Latest from Raqami TV
New York Times
29 minutes ago
- Health
- New York Times
Insurers Pledge to Ease Controversial Prior Approvals for Medical Care
Facing regulatory crackdowns and intensifying criticism from patients and doctors, the nation's biggest health insurers said on Friday that they would retreat from tactics that have delayed medical care and led at times to denials for necessary treatments. For years, the widespread practice known as prior authorization has vexed patients who might not have been notified until the day of surgery whether a procedure would be covered by their insurance or if a prescription medicine would be denied for no clear reason. Insurers often send unintelligible form letters, leaving patients to puzzle out the basis for the denial or what their next steps should be. Patients may delay or even abandon necessary medical care because they may not even be aware that they can appeal the decisions. Lawmakers, regulators and public outrage have drawn attention to abuses of the system, leading to mounting calls for reforms. Insurers have also been the target of myriad lawsuits, some of which attributed patient deaths to those denials and delays. The murder of Brian Thompson, a UnitedHealthcare executive, last December renewed criticisms of the tactic, unleashing a barrage of complaints that the practice was deployed to avoid covering care. 'Prior authorization is a huge issue for people who are in managed care plans because it is one of the ways plans use to control their costs,' said David A. Lipschutz, co-director for the Center for Medicare Advocacy. He pointed to several studies showing that insurers may have inappropriately denied care, particularly in private Medicare plans. Various reports from federal regulators and researchers show that the vast majority of appeals are successful. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Daily Mail
29 minutes ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Royal Mail boss jumps ship after Czech takeover
Royal Mail's boss has quit weeks after the postal service fell into foreign hands for the first time in its 509-year history. In a move that caught the business world by surprise, Emma Gilthorpe left having been appointed chief executive a little over a year ago. The former Heathrow director will be replaced on an interim basis by chief operating officer Alistair Cochrane. Her departure comes after Royal Mail's parent company International Distribution Services (IDS) was bought by Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky for £3.6billion. The energy tycoon nicknamed the 'Czech Sphinx' for his inscrutable approach to business decisions swooped on the firm last year in a move that prompted outrage from politicians and businesses. The controversial deal, which was approved by 80 per cent of shareholders, saw the postal service fall into overseas ownership for the first time since it was established by Henry VIII in 1516. IDS chairman Keith Williams and the rest of the board stepped down as planned when the firm delisted from the London Stock Exchange in May. But IDS chief executive Martin Seidenberg and finance chief Michael Snape will stay in their roles. The company had not publicly confirmed whether Gilthorpe, 55, would continue to lead Royal Mail under its new owner. Dan Coatsworth, investment analyst at AJ Bell, said: 'A new owner means a different way of thinking and that normally includes a fresh sweep in the boardroom. 'Daniel Kretinsky is a brave man for wanting to own Royal Mail as it comes with a multitude of challenges. He'll already have a firm idea how to fix it and he'll want to parachute his own choice of leader into the company. 'Gilthorpe might have come to the conclusion that if she did not leave of her own free will now, it was inevitable that she would have been pushed out later on.' As part of the deal, Kretinsky agreed to a series of conditions to secure approval from ministers. The Government will retain a 'golden share' in the business. This means any changes to Royal Mail's ownership, tax residency or where its headquarters are based will need ministers' approval. Kretinsky, 49, must also retain the Universal Service Obligation (USO), which guarantees a first-class postal service to anywhere in the UK for a fixed price six days a week. But these rules are set to be changed by the regulator Ofcom, which has proposed cutting second-class deliveries to every other working day. Gilthorpe said yesterday she 'will always be incredibly proud to have led Royal Mail', adding: 'I look forward to seeing Royal Mail continue to transform in the years ahead.'
Reuters
29 minutes ago
- Business
- Reuters
Walmart to pay $10 million to settle US FTC lawsuit over money transfer fraud
June 20 (Reuters) - Walmart (WMT.N), opens new tab has agreed to pay $10 million to settle a U.S. Federal Trade Commission civil lawsuit accusing the world's largest retailer of ignoring warning signs that fraudsters used its money transfer services to fleece consumers out of hundreds of millions of dollars. The settlement was filed on Friday in Chicago federal court, and requires approval by U.S. District Judge Manish Shah. Walmart also agreed not to process money transfers it suspects are fraudulent, or help sellers and telemarketers it believes are using its services to commit fraud. "Electronic money transfers are one of the most common ways that scammers tell consumers to send them money, because once it's sent, it's gone for good," said Christopher Mufarrige, director of the FTC consumer protection bureau. "Companies that provide these services must train their employees to comply with the law and work to protect consumers." The Bentonville, Arkansas-based retailer did not admit or deny wrongdoing in agreeing to settle. Walmart did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In its June 2022 complaint, the FTC accused Walmart of turning a blind eye to fraudsters who used its money transfer services to cash out at its stores. Walmart acts as an agent for money transfers by companies such as MoneyGram, Ria (EEFT.O), opens new tab and Western Union (WU.N), opens new tab. Money can be hard to trace once delivered. The FTC said fraudsters used many schemes that included impersonating Internal Revenue Service agents, impersonating family members who needed money from grandparents to avoid jail, and telling victims they won lotteries or sweepstakes but owed fees to collect their winnings. Shah dismissed part of the FTC case last July but let the regulator pursue the remainder. Walmart appealed from that decision. Friday's settlement would end the appeal. The case is Federal Trade Commission v Walmart Inc, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, No. 22-03372.
Daily Mail
30 minutes ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Bishop appointed by Pope Leo calls for ICE to stop deportations
A bishop appointed by Pope Leo descended on a California court today with a dozen other priests and faith leaders in an attempt to persuade ICE against deporting migrants. Newly-appointed Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of San Diego, Michael Pham made an appeal on June 11, asking fellow men of the cloth to join migrants at hearings at the federal courthouse on June 20, International Refugee Day. Friday, he was among 16 who went to the Southern California federal courthouse to support the migrants in the US legally who were pleading their cases. In his appeal, Pham said the migrants were in a 'difficult predicament' of being hauled before judges. 'We know that migrants and refugees find themselves in the difficult predicament of being called to appear, which is what the government asks of them, and then being given orders for expedited removal from our country. 'It has been experienced that the presence of faith leaders makes a difference in how the migrants are treated. 'Unfortunately, it will most likely not change the outcome,' he said. A spokesman for the Diocese of San Diego told Daily Mail the religious delegation who sat in court on Friday were not there to confront anyone and had informed judges of their presence ahead of time. It's unclear what impact they had. Dramatic and emotional scenes have played out in courts across the country where migrants who went from legal to illegal in seconds are taken away. In situations where a parent will be deported, their American kids can either be removed from the US along with them or stay behind with family in the US. The migrants most at risk for being caught up in this legal catch-22 are those who have arrived in country in the last two years. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has jurisdiction of new cases for two years. When those migrants are arriving in court, Trump federal prosecutors will inform the judge that they want to dismiss the case. However, that doesn't mean the legal claim can forward. Instead, it means the case is out of the hands of the court and ICE now has jurisdiction to make an arrest. Priests and churches across the country have spoken out against Trump's deportation policies. In Los Angeles, priests stood shoulder to shoulder with anti-ICE protestors as riots exploded earlier this month. When Trump first won re-election, the United Methodist Church issued a blistering rebuke of the president-elect two days after his victory. 'The lessons of teach us the dangers of silence in the face of threats to human rights,' the Council of Bishops wrote on Nov. 7. 'We therefore reject rhetoric, policies, and actions that demean or discriminate against any of God's children and will be vigilant in defending the rights of the vulnerable and speaking out against oppression.'
Android Authority
30 minutes ago
- Android Authority
Google Pixel Stand (2nd Gen) deal: We've never seen it this cheap!
Robert Triggs / Android Authority As Android fans, the Google Pixel Stand (2nd Gen) is obviously one of our favorite wireless chargers. It doesn't often go on sale, and the lowest we've seen it go for was $53.93 back in 2022! Today, it's on sale for just $43.99, making this a record-low price. Get the Google Pixel Stand 2nd Gen for just $43.99 ($35.01 off) This offer is available from eBay, but the seller is actually Best Buy. This gives us a level of confidence, as it is not just a random online seller. Google Pixel Stand Wireless Charger (2nd Gen) Google Pixel Stand Wireless Charger (2nd Gen) Much more than just fast wireless charging for the Pixel 7 and Pixel 6. The Pixel Stand (2nd gen) is built to unlock your Pixel 7's Assistant capabilities while fast charging. It also wirelessly charges a wide range of other smartphones quickly too. See price at eBay Save $35.01 The Google Pixel Stand (2nd Gen) is an excellent wireless charger, especially if you use a Pixel smartphone with it. It can charge Pixel devices at up to 23W, but those speeds don't work with all devices. For example, you can charge a Pixel 9 Pro XL at 23W, but the Pixel 9 Pro speeds are reduced to 21W, and the Pixel 9 can juice up at 15W. For non-Pixel phones, the maximum charging speed is 15W. It's not the fastest charger out there, but it is pretty speedy, especially with compatible Pixel devices. Robert Triggs / Android Authority The integrated fan makes it more efficient, as it keeps your device cool while charging. This means charging will throttle less, as phones usually slow down charging when they get too hot, and wireless charging produces a lot of heat. Additionally, batteries get slowly damaged with heat, so keeping the phone cooler will extend the battery's overall life. I also happen to love its clean, minimalist design. Not to mention the fact that it doubles as a stand, offering easy access to your apps and content even while charging. It's great for desks, side tables, and so on. This is a really nice deal if you want to catch Google's best wireless charger. Make sure to act quickly, though, as this is a record-low price on a product that seems to be going away soon. Google doesn't even have it in stock anymore, so chances are retailers are getting rid of extra units.
