Prior

Texas’ Gold Card Experiment Stalls: Why Few Providers Win Exemption from Prior Authorizations

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Austin, Texas — To streamline the medical preauthorization process for physicians, several states, including Texas, have introduced “gold card” laws aimed at exempting commonly approved procedures or prescriptions from repetitive checks. However, the anticipated simplification has not unfolded as expected, and the laws often fall short of their promise. Under the 2021 Texas gold card law, a health insurer or health maintenance organization (HMO) is required to waive preauthorization if a provider has had a 90% or higher approval rate during a six-month evaluation. This exemption, designed to be automatic, should relieve some of the … Read more

Warnings Ignored: UCIL Dismissed Safety Concerns Prior to 1984 Disaster, Claiming Allegations Were ‘Baseless’

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In Bhopal, India, overlooked warnings and unaddressed safety concerns at the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) led to one of the worst industrial disasters in history. Despite clear cautions about the potential hazards at its pesticide plant, UCIL failed to overhaul its safety mechanisms, which culminated in the catastrophic gas leak on December 3, 1984. The disaster resulted in thousands of deaths and continued health problems for countless others. Months before the tragedy, safety concerns were explicitly raised. On April 29, 1983, Khan, an attorney from Bhopal, flagged potential disaster risks at the UCIL facility. … Read more

Man Found Guilty of Murdering Girlfriend Shortly After Jail Release for Prior Assault

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Philadelphia, PA — A Philadelphia man was found guilty by a jury of murdering his girlfriend, mere days after he was released from jail for assaulting her. The conviction highlights a tragic sequence of events that raise questions about the adequacy of protective measures for victims of domestic violence upon the release of offenders. The man, whose previous jail term was related to a domestic violence incident involving the same woman, evidently resumed his violent behavior almost immediately after his release. This has sparked a dialogue concerning judicial processes and the safeguarding measures that follow … Read more

Families Accuse Colorado Authorities of Disregarding ‘Red Flag’ Laws Prior to Club Q Tragedy

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Colorado Springs, CO — In the wake of the tragic shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs, several lawsuits have been filed accusing state officials of failing to enforce “red flag” laws that could have prevented the incident. The lawsuits point to apparent oversights in utilizing the state’s existing preventive measures, leaving critical questions about the enforcement of laws designed to stop such violent acts. The red flag laws, officially known as extreme risk protection orders, are intended to remove firearms from individuals deemed a threat to themselves or others. These laws have been in … Read more