More from the article ...

... In January, the Trump administration rolled out a pilot program that uses artificial intelligence to authorize or deny certain types of care for patients with Medicare -- a federal healthcare program for seniors that previously hasn't required doctors to get any such pre-approval, called prior authorization.

Not long after, media outlets began relaying the disastrous outcomes: technical difficulties, long delays in decisions and care, puzzling denials, frustrated doctors, and patients suffering in pain. Those reports were largely confirmed earlier this month when the Electronic Frontier Foundation released a tranche of federal documents about the program, called WISeR, that the group obtained amid litigation.

The documents included feedback from healthcare providers, including one who called the program "a disgrace to the human race" and reported seeing patients crying in pain as they waited for care.

Amid the worrying reports, lawmakers have been trying to get answers and shut the program down. Meanwhile, the Government Accountability Office determined in May that Trump officials did not follow proper procedure in setting up the program, calling its legality into question. Still, it appears to be moving ahead unabated, with plans to expand in the years to come.

Last week, Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.) called a committee vote to try to get the Trump administration to release more documents about WISeR, but Republicans voted the effort down. ...

@#10

@#1 ... "That was a turning point for me. I realized this wasn't about public safety -- it was about liability," ...

Oh, this could get interesting.

Or not ...

More from the article ...

... Peggy Dixon is a former environmental tester turned whistleblower with the Government Accountability Project.

She worked on the cleanup of the 2023 East Palestine, Ohio, train wreck. Twenty of the affected train cars contained materials the Environmental Protection Agency deemed hazardous, including vinyl chloride, ethylene glycol, ethylhexyl acrylate, butyl acrylate and isobutylene.

Now, in the affidavit, Dixon says the company that hired her was Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health (now known as Onterris).

Norfolk Southern contracted the company, and Dixon writes they both worked to hide how bad the contamination really was.

"That was a turning point for me. I realized this wasn't about public safety -- it was about liability," Dixon said. She was part of the response teams in the weeks after the derailment, in the excavation work in 2024 and last year's work to close the site.

According to the affidavit, Dixon said project managers emphasized to field staff they needed "zeroes" " results indicating things were safe -- or they would be presumed incompetent and sent home.

The former tester also said EPA and Ohio agencies went along with it.

"These actions, which I personally observed, were part of a coordinated effort by government and corporate entities to conceal the true environmental and public health impacts of the derailment and open burn of five vinyl chloride train cars," Dixon said.

Dixon worked with Onterris for five years as a rapid responder and environmental scientist with degrees in biology and chemistry plus certifications in rail safety and hazardous waste response, and she passed a federal background check, according to the affidavit.

Norfolk Southern, the EPA and Onterris have not responded to requests for comment as of publishing. ...

&NBSP

@#4

... wish I had said that ...

Oh, wait, I did ...

;)

A random thought ...

@#137 ... It took Trump and Musk 1 year to destroy our country.

At least you finally owned the libs! Yeehaw!! ...

Ya know, that is one of the more astute comments I've seen here today.

The goal does not seem to be an exchange of information, but more of owning libs.

Succinct. Yet astute.

thx.

@#135 ...

Flagged as "Funny?"

I regard that as a badge of honor.

Do try harder, to whomever. ...

@#74 ... inadequately verification of mail-in voting. ...

Evidence, please.

What's yer got?

@#1 ... We lost this war. ...

But Pres Trump has declared victory (how many times?) that we have won this war.

At this point, imo, it is too early to understand what may have occurred in the meeting, aside from the usual lies spouted by Pres Trump.

But, going into this meeting, Pres Xi had shown himself to be a leader concerned about the ~long term,~ and Pres Trump has shown himself to be a leader of ~what can you do for me now.~

@#34 ... No one is denying anyone the right to vote. ...

Oh, sometimes your trolling alias says the funniest things.

The GOP is actively trying to deny the right to vote of those who might tend to vote against them.

To wit ...

@#134 ... If you can't see the relevancy, no one can help you. ...

So, ya got nada, and like Pres Trump you seem to blame others for your shortcomings.

Do try harder.

:)

@#30 ... This is completely illogical. ...

Tell that to your apparent alter-ego.

@#31 ... How about proof of citizenship in order to register? ..

How many might qualified voters might that requirement disenfranchise valid voters from being able to register vs the number of people it may find of invalid voters?

Please, specify verified numbers, and not the usual phlegm of your current trolling alias.

thx.

@#1 ... Without socialism, aka bailouts, capitalism would have failed decades ago. ...

Maybe. But I am not yet convinced of that.

... Republicans are the stupidest people in America and billionaires are exploiting them. ...

OK, I have issues with that comment.

For starters, Republicans are not all stupid.

To wit ... The billionaire Republicans seem to be quite cognizant of the damage they seem to be precipating upon the Country.

But they don't seem to have a need to care, because their mounds of money will buy them an exit.

While the El Nino's wind shear seems to be reducing the hurricane season in the Atlantic (understatement, at best), the Pacific seems to be active of late.

@#1 ... Additionally, The Guardian reports that at least 11 states and one US territory are part of a universal vaccine purchase program, in which they buy all vaccines for children -- regardless of their ability to pay or insurance status ...

So the health of the children is paramount.

... "The delay in VFC means delays in these states' ability to get vaccine for all children," Demetre Daskalakis, former director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases and chief medical officer at Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, told The Guardian. ...

But the Trump admin seems to have a differing view regarding the health of children?

More from the article ...

... Usually, the CDC would allow states to order the newly available seasonal COVID-19 vaccines through the federal Vaccine for Children (VFC) program, which provides vaccines at no cost to children who are uninsured, underinsured, Medicaid-eligible, or Indigenous people in the US. Approximately 52 percent of all US children are eligible for vaccines through the program.

Additionally, The Guardian reports that at least 11 states and one US territory are part of a universal vaccine purchase program, in which they buy all vaccines for children -- regardless of their ability to pay or insurance status -- through contracts otherwise for the VFC. The 11 states and one territory include: Alaska, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wyoming, and American Samoa.

"The delay in VFC means delays in these states' ability to get vaccine for all children," Demetre Daskalakis, former director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases and chief medical officer at Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, told The Guardian. ...

@#18 ... So, where to go? ...

My guess (and it is only that) is that this Election Day will be a "throw the bums out" type of election.

(and, thx, for your explanatory comment, btw. Appreciated.)

OK, let's look through history, in a not-so-detailed (and an unseriously)-manner ...

- humans emerged

- they were living on plains

- then they discovered caves

- but caves were cold, but the food was preserved because of that cold

- then humans discovered fire to heat up those caves

- but, because of that heat, humans discovered that food rots at warm temperatures

- so humans started to bring ice into the now warm caves to keep the food cold.

- thus, eventually, the creation of the Freon-enabled refrigerator.

- And then is is discovered that Freon (dichlorodifluoromethane) makes the world hotter ...

I'll stop here ...

@#1 ... "What Trump and Secretary Hegseth dismissed as 'fake news' turned out to be serious and deteriorating conditions for our service members," she said.

"That this administration can find endless taxpayer dollars for bombs, ballrooms and billionaires, but cannot take care of our armed services members, is completely unacceptable," added Gillibrand. ...

Worth a repeat to show the callous attitude of the Trump admin (Pres Trump and Sec Defense Hegseth) toward those who serve the Country.

@#41 ... It's alaska with better healthcare. ...

Not just better healthcare, but also better education, and (not limited to) a better distribution of the wealth of the Countries.