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‘Crisis brewing’ in Trump Country as hospitals shutter at alarming rate, top ER doc warns
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There is a healthcare crisis brewing in the nation’s heartland, as evidenced by a landmark study conducted by the RAND Corporation in conjunction with top national emergency physicians.
The study from the Arlington nonprofit research institute found that emergency rooms (ERs) are no longer the safety net but the proverbial «front door» to the U.S. healthcare system, particularly after a 1986 law passed requiring ERs to stabilize patients or deliver babies from women in labor regardless of their ability to pay.
That has led to instability and hospital closures across the heartland, including in states where a dozen or more have closed, like Texas, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. States like West Virginia, Pennsylvania, the Carolinas and Alabama have also been affected.
«This RAND study is the first ever that points to this crisis, which is that the emergency departments and the care that patients receive in them usually is so critical that, especially for time-sensitive conditions that patients can have, just the fact that you have to travel as far as you might have to, or that even in some cases if a hospital is close to you, but it still doesn’t have the resources to operate efficiently,» said Dr. Randy Pilgrim, an ER doctor and chief medical officer for emergency room services company SCP Health in Atlanta.
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«[I]n emergency medicine, we do time-sensitive, high-quality care as long as we have the resources to do it. And this study shows that we really have a crisis brewing here.»
Nearly $5.9 billion in emergency services go unpaid every year, the study found. Overcrowding and spates of violence towards staff have exacerbated the problem.
EMTALA, the aforementioned law, is essentially an unfunded mandate in many cases, and lack of funding for hospitals that treat a large proportion of that uncompensated care — which tends to fall in rural areas or poor neighborhoods in cities — leads to the dual issue of higher patient volumes and more uninsured patients being seen.
Many hospitals outside of cities cannot fully account for the funding gap, Pilgrim said.
«The economics of reimbursement for physician care play a huge role. … We need more physicians generally in America, and we need physicians to feel like they can and will go to where they’re needed,» he said.
«Physicians won’t go where they are needed if there’s not enough resources or reimbursement to attract them.»
Rural hospitals characteristically pay less than higher-end urban hospitals and have fewer local resources.
With hospital demand «higher than ever,» all of the above factors mean help is needed now.
Pilgrim said he has met with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and other top officials at the agency, to discuss the issue — and hopes Washington can help.
«Secretary Kennedy… did a beautiful job of listening to what we were saying about the impending crisis that would probably happen during this administration,» Pilgrim said.
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«And he was concerned about it because he could tell that you can’t make patients healthy unless you have a healthy healthcare system for them to engage. So I’m very encouraged about what Secretary Kennedy and his staff are doing to try to make a difference on the pieces that they control.»
He also said Congress must act, particularly as 10,000 Americans turn 65 every day and are therefore eligible for Medicare, which presents a different environment than separate Medicaid.
«That’s where we see more volume of patients, more complexity, and much more clinical demand. But if the reimbursement in Medicare doesn’t keep pace with that demand, once again, you’re in this vicious cycle where emergency departments will be at greater risk, starting with the rural and underserved areas and moving forward from there.»
Some in Congress have banded together to advocate for healthcare-related issues, including members of the bicameral «Doctors Caucus.»
One member, Rep. Greg Murphy, R-N.C., is a urologist from Greenville who previously served as chief of staff at a Level-I trauma center. «Congress cannot leave rural America behind,» he said.
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«The most important thing Congress can do is to fix dwindling Medicare reimbursements for rural providers and ensure health insurance companies don’t play games with denied care and denied payments,» he said, pinning the decrease at 33% since 2001 if adjusted for inflation,» Murphy told Fox News Digital.
The lawmaker added that many hospitals in his area do not have commercial payers as part of their funding sources to help offset losses from Medicare and Medicaid disbursement amounts — and that all hospitals must root out waste as well.
Pilgrim was also asked why Americans outside the heartland with more reliable emergency care should be supportive of added funding or resources miles away from them.
«In a large city like Atlanta, if rural healthcare is not healthy and patients have to go somewhere else, they will eventually end up in your hospital… So spending a dollar somewhere else besides in your own hospital if you’re in a better place makes a lot of sense for you…» he said.
INTERNACIONAL
Estas son las cinco condiciones aprobadas por Israel para poner fin a la guerra en Gaza
Israel dio un nuevo paso en su estrategia militar y política en la Franja de Gaza al definir los términos que, según su gobierno, permitirían poner fin al actual conflicto con el grupo terrorista Hamas. En una sesión clave celebrada este viernes, el Gabinete de Seguridad aprobó una serie de principios que establecen las condiciones mínimas para un eventual alto el fuego, así como un nuevo plan de acción militar centrado en la ocupación de la Ciudad de Gaza, uno de los últimos bastiones del grupo islamista.
Las decisiones se producen en un momento en que el conflicto ha alcanzado un punto crítico tanto en el frente militar como en el terreno diplomático. Las autoridades israelíes sostienen que la derrota total de Hamas y la recuperación de los rehenes son objetivos innegociables. A la vez, se intensifican los debates internos sobre la viabilidad y el impacto humanitario de una ocupación más amplia del enclave palestino.
Los principios, informados por la Oficina del Primer Ministro, son:
- El desarme de Hamas.
- El regreso de todos los rehenes, vivos y muertos.
- La desmilitarización de Gaza.
- Control de seguridad israelí en Gaza.
- El establecimiento de una administración civil que no sea ni Hamas ni la Autoridad Palestina.
Según el comunicado oficial, “una mayoría decisiva de ministros del Gabinete de Seguridad creía que el plan alternativo que se había presentado al Gabinete de Seguridad no lograría la derrota de Hamas ni el regreso de los rehenes”.
Horas antes de la aprobación de la misión, el primer ministro Benjamin Netanyahu declaró que Israel no quiere gobernar Gaza. “Queremos entregársela a fuerzas árabes que la gobiernen adecuadamente sin amenazarnos y garantizando una vida digna para los gazatíes; eso no es posible con Hamas”, afirmó.
En la misma sesión, el gabinete también aprobó un plan militar presentado por Netanyahu para que las Fuerzas de Defensa de Israel (FDI) ocupen la Ciudad de Gaza, situada en el norte del enclave palestino. La decisión fue comunicada oficialmente por la Oficina del Primer Ministro y confirmada por medios locales.
Según el comunicado, las FDI se prepararán para avanzar sobre la ciudad y se comprometerán a garantizar la provisión de ayuda humanitaria a la población civil ubicada fuera de las zonas de combate. La oficina del primer ministro señaló que el gabinete respaldó la “propuesta de Netanyahu para derrotar a Hamas” y que Israel “proporcionará ayuda humanitaria a la población civil fuera de las zonas de combate”.
Indicó, además, que de los 50 rehenes que Israel contabiliza como aún cautivos de Hamas, se cree que 20 continúan con vida. El regreso de estas personas, junto con la eliminación de la capacidad militar del grupo, forman parte central de los principios aprobados.
Medios israelíes señalaron que el plan alternativo rechazado sería el impulsado por el jefe del Estado Mayor de las FDI, Eyal Zamir, quien expresó su oposición a la ocupación total de la franja, argumentando que podría derivar en un desastre humanitario y poner en riesgo la vida de los cautivos.
El comunicado del gobierno se refiere únicamente a la Ciudad de Gaza y no menciona la ocupación de toda la Franja, aunque el jueves Netanyahu había declarado que su objetivo era tomar el control total del enclave. La ciudad representa aproximadamente el 25% del territorio que las FDI todavía no controlan, junto con varios campos de refugiados en el centro de Gaza.
No está claro si las otras áreas no conquistadas serán incluidas en etapas posteriores del plan aprobado. El énfasis en la Ciudad de Gaza indica que la toma de control militar se iniciará de manera gradual.
La ciudad, donde viven cerca de 800.000 residentes, es uno de los últimos bastiones bajo control de Hamas y concentra una alta densidad de población civil. Su eventual ocupación reduciría aún más el territorio habitable para los 2 millones de habitantes de Gaza y anticipa complejidades operativas y humanitarias en las próximas semanas.
(Con información de EFE)
Middle East,Military Conflicts,ISRAEL-GAZA BORDER
INTERNACIONAL
President Trump increases federal law enforcement presence in DC following violent crime surge
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President Donald Trump has directed federal law enforcement to increase its presence throughout Washington, D.C., following a concerning surge in violent crime, including an incident in which a former DOGE worker nicknamed «Big Balls» was brutally beaten in the streets this week.
Trump signed an executive order in March establishing the «Making DC Safe and Beautiful Task Force.» Now the administration is taking a whole-of-government approach by deploying additional law enforcement to increase presence and improve overall public safety in the nation’s capital city, according to a source familiar with the plans.
The operation, which will use both local and federal law enforcement agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, DEA and others, begins at midnight on Thursday and will initially last for seven days with the option to extend «as needed.»
Law enforcement will focus on improving safety in high-traffic tourist areas and other known hotspots.
TRUMP WHITE HOUSE CELEBRATES LATEST CHAPTER OF WINS AT 200-DAY MARK
Following a former DOGE worker nicknamed «Big Balls» being brutally beaten by gang members in the streets of Washington, D.C., President Donald Trump indicated he is strongly considering taking control of the district to stamp out the rampant crime and violence plaguing the nation’s capital city. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images and AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
In a statement to Fox News, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced «there will be no safe harbor for violent criminals in D.C.» beginning on Thursday night.
«Washington, DC is an amazing city, but it has been plagued by violent crime for far too long,» Leavitt said. «President Trump has directed an increased presence of federal law enforcement to protect innocent citizens. Starting tonight, there will be no safe harbor for violent criminals in D.C.»
She added, «President Trump is committed to making our Nation’s capital safer for its residents, lawmakers, and visitors from all around the world.»
The source familiar with the plans noted that stamping out the «out-of-control violent crime plaguing DC» has been an «ongoing priority» for the president and that the move is him delivering on his campaign promise to restore the capital city.
TRUMP THREATENS TO FEDERALIZE DC AFTER EX-DOGE EMPLOYEE ‘BIG BALLS’ VIOLENTLY BEATEN
A view of the White House at night in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 23, 2022. (Roy Rochlin/Getty Images)
Among the priorities laid out in Trump’s executive order, he directed the task force to deploy a more robust federal law enforcement presence and coordinate with local law enforcement in the District of Columbia, including the National Mall and Memorial Parks, museums, monuments, Lafayette Park, Union Station, Rock Creek Park, Anacostia Park, the George Washington Memorial Parkway, the Suitland Parkway, and the Baltimore-Washington Parkway.
The order also instructs the task force to review and, if needed, revise federal prosecutorial policies on pretrial detention of criminal defendants to ensure individuals who pose a threat to public safety are detained to the maximum extent permitted by law.
Additionally, the order instructs the task force to direct maximum enforcement of federal immigration law, redirecting federal, state or local law enforcement resources to apprehend and deport illegals throughout the area.
WATCH: TRUMP HINTS HE WILL FEDERALIZE DC SOON, BRING IN NATIONAL GUARD AFTER ‘BIG BALLS’ ATTACK
President Donald Trump gestures to the crowd at the Conservative Political Action Conference, CPAC, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, in Oxon Hill, Md. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
The source said the additional law enforcement will be devoted to protecting D.C. residents and visitors from the «scourge of violent crime plaguing» the city.
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«President Trump promised to Make DC Safe Again on the campaign trail – this is another promise kept,» they said.
donald trump,executive policy,washington dc,crime world,police and law enforcement
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A zoo in Europe is inviting the public to turn unwanted pets into prey, calling for donations of fluffy rabbits and family guinea pigs to be euthanized and fed to its predator residents.
The Aalborg Zoo in Denmark announced the program in a Facebook post, sparking public uproar, including the ire of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
«If you have an animal that, for various reasons, needs to be rehomed, you are welcome to donate it to us. The animals are humanely euthanized by trained staff and then used as feed,» the zoo wrote in the social media post. «In this way, nothing goes to waste — and we ensure natural behavior, proper nutrition, and well-being for our predators.»
The zoo said private individuals and businesses can donate chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs, which organizers said make up an important part of predators’ diets.
The zoo is accepting small animals such as guinea pigs and larger animals for prey donations. (iStock)
PETA CALLS MAINE LOBSTER FESTIVAL ‘EGREGIOUSLY CRUEL’ IN NEW LAWSUIT AGAINST CITY
Specifically, the zoo said the Eurasian lynx requires «whole» prey animals that resemble what it would naturally hunt in the wild.
«In zoos, we have a responsibility to replicate the animals’ natural food chain — for the sake of both animal welfare and professional integrity,» employees wrote in the post.
The zoo is also accepting horses, noting owners «can join us all the way if you wish.»
A Eurasian lynx stalks prey in a forest. (Philippe Clement/Arterra/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
HUNDREDS OF ANIMALS FLEE CARTEL CHAOS, VIOLENCE AFTER WILDLIFE REFUGE FACED WITH THREATS
PETA weighed in on the controversial initiative, saying there is nothing «natural» about the donation request.
«It’s not ‘natural behaviour’ for predators from Asia, who roam and hunt for their meals, to be fed companion animals who originated in South America,» PETA wrote in an online news release. «Companion animals are never needed to ‘imitate the natural food chain of the [zoo’s] animals’ (as an Aalborg Zoo spokesperson described the program).»
Horses can also be donated for prey, according to the zoo. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)
BEARS ESCAPE WILDLIFE PARK ENCLOSURE AND FEAST ON WEEK’S WORTH OF HONEY
PETA added if the Aalborg Zoo «truly cares about animals,» it should focus on protecting species in their natural habitats.
The zoo later turned off the comments on its Facebook post detailing the program, citing «significant international interest.»
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«We understand that the post evokes emotions and interest, but hateful and malicious rhetoric is unnecessary — and we encourage keeping a respectful tone,» leadership wrote. «We’re happy to elaborate and answer questions via private messages or email.»
The Aalborg Zoo and PETA did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
europe,world,pets,lifestyle
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