a cause for celebration. Such is the case for Greenwood, the rising star who has been making waves in the French Ligue 1 with his remarkable goal-scoring abilities.Cristiano Ronaldo, also known as C-Ro, is not only a football legend but also a popular figure in the world of entertainment. Recently, he made headlines by participating in a variety show where he engaged in conversations with other sports icons, including Michael Jordan and Tom Brady. This rare gathering of GOATs (Greatest of All Time) sparked great interest and debate among fans and media worldwide.
With a stellar cast, visionary direction, and a gripping storyline, "28 Years Later" is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated horror films of the year. Mark your calendars for June 20 next year, when this chilling and electrifying sequel will finally hit theaters in North America, ready to terrify and thrill audiences worldwide.
Title: Yakuza Director of Technology: Remaking is Much Harder Than You Think!Electric vehicles ( EVs ) aim to transform transportation. However, like any groundbreaking technology, EV batteries have hurdles to overcome before EVs become widely adopted. Some common criticisms of EVs center around their long charging times and shorter driving range compared to gas-powered vehicles. That's where QuantumScape ( QS 2.38% ) comes in. The company is dedicated to engineering batteries that overcome the obstacles current lithium-ion batteries face and make EVs more appealing to consumers. Earlier this year, QuantumScape made headlines with excellent results during an endurance test of its battery. It has also secured funding to extend its runway and recently hit a significant milestone with the shipment of its B-sample cells for further testing. QuantumScape is making progress, but the stock is 96% below its peak price from four years ago and near an all-time low. While its low price may make it seem appealing, there are some things you should know if you're considering scooping up the stock today. It's looking to solve some big EV challenges QuantumScape aims to revolutionize battery technology and address several obstacles that have hindered the widespread adoption of EVs. Its cutting-edge solid-state lithium-metal batteries promise to make important advancements in several key areas : increased energy density, quicker charging times, and superior safety measures when compared to traditional battery systems. The company had established a strategic partnership with Volkswagen . Earlier this year, Volkswagen's battery division, PowerCo, tested QuantumScape's solid-state batteries and reported stellar results, achieving 1,000 charging cycles, with the battery cells showing minimal wear signs. This indicates that an electric vehicle equipped with their technology could potentially cover over 500,000 kilometers without experiencing a noticeable decrease in range. Its battery technology is undergoing rigorous testing Last month, QuantumScape stock surged higher after it announced it was producing and shipping out low volumes of its B-sample cells . The company says this was its most important goal for 2024, and it began shipping these cells to its automotive customers for extensive testing. This testing by automakers will take months to complete. This is part of a three-step process, involving A, B, and C prototype cells to undergo internal and customer testing before the commercial production of its product, QSE-5. Ultimately, the company looks to validate that its technology enables EVs to drive further, charge faster, and operate more safely than those in the market today. Keep an eye on its cash burn QuantumScape's battery technology is coming along, but the company is pre-revenue and continues to burn cash in the meantime. Through the first nine months of this year, QuantumScape has an operating loss of $397 million, up from its operating loss of $354 million last year through the same period. QS Cash from Operations (Quarterly) data by YCharts To help with cash flow, QuantumScape agreed to grant PowerCo the license to mass produce battery cells based on QuantumScape's technology. Under the license, PowerCo can manufacture up to 40 gigawatt-hours (GWh) per year, with the option to double this production to 80 GWh. This would be enough to power roughly 1 million vehicles per year. Is QuantumScape a buy today? QuantumScape's agreement with PowerCo extends QuantumScape's cash runway by 18 months to 2028 , thanks to a $130 million prepayment of royalties from PowerCo. It also allows the company to take a capital-light approach and reach its gigawatt-hour scale faster under its prior agreement. However, QuantumScape continues to burn cash today, and several steps need to happen before its batteries can be manufactured at scale and commercialized. Not only that, but according to the four analysts covering the company, it won't be until 2029 that QuantumScape generates positive net income. In the meantime, its stock price will be driven by its progress with its B-samples and further prototype development. For these reasons, investing in the up-and-coming battery technology company is highly speculative and risky, and most investors are best off watching this one from the sidelines for now.
One of the key factors contributing to the stable performance of foreign trade was the ability to adapt to the changing global economic landscape. With disruptions to supply chains and fluctuations in demand, flexibility and agility were crucial in ensuring that trade continued to flow smoothly. This adaptability, combined with strategic planning and proactive measures, enabled foreign trade to weather the challenges and emerge stronger.
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.In conclusion, the strained relationship between Barcelona's core player and the club has become a cause for concern, with multiple issues contributing to the growing discontent. As tensions continue to rise and the future remains uncertain, it is imperative for both parties to address the underlying issues and work towards finding a resolution that benefits everyone involved. Failure to do so could have far-reaching consequences for one of the most storied clubs in football history.The New York Rangers and goalie Igor Shesterkin have agreed to an eight-year contract extension, sources told ESPN's Kevin Weekes and Emily Kaplan. The average annual value on the contract is $11.5 million, according to sources. That will make him the highest paid goalie in NHL history, beating Carey Price's previous contract. Shesterkin, 28, is on the final year of a four-year deal with an AAV of $5.66 million. His camp and the Rangers have been negotiating an extension for several months. Shesterkin's camp had argued that he should be the team's highest-paid player. Currently that's Artemi Panarin , who has an AAV of $11.6 million. Editor's Picks Rangers end Trouba tenure with trade to Ducks 10m Greg Wyshynski 'There's not one right way to do it': Why paying goalies is so complicated in today's NHL 18d Emily Kaplan NHL trade grades: Who comes out ahead on the Jacob Trouba swap? 1m Ryan S. Clark, Greg Wyshynski Shesterkin won the Vezina Trophy in 2022. The Russian-born netminder is 8-9-1 this season with a 3.05 GAA with a .908 percentage and one shutout this season. News of Shesterkin's deal comes at a busy time for the Rangers. Also on Friday, New York traded its captain, Jacob Trouba , to the Anaheim Ducks . The Rangers are in a playoff position as of Friday's game against the Pittsburgh Penguins , but are not pleased with their results of late and are hoping to go on a push going forward.
Tesla is facing a lawsuit alleging its claims about Autopilot and Full Self Driving's (FSD) capabilities contributed to a fatal crash, giving the courts yet another chance to hash out claims similar to those in previous lawsuits. In this instance, driver Genesis Giovanni Mendoza Martinez died, and his brother Caleb was seriously injured, when the former's Tesla Model S slammed into a fire truck parked diagonally across two lanes of a California interstate highway for traffic control in an unrelated incident. According to the lawsuit [PDF], originally filed in California's Contra Costa Superior Court in October, the plaintiffs' lawyers claim Mendoza's Model S was operating under Autopilot at the time of the collision, and he had "generally maintained contact with the steering wheel until the time of the crash." The lawsuit was recently removed to the US District Court for the Northern District of California following a filing by Tesla. Like several previous cases involving fatalities or serious injuries that occurred while a Tesla was operating with Autopilot/FSD active, Mendoza's surviving family argue that, while he was using it with appropriate caution, he was nonetheless misled into believing Tesla's self-driving capabilities were more capable than they actually are due to "Tesla's long-term advertising campaign designed to persuade the public that its vehicles were capable of driving themselves." "Not only was [Giovanni] aware that the technology itself was called 'Autopilot,' he saw, heard, and/or read many of Tesla or Musk's deceptive claims on Twitter, Tesla's official blog, or in the news media," the lawsuit argued. "Giovanni believed those claims were true, and thus believed the 'Autopilot' feature with the 'full self driving' upgrade was safer than a human driver, and could be trusted to safely navigate public highways autonomously." The argument that Tesla is overblowing Autopilot and FSD's capabilities isn't a new one: Tesla has fought, and is still fighting, so many lawsuits and regulator investigations into the matter that it's difficult to keep count. One of the cases it's fighting involves the 2019 death of Jeremy Banner , whose Model 3 smashed into a tractor-trailer in cross traffic. That case bears a striking similarity to the 2016 death of Joshua Brown , whose Model S also collided with a tractor-trailer crossing a highway ahead of him. Tesla claimed that it addressed the issue linked to Brown's death, but given the similarities to Banner's death, regulators have been worried the carmaker might not be doing all it can to prevent such deaths. Mendoza's fatal accident bears similarities to both Brown's and Banner's cases, as well as a prior investigation by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that found Tesla Autopilot tended not to notice emergency vehicles stopped on the side of the road. That investigation resulted in a voluntary recall and over-the-air software update by Tesla that a lawyer for Mendoza's family said was insufficient. Genesis Mendoza's death caused by the failure of Tesla's vision system is yet another example of Tesla overstating and overhyping what its technology can do "Genesis Mendoza's death caused by the failure of Tesla's vision system is yet another example of Tesla overstating and overhyping what its technology can do; knowing full well that it was incapable of identifying and responding to an emergency vehicle flashing lights," lawyer Brett Schreiber told The Register in an email. "Rather than taking the responsible step of recalling these vehicles, Tesla simply pushed an over the air update," Schreiber continued. "This limited bug fix left tens of thousands of vehicles on the road continuing to suffer from the same defect, putting both Mr. Mendoza, members of the public and emergency first responders needlessly at risk. "The time for Tesla to be held accountable is coming," Schreiber concluded. Whether that will actually happen remains to be seen, however. Tesla has managed to escape liability in two prior cases that made many of the same arguments that Mendoza's lawyers make in their case, namely that Tesla overhyped Autopilot and FSD's capabilities, fostering overreliance among drivers based on Tesla's safety assurances. Justine Hsu, who alleged that her Tesla Model S swerved onto a curb in Autopilot mode in 2019, lost her case when a jury decided her vehicle acted as it should have, and that the company had disclosed everything it should have regarding the safety of the system. Several months after the Hsu verdict, Tesla defeated a case that made similar allegations in the fatal Autopilot accident that killed Micah Lee and injured two of his passengers. Tesla's answer to the Mendoza lawsuit (included in the PDF linked above) has been much the same: Namely, Autopilot and FSD worked as intended, and the accident was instead caused by "the negligence, acts or omissions of another, not Tesla." Whether the Mendoza case cracks Tesla's legal show remains to be seen, but there is precedent: While Tesla defeated the aforementioned two Autopilot accident cases last year, it chose to settle a third earlier this year involving the death of Walter Huang on the condition the amount it paid out remained secret. Tesla said in April that, if the payout became public knowledge, it could be perceived as evidence of Tesla's potential liability, and be devastating to the EV maker if others took up legal arms in response. Both Tesla and Mendoza's lawyers have requested trial by jury in this most recent case. Neither Tesla nor its lawyers in this case responded to questions. ®What Is Willow, Google’s New Computing Quantum Chip?
Cal staves off Sacramento State for third straight win
In conclusion, the signing of Naby Keita on a one-year loan deal with an option to buy represents a significant and strategic move by Ferencváros FC. With Keita's arrival, the club aims to strengthen their squad, enhance their competitiveness, and achieve success both domestically and in European competitions. The stage is set for Keita to make a positive impact and leave his mark on Hungarian football, as he embarks on this exciting new chapter in his career with Ferencváros.EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — Justin Herbert is dealing with an ankle injury for the second time this season. The Chargers quarterback did not practice Wednesday as Los Angeles began preparations for its game Sunday against Tampa Bay. Herbert injured his left ankle during the first quarter of last Sunday's 19-17 loss at Kansas City. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.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. Related Articles National Politics | Trump taps forceful ally of hard-line immigration policies to head Customs and Border Protection National Politics | How backlash to the pandemic helped shape Trump’s health picks National Politics | Nursing home industry wants Trump to rescind staffing mandate National Politics | Melania Trump says heading to the White House for the second term is much different than the first National Politics | Trump offers a public show of support for Pete Hegseth, his embattled nominee to lead the Pentagon 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.
ITV I'm A Celeb fans 'gutted' as Ant and Dec halt show to make big announcementIn the aftermath of the grand finals, as the excitement began to subside, the echoes of the tournament lingered on. The courageous performances, the thrilling comebacks, the moments of brilliance – they all contributed to an unforgettable spectacle that will be remembered for years to come. And as the champions basked in their well-deserved glory, they knew that this was not just a victory for themselves, but for all those who had supported them along the way.