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Illinois strengthens regulations on health insurance companies following Blue Cross Blue Shield investigation

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:51 GMT

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (NEXSTAR) - Health insurance companies will be under much more scrutiny going forward.The Joint Commission on Administrative Rules passed a new set of rules for how the Department of Insurance will enforce the Network Adequacy and Transparency Act. The new rules were proposed in April of last year following a Target 3 investigation into Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois. Central Illinois lawmakers celebrated the changes. The Bottom Line: ‘Ghost network’ haunts affordable access to health care "Taking on insurance companies is like taking on the elephant in the living room," Rep. Sue Scherer (D-Decatur). "And how do you eat an elephant one bite at a time. And that's what I feel like we're doing here is one bite at a time we're packing away until we get this right."The Network Adequacy and Transparency Act requires health insurance networks to meet certain adequacy standards, but the Department of Insurance could not enforce the law effectively because of the rule...

2nd Illinois prison guard sentenced

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:51 GMT

A second Illinois corrections officer has been sentenced to prison, according to a news release.Todd Sheffler. 54, a former lieutenant at the Western Illinois Correctional Center in Mt. Sterling, was sentenced Tuesday to an aggregate 20 years’ imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for civil rights deprivation resulting in bodily injury and death and obstruction of justice in connection with the death of Larry Earvin, an inmate at the facility,At the sentencing hearing in front of Senior U.S. District Judge Sue E. Myerscough, the government summarized the evidence from Sheffler’s 2022 trial. During the trial, the government presented evidence that Sheffler and co-defendants Alex Banta, 31, who was a correctional officer, and Willie Hedden, 43, who was a sergeant, participated in the May 17, 2018, assault of Earvin, 65, during their forcible escort of Earvin from the residential housing unit of the prison to the segregation housing unit while he was restrai...

Letters: A disappointed uncle pens an open letter to his nephew, Rep. Matt Soper

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:51 GMT

Colorado state Rep. Matt Soper, those were some disappointing tweetsMatthew,I felt the need to write to you directly and publicly to express how completely distasteful and offensive I find your tweets. Shame on you!So you think that Colorado is being Californicated? Statistically speaking, Californians are less likely to be murdered by a military-style assault weapon than people living in Colorado. That’s a verifiable fact.No one, absolutely no one, is trying to take all of your guns away!No one in the general public can feel safe anywhere anymore because of the proliferation of firearms in the United States. Guns/firearms are the problem, not the solution.Please tell me, what would be wrong with a ban on military-style (AR) assault weapons? Those weapons are made for only one reason — to kill other human beings.Your tweet sounds like you are trying to incite a Civil War. Who are these tyrants you are referring to? Other lawmakers who were fairly elected by the majority of the...

2 adult faculty members shot outside Denver’s East High School

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:51 GMT

Denver police were responding to a shooting outside East High School on Wednesday morning and said there were two adult victims — faculty members — and that a suspect had left the school.Denver Public Schools spokeswoman Rachel Childress confirmed the victims were two adult faculty members and that they’d been shot “near East Campus.”Police said they had been transported to area hospitals. No information was available on the condition of the adults.The police said in a Twitter posting shortly after 10 a.m. that they were working to gather information. A large police presence was expected in the area east of downtown Denver.UPDATE: EAST HSWe will be doing a controlled release once DPD allows. Parents can pick up their children @ 17th & Esplanade. Students who drove will be escorted to their cars in the parking lot & can leave. Students who ride the bus will be held until their bus arrives.— Denver Public Schools (@DPSNewsNow) March 22, 2023...

Monte Vista police fatally shoot 18-year-old they say jumped out window, ran at officers with knives

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:51 GMT

Police in the San Luis Valley town of Monte Vista shot and killed an 18-year-old Tuesday after state and local authorities say the teen jumped out of a window gripping two knives and ran at officers, swinging the blades at them.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | Englewood police officers shoot, kill man who allegedly threatened armed robbery Crime and Public Safety | Weld County grand jury clears former Greeley officer in fatal police shooting Crime and Public Safety | Police shooting during domestic disturbance in Colorado Springs under investigation Crime and Public Safety | Adams County deputy cleared in Interstate 70 police shooting Crime and Public Safety | Bystander sues Denver police officer who shot her in LoDo last summer Monte Vista police had been dispatched to conduct a welfare check Tuesday afternoon at the site and used a Taser to try to subdue the young man before shooting him, Colo...

Change begins: CU Buffs center Lawson Lovering reportedly headed to transfer portal

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:51 GMT

With the incoming recruiting class of 2023, Colorado men’s basketball coach Tad Boyle over-signed for the first time in his 13 seasons with the Buffaloes, expecting at least one roster defection.That loss apparently already has happened, and it isn’t the first player most Buffs fans likely would have guessed.According to a report published Tuesday evening by On3Sports, 7-foot-1 sophomore center Lawson Lovering has entered the transfer portal.While Lovering’s apparent defection solves the Buffs’ most immediate numbers issue, on a team that had two true freshmen redshirting and highly regarded recruit Quincy Allen sitting on the bench, a 34-game starter who came on strong down the stretch being the first to go arrives as a gut-punch.Lauded by Boyle throughout the Buffs’ 18-17 season for his consistent defense, Lovering struggled offensively during the first half of the season but improved as the weeks went on.He started 34 games, missing just the Dec. 21 win against Southern Utah due ...

Crash kills child, jams traffic on 60 Freeway in Industry

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:51 GMT

An early morning crash killed a child and closed westbound traffic on the 60 Freeway in Industry on Wednesday morning.The crash, which occurred a few minutes after 4 a.m., was reported as a wrong-way driver, though the California Highway Patrol can not confirm that was the case.Officials responded to the scene on the 60 Freeway at Crossroads Parkway and issued a SigAlert, closing all lanes of westbound traffic for several hours. One lane reopened by 7:20 a.m., and all lanes were fully reopened by about 9:15 a.m., Caltrans said.A crash on the 60 Freeway killed an 11-year-old child on March 22, 2023. (KeyNews.TV)A crash on the 60 Freeway killed an 11-year-old child on March 22, 2023. (KeyNews.TV)A crash on the 60 Freeway killed an 11-year-old child on March 22, 2023. (KeyNews.TV)One person, an 11-year-old child, was killed in the crash, and no information about other injuries was available.Footage from the scene shows what appears to be a compact car, possibly a Toyota, that suffered ...

Storm blamed for 2 deaths in California

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:51 GMT

A strong late-season Pacific storm that brought damaging winds and more rain and snow to saturated California has been blamed for two deaths and forecasters said additional flooding was possible Wednesday in parts of the state.Tuesday's storm blasted the San Francisco Bay Area with powerful gusts and downpours, pounded Sacramento — the state capital — with intense hail and set rainfall records in Southern California.The storm was gradually tapering off in California from north to south as the expansive system pushed inland across the Southwest, the Four Corners region and the central and southern Rockies, the National Weather Service said. On Tuesday, some residents of north-central Arizona were told to prepare to evacuate because of rising water levels in rivers and basins.A vehicle drives past fallen trees along Big Basin Way during the latest atmospheric storm event in Boulder Creek, Calif. Tuesday, March 21, 2023. (Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)A tree downed by high...

Rare parasite strain killed California sea otters, could pose human health risk: Study

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:51 GMT

(The Hill) -- An unusually virulent type of toxoplasmosis is killing California sea otters — and may pose an eventual public health threat to other marine animals and to humans, a new study has found.This deadly disease, thus far identified in four stranded otters, comes from a rare strain of the microscopic parasite Toxoplasma gondii, according to the study published Wednesday in Frontiers in Marine Science.While toxoplasmosis is common in sea otters and can be fatal, the authors stressed that this form appears to be especially vicious and capable of swiftly killing healthy adult animals.Because this strain of Toxoplasma has never been detected on California’s coast before, the researchers are assuming that it is a recent arrival.As such, they expressed concerns about potential contamination of the environment and the marine food chain — warning that such circumstances could pose a public health risk. Thus far, however, no infections have been reported in humans...

Easter Basket Gift Ideas For Kids

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:51 GMT

As a mom of two, I always wonder what exactly to put in my kids’ Easter baskets. I’m not a big fan of just filling it all up with sugar and candy. I like to find little goodies that they can continue to play with and be excited about. I found some really cool little gift ideas that I would love to share with you all.Here are a few fun toys that all the kids will love in their baskets this holiday!Little Live Pets Surprise Chick Playset ($24.99; 4-8 years old) No need to keep Surprise Chick “cooped” up at home, take it everywhere in the Little Live Pets Surprise Chick House. The playset lets the chicks hop and explore right outside their own front door. The Surprise Chick House playset comes with one of two Surprise Chicks with soft flocked skin and wings themed as either Donut or Cherry Blossom.Treasure X Dino Gold Dino Hunter ($9.99; ages 5+) Prepare to crack into some prehistoric playtime fun and adventure with the all-new Treasure X Dino Gold Dino Hunter with new dinos, a n...