#Medical Billing Services in South Carolina

[lgbttruther]

Hi, local long-time tumblr resident here. Please take a moment to spread this message if you can.

In South Carolina, my home state, bill H. 4624 is swiftly being approved and passed through legislation with virtually no media coverage or conversation happening around it.

It is a dangerous and aggressively transphobic bill that will outlaw treatment for any trans person under 18, would require school teachers, counselors, and medical practictioners to disclose a student's status as trans to parents (which can lead to abuse or worse) and will also make it illegal to use any public funds to cover transition-related medical services for anyone of ANY age.

For transgender adults on medicaid or the state health plan, this is absolutely terrifying.

For anyone in SC who believes trans people should be allowed to live dignified and peaceful lives, I urge you to read up on the bill and to send emails to the governor and (if they are on the medical affairs committee) your local senator.

Links below.

Bill H. 4624

An explanation of the bill

Find your local senator

Message the Governor

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

I asked chatgbt to make an image of Florida running out of homeowners insurance and flooded by a hurricane.

* * * *

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

September 27, 2024

Heather Cox Richardson

Sep 28, 2024

Last night, at about 11:10 local time, Hurricane Helene made landfall in the Big Bend area of Florida, where the state’s panhandle curves down toward the peninsula. It was classified as a Category 4 storm when it hit, bringing winds of 140 miles per hour (225 km per hour). The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane wind scale, developed in 1971 by civil engineer Herbert Saffir and meteorologist Robert Simpson, divides storms according to sustained wind intensity in an attempt to explain storms on a scale similar to the Richter scale for earthquakes. 

The Saffir-Simpson scale defines a Category 4 hurricane as one that brings catastrophic damage. According to the National Weather Service, which was established in 1870 to give notice of “the approach and force of storms,” and is now part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a Category 4 hurricane has winds of 134–156 miles (209–251 km) per hour. “Well-built framed homes can sustain severe damage with loss of most of the roof structure and/or some exterior walls. Most trees will be snapped or uprooted and power poles downed. Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas. Power outages will last weeks to possibly months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks or months.” 

Hurricane Helene hit with a 15-foot (4.6 meter) storm surge and left a path of destruction across Florida before moving up into Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Kentucky with torrential rain, flash floods, high winds, and tornadoes. A record level of more than eleven inches of rain fell in Atlanta, Georgia. At least 45 people have died in the path of the storm, and more than 4.5 million homes and businesses across ten states are without power. The roads in western North Carolina are closed. Moody’s Analytics said it expects the storm to leave $15 to $26 billion in property damage.

Officials from NOAA, the scientific and regulatory agency that forecasts weather and monitors conditions in the oceans and skies, predict that record-warm ocean temperatures this year will produce more storms than usual. NOAA hurricane scientist Jeff Masters noted that Helene’s landfall “gives the U.S. a record eight Cat 4 or Cat 5 Atlantic hurricane landfalls in the past eight years (2017–2024), seven of them being continental U.S. landfalls. That’s as many Cat 4 and 5 landfalls as occurred in the prior 57 years.”

President Joe Biden approved emergency declarations for Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina before Helene made landfall. Tennessee governor Bill Lee, a Republican, did not ask for such a declaration until this evening, instead proclaiming September 27 a “voluntary Day of Prayer and Fasting.” Observers pointed out that with people stuck on a hospital roof in the midst of catastrophic flooding in his state, maybe an emergency declaration would be more on point. 

After a state or a tribal government asks for federal help, an emergency declaration enables the federal government to provide funds to supplement local and state emergency efforts, as well as to deploy the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help save lives, protect property, and protect health and safety. Before Helene made landfall, the federal government placed personnel and resources across the region, ready to help with search and rescue, restore power, and provide food and water and emergency generators. 

The federal government sent 1,500 federal personnel to the region, as well as about 8,000 members of the U.S. Coast Guard and teams from the Army Corps of Engineers to provide emergency power. It provided two health and medical task forces to help local hospitals and critical care facilities, and sent in more than 2.7 million meals, 1.6 million liters of water, 50,000 tarps, 10,000 cots, 20,000 blankets, 70,000 gallons of diesel fuel, and 40,000 gallons of gasoline to provide supplies for those hit by the catastrophe. 

FEMA was created in 1979 after the National Governors Association asked President Jimmy Carter to centralize federal emergency management functions. That centralization recognized the need for coordination as people across the country responded to a disaster in any one part of it. When a devastating fire ripped through Portsmouth, New Hampshire, the day after Christmas in 1802, Congress agreed to send aid to the town, but volunteers organized by local and state governments and funded by wealthy community members provided most of the response and recovery efforts for the many disasters of the 1800s. 

When a deadly hurricane wiped out Galveston, Texas, in 1900, killing at least 6,000 residents and destroying most of the city’s buildings, the inept machine government proved unable to manage the donations pouring in from across the country to help survivors. Six years later, when an earthquake badly damaged San Francisco and ensuing fires from broken gas lines engulfed the city in flames, the interim fire chief—who took over when the fire chief was gravely injured—called in federal troops to patrol the streets and guard buildings. More than 4,000 Army troops also fed, sheltered, and clothed displaced city residents. 

When the Mississippi River flooded in 1927, sending up to 30 feet (9 meters) of  water across ten states, including Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana, killing about 500 people and displacing hundreds of thousands more, President Calvin Coolidge appointed Commerce Secretary Herbert Hoover to coordinate the federal disaster response and pull together the many private-sector interests eager to help out under federal organization. This marked the first time the federal government took charge after a disaster. 

In 1950, Congress authorized federal response to disasters when it passed the Federal Disaster Assistance Program. In response to the many disasters of the 1960s—the 1964 Alaska Earthquake, Hurricane Betsy in 1965, and Hurricane Camille in 1969—the Department of Housing and Urban Development established a way to provide housing for disaster survivors. Congress provided guaranteed flood insurance to homeowners, and in 1970 it also authorized federal loans and federal funding for those affected by disasters. 

When he signed the Disaster Relief Act of 1970, Republican president Richard Nixon said: “I am pleased with this bill which responds to a vital need of the American people. The bill demonstrates that the Federal Government in cooperation with State and local authorities is capable of providing compassionate assistance to the innocent victims of natural disasters.”

Four years later, Congress established the process for a presidential disaster declaration. By then, more than 100 different federal departments and agencies had a role in responding to disasters, and the attempts of state, tribal, and local governments to interface with them created confusion. So the National Governors Association asked President Carter to streamline the process. In Executive Order 12127 he brought order to the system with the creation of FEMA.

In 2003, after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the U.S., the George W. Bush administration brought FEMA into its newly-created Department of Homeland Security, along with 21 other agencies, wrapping natural disasters together with terrorist attacks as matters of national security. After 2005’s Hurricane Katrina required the largest disaster response in U.S. history, FEMA’s inadequate response prompted a 2006 reform act that distinguished responding to natural disasters from responding to terrorist attacks. In 2018, another reform focused on funding for disaster mitigation before the crisis hits.  

The federal government’s efficient organization of responses to natural disasters illustrates that as citizens of a republic, we are part of a larger community that responds to our needs in times of crisis.

But that system is currently under attack. Project 2025, a playbook for the next Republican administration, authored by allies of the right-wing Heritage Foundation and closely associated with Republican presidential candidate Trump and vice presidential candidate Ohio senator J.D. Vance, calls for slashing FEMA’s budget and returning disaster responses to states and localities. 

Project 2025 also calls for dismantling the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration and either eliminating its functions, sending them to other agencies, privatizing them, or putting them under the control of states and territories. It complains that NOAA, whose duties include issuing hurricane warnings, is “one of the main drivers of the climate change alarm industry and, as such, is harmful to future U.S. prosperity.” 

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[hillaryisaboss]

On #PresidentsDay, remember & share what we could have had again — the Clinton Era:

—Surplus

—22 million new jobs

—4-balanced budgets due to the superb compromising ability of Bill Clinton

—7 million fewer Americans living in poverty

—Minimum wage up 20%

—Assault Weapons Ban

—Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act

—Campaign Against Teen Pregnancy: all-time low abortion rates

—Office on Violence Against Women

—Violence Against Women Act

—Children’s Health Insurance Program: 8.9 million children insured

—Family and Medical Leave Act

—Incomes rising at all income levels

WATERGATE:

Youngest lawyer ever appointed to an impeachment trial. 26-year-old Yale Law graduate Hillary Rodham.

CHILDREN’S DEFENSE FUND:

Investigated African American juveniles being placed in South Carolina adult prisons, and posed as a racist housewife to expose segregation throughout schools in the South.

FIRST LADY OF ARKANSAS:

Hillary successfully reformed the entire K-12 Arkansas educational system, expanded healthcare for those in rural Arkansas, worked at the Arkansas Children’s Hospital Legal Services, and co-founded the Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families. First female partner of the Rose Law Firm.

The joke in Arkansas was that they “hired the wrong Clinton.”

FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES:

Hillary spearheaded the Adoption and Safe Families Act, the Foster Care Independence Act, Office on Violence Against Women, the Campaign Against Teenage Pregnancy (lowering abortion and teenage pregnancy rates), and the Children’s Health Insurance Program — providing 8.9 million low-income children with healthcare access.

In 1994, Hillary proclaimed on the world stage in Beijing, China:

“If there is one message that echoes forth from this conference, let it be that human rights are women’s rights and women’s rights are human rights once and for all.”

TWO-TIME NEW YORK SENATOR:

Hillary secured 20 billion in federal funds to rebuild downtown New York City after 9/11. She also secured healthcare for 9/11 First Responders and expanded access to care for the National Guard, Reservists, and their families.

U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE:

Passed the first-ever U.N Resolution on gay rights (proclaiming: “human rights are gay rights and gay rights are human rights” on the world stage), and made it so trans Americans can legally change their gender on their passport. Hillary also rebuilt relations with every nation after the disastrous Bush Administration, traveling to 112 countries — more than any other Secretary of State. Our worldwide favorability rose 20% during Hillary’s tenure. Her primary focus was on women’s rights and health, bringing up issues such as forced abortion and maternal mortality rates. Hillary re-opened relations with Burma, enacted a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, and killed Osama Bin Laden. She also was instrumental in putting together the Paris Climate Agreement, something Trump has since removed us from.

*Three-time popular vote winners

*Two-time White House occupants

Presided over our last great era — the pragmatic 1990s.

“Don’t hate the player, hate the game.”

The Clintons: two players that got actual results for the American people.

Vilified for playing the game and winning.

Haters have been hating since Arkansas.

Happy Presidents Day Bill & Hillary.

Made for the White House.

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

Should be in the Oval Office right now.

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

#3MillionMoreVotes

#TrumpIsIllegitimate

#StolenBy #Russia & #Comey

We were robbed.

2016 was stolen from the American people.

We should be outraged forever.

#PutinDestroyingUsFromTheInside

Don’t believe the Russian-bots when they lie and spread propaganda about the Clintons.

The Clintons are a good family that genuinely cares about the American people.

“There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right with America.” ~President Bill Clinton

❤️❤️❤️❤️💙💙💙💙

[yourreddancer]

Heather Cox Richardson

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON 9.27

Last night, at about 11:10 local time, Hurricane Helene made landfall in the Big Bend area of Florida, where the state’s panhandle curves down toward the peninsula. It was classified as a Category 4 storm when it hit, bringing winds of 140 miles per hour (225 km per hour). The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane wind scale, developed in 1971 by civil engineer Herbert Saffir and meteorologist Robert Simpson, divides storms according to sustained wind intensity in an attempt to explain storms on a scale similar to the Richter scale for earthquakes. 

The Saffir-Simpson scale defines a Category 4 hurricane as one that brings catastrophic damage. According to the National Weather Service, which was established in 1870 to give notice of “the approach and force of storms,” and is now part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a Category 4 hurricane has winds of 134–156 miles (209–251 km) per hour. “Well-built framed homes can sustain severe damage with loss of most of the roof structure and/or some exterior walls. Most trees will be snapped or uprooted and power poles downed. Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas. Power outages will last weeks to possibly months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks or months.” 

Hurricane Helene hit with a 15-foot (4.6 meter) storm surge and left a path of destruction across Florida before moving up into Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Kentucky with torrential rain, flash floods, high winds, and tornadoes. A record level of more than eleven inches of rain fell in Atlanta, Georgia. At least 45 people have died in the path of the storm, and more than 4.5 million homes and businesses across ten states are without power. The roads in western North Carolina are closed. Moody’s Analytics said it expects the storm to leave $15 to $26 billion in property damage.

Officials from NOAA, the scientific and regulatory agency that forecasts weather and monitors conditions in the oceans and skies, predict that record-warm ocean temperatures this year will produce more storms than usual. NOAA hurricane scientist Jeff Masters noted that Helene’s landfall “gives the U.S. a record eight Cat 4 or Cat 5 Atlantic hurricane landfalls in the past eight years (2017–2024), seven of them being continental U.S. landfalls. That’s as many Cat 4 and 5 landfalls as occurred in the prior 57 years.”

President Joe Biden approved emergency declarations for Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina before Helene made landfall. Tennessee governor Bill Lee, a Republican, did not ask for such a declaration until this evening, instead proclaiming September 27 a “voluntary Day of Prayer and Fasting.” Observers pointed out that with people stuck on a hospital roof in the midst of catastrophic flooding in his state, maybe an emergency declaration would be more on point. 

After a state or a tribal government asks for federal help, an emergency declaration enables the federal government to provide funds to supplement local and state emergency efforts, as well as to deploy the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help save lives, protect property, and protect health and safety. Before Helene made landfall, the federal government placed personnel and resources across the region, ready to help with search and rescue, restore power, and provide food and water and emergency generators. 

The federal government sent 1,500 federal personnel to the region, as well as about 8,000 members of the U.S. Coast Guard and teams from the Army Corps of Engineers to provide emergency power. It provided two health and medical task forces to help local hospitals and critical care facilities, and sent in more than 2.7 million meals, 1.6 million liters of water, 50,000 tarps, 10,000 cots, 20,000 blankets, 70,000 gallons of diesel fuel, and 40,000 gallons of gasoline to provide supplies for those hit by the catastrophe. 

FEMA was created in 1979 after the National Governors Association asked President Jimmy Carter to centralize federal emergency management functions. That centralization recognized the need for coordination as people across the country responded to a disaster in any one part of it. When a devastating fire ripped through Portsmouth, New Hampshire, the day after Christmas in 1802, Congress agreed to send aid to the town, but volunteers organized by local and state governments and funded by wealthy community members provided most of the response and recovery efforts for the many disasters of the 1900s. 

When a deadly hurricane wiped out Galveston, Texas, in 1900, killing at least 6,000 residents and destroying most of the city’s buildings, the inept machine government proved unable to manage the donations pouring in from across the country to help survivors. Six years later, when an earthquake badly damaged San Francisco and ensuing fires from broken gas lines engulfed the city in flames, the interim fire chief—who took over when the fire chief was gravely injured—called in federal troops to patrol the streets and guard buildings. More than 4,000 Army troops also fed, sheltered, and clothed displaced city residents. 

When the Mississippi River flooded in 1927, sending up to 30 feet (9 meters) of  water across ten states, including Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana, killing about 500 people and displacing hundreds of thousands more, President Calvin Coolidge appointed Commerce Secretary Herbert Hoover to coordinate the federal disaster response and pull together the many private-sector interests eager to help out under federal organization. This marked the first time the federal government took charge after a disaster. 

In 1950, Congress authorized federal response to disasters when it passed the Federal Disaster Assistance Program. In response to the many disasters of the 1960s—the 1964 Alaska Earthquake, Hurricane Betsy in 1965, and Hurricane Camille in 1969—the Department of Housing and Urban Development established a way to provide housing for disaster survivors. Congress provided guaranteed flood insurance to homeowners, and in 1970 it also authorized federal loans and federal funding for those affected by disasters. 

When he signed the Disaster Relief Act of 1970, Republican president Richard Nixon said: “I am pleased with this bill which responds to a vital need of the American people. The bill demonstrates that the Federal Government in cooperation with State and local authorities is capable of providing compassionate assistance to the innocent victims of natural disasters.”

Four years later, Congress established the process for a presidential disaster declaration. By then, more than 100 different federal departments and agencies had a role in responding to disasters, and the attempts of state, tribal, and local governments to interface with them created confusion. So the National Governors Association asked President Carter to streamline the process. In Executive Order 12127 he brought order to the system with the creation of FEMA.

In 2003, after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the U.S., the George W. Bush administration brought FEMA into its newly-created Department of Homeland Security, along with 21 other agencies, wrapping natural disasters together with terrorist attacks as matters of national security. After 2005’s Hurricane Katrina required the largest disaster response in U.S. history, FEMA’s inadequate response prompted a 2006 reform act that distinguished responding to natural disasters from responding to terrorist attacks. In 2018, another reform focused on funding for disaster mitigation before the crisis hits.  

The federal government’s efficient organization of responses to natural disasters illustrates that as citizens of a republic, we are part of a larger community that responds to our needs in times of crisis.

But that system is currently under attack. Project 2025, a playbook for the next Republican administration, authored by allies of the right-wing Heritage Foundation and closely associated with Republican presidential candidate Trump and vice presidential candidate Ohio senator J.D. Vance, calls for slashing FEMA’s budget and returning disaster responses to states and localities. 

Project 2025 also calls for dismantling the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration and either eliminating its functions, sending them to other agencies, privatizing them, or putting them under the control of states and territories. It complains that NOAA, whose duties include issuing hurricane warnings, is “one of the main drivers of the climate change alarm industry and, as such, is harmful to future U.S. prosperity.” 

[sahraeyll]

Opening Opportunities: Medical Billing And Coding Jobs in Charleston SC

**Title: Unlocking Opportunities: Medical Billing And Coding Jobs in Charleston SC**

**Introduction:** Are you looking to kickstart a career in the healthcare industry in ‍Charleston, South ⁢Carolina? Medical billing and coding jobs may be just the ​opportunity ⁢you’ve been searching for. These roles are essential for the smooth operation of ⁢healthcare facilities, ensuring accurate billing and coding⁤ for services provided to patients. In this article, we will explore the various opportunities available⁢ in medical billing and⁣ coding in Charleston, SC, and how you can break into ⁤this rewarding field.

**Job Outlook in Charleston SC:** Charleston is home to a thriving healthcare industry, with⁤ numerous hospitals, clinics,‍ and medical practices​ in need‍ of skilled medical billers and coders. According ⁤to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, ​employment of medical records and health​ information technicians, ​which includes medical billers and coders, is projected to grow 8 percent from 2020 to 2030, faster‌ than the average for all occupations. This growth is driven by‌ an aging population in need of​ healthcare ⁣services and the increasing use of electronic health records.

**Benefits of a Career in Medical Billing And Coding:** – High demand: With the healthcare industry constantly expanding, there is a growing demand for skilled medical billers and coders. – Job ⁢security: Healthcare will always be⁣ an essential service, providing job⁤ security for those in the⁤ medical billing and coding field. – Flexible work options: Many⁣ medical billers and⁤ coders have the option to work‌ remotely or part-time, providing flexibility in their work schedules. – Competitive salaries: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for medical records and health information technicians was $44,090 in May 2020.

**Practical Tips for Landing⁣ a Job in ​Charleston SC:** – Obtain relevant certifications: Consider ⁢obtaining certifications such as Certified Professional ‍Coder (CPC) or Certified​ Coding Specialist (CCS) to make yourself more ‍marketable to potential employers. – ⁢Gain experience: Look for internships or entry-level positions in‍ medical billing and coding to gain hands-on experience in the field. – Network: Attend industry ⁣events and join professional organizations to expand your network and learn about job opportunities in Charleston.

**Case Study:** Emily, a recent graduate ⁢with a degree in ⁣healthcare administration, decided to pursue a career ‍in ⁢medical billing and coding in Charleston. She obtained her CPC⁤ certification and landed a job at⁣ a local ‌hospital after completing an internship⁣ during ⁤her studies. Emily enjoys the flexibility ​of her ​role and the opportunity to work in‌ a fast-paced healthcare ​environment.

**First-Hand Experience:** “I’ve been working as a medical biller in Charleston​ for‍ the past three years, and I love it. The work is challenging but rewarding, and ⁢I feel like I’m making a difference in the healthcare system. I would highly recommend this career to anyone‍ looking for a stable job with growth potential.” – Sarah, Medical Biller

**Conclusion:** Medical billing and⁢ coding jobs in Charleston, SC, offer a variety of opportunities⁣ for those looking to start a career in the healthcare industry. With the right ‍certifications, experience, ⁢and networking, you⁤ can unlock a ‍rewarding ⁢career ‍in ⁣this growing field. Whether ⁤you’re a recent graduate or looking​ to make a career change, consider exploring the possibilities in medical billing and coding in Charleston, SC.

By following the practical tips outlined in this article, you can position yourself for success in⁤ this in-demand field. Take the first step towards a fulfilling career in healthcare ​by ‍considering a role in medical billing and coding in Charleston, SC.

https://medicalbillingcertificationprograms.org/opening-opportunities-medical-billing-and-coding-jobs-in-charleston-sc/

[the-emerald-standard]

SC Compassionate Care Alliance Ends Rolling Effort in Face of Disappointment from Marijuana Reform Movement

The South Carolina marijuana law reform group, SC Compassionate Care Alliance, has announced that it will be ceasing its efforts to reform the state's marijuana laws. The group has been pushing for the legalization of medical marijuana in the state for the past four years, but has now decided to end its efforts due to a lack of progress.

The group's decision to stop rolling comes after a failed attempt to pass a medical marijuana bill in the state legislature earlier this year. The bill was defeated in the Senate, despite the support of many legislators. The group had also been pushing for the decriminalization of marijuana possession, but this effort was also unsuccessful.

The group's executive director, Robert Werner, said in a statement that the group had been working hard to bring about meaningful change in the state, but that the lack of progress had been disheartening. He said that the group had made some progress, but that it was not enough to continue the fight. He added that the group would now be focusing its efforts on other issues.

The news of the group's decision to stop rolling has been met with disappointment from many in the marijuana reform movement. However, some are hopeful that the group's efforts will not be in vain and that the state will eventually legalize medical marijuana.

This article was sourced from The Post and Courier.

The South Carolina marijuana law reform group's decision to stop rolling is a setback for the marijuana reform movement in the state. However, it is important to remember that there are still many other organizations and individuals working to bring about meaningful change in the state.

One way to ensure that the efforts of these organizations and individuals are successful is to hire an industry-trusted testing and compliance partner for hemp and cannabis. ACS Lab is an industry-trusted partner that provides testing and compliance services for hemp and cannabis businesses. Their services are designed to ensure that businesses are compliant with state and federal regulations, and that their products are safe and of the highest quality. By hiring ACS Lab, businesses can ensure that their products are compliant and safe for their customers. Learn more about ACS Lab here.

Takeaways:

The South Carolina marijuana law reform group, SC Compassionate Care Alliance, has announced that it will be ceasing its efforts to reform the state's marijuana laws.

The group had been pushing for the legalization of medical marijuana in the state for the past four years, but has now decided to end its efforts due to a lack of progress.

The news of the group's decision to stop rolling has been met with disappointment from many in the marijuana reform movement.

One way to ensure that the efforts of marijuana reform organizations and individuals are successful is to hire an industry-trusted testing and compliance partner for hemp and cannabis, such as ACS Lab.

[msclaritea]

‘Conscience’ bills let medical providers opt out of providing a wide range of care

"A new Montana law will provide sweeping legal protections to health care practitioners who refuse to prescribe marijuana or participate in procedures and treatments such as abortion, medically assisted death, gender-affirming care, or others that run afoul of their ethical, moral, or religious beliefs or principles.

The law, which goes into effect in October, will gut patients' ability to take legal action if they believe they didn't receive proper care due to a conscientious objection by a provider or an institution, such as a hospital.

So-called medical conscience objection laws have existed at the state and federal levels for years, with most protecting providers who refuse to perform an abortion or sterilization procedure. But the new Montana law, and others like it that have passed or been introduced in statehouses across the U.S., goes further, to the point of undermining patient care and threatening the right of people to receive lifesaving and essential care, according to critics.

"I tend to call them 'medical refusal bills,'" said Liz Reiner Platt, the director of Columbia Law School's Law, Rights, and Religion Project. "Patients are being denied the standard of care, being denied adequate medical care, because objections to certain routine medical practices are being prioritized over patient health."

This year, 21 bills instituting or expanding conscience clauses have been introduced in statehouses, and two have become law, according to the nonprofit Guttmacher Institute. Florida lawmakers passed legislation that allows providers and insurers to refuse any health service that violates ethical beliefs. Montana's law goes further, prohibiting the assignment of health workers to provide, facilitate, or refer patients for abortions unless the providers have consented in writing. South Carolina, Ohio, and Arkansas previously passed bills.

Supporters of the Montana law, called the Implement Medical Ethics and Diversity Act, say it fills gaps in federal law, empowering more medical professionals to practice medicine based on their conscience in circumstances beyond abortion and sterilization.

The bill applies to a wide range of practitioners, institutions, and insurers, encompassing just about any type of health care and anyone who could be providing it. The exception is emergency rooms, where the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act takes precedence.

"We have technology that is pushing the limits of what is maybe ethical, and that is different in everybody's minds," said Republican state Rep. Amy Regier, who sponsored the Montana bill. "Having extra protections for people to practice according to their conscience as we continue down that path of innovation is important."

These shit stains just won't stop destroying everything. But, I'm supposed to play along with the media's obsession of playing Who's Most Popular in the presidential election.

[atdmoney1]

What is a Payday Loan?

 A payday loan is a type of short-term loan that can be issued at a store or online. It's repaid in a single payment on the borrower's next payday, or after income from another source is received.

These loans are often marketed as a way to help people with financial emergencies between their paychecks. However, they can lead to a vicious cycle of debt for those who can't repay them on time.

Payday loans are a type of short-term loan

A payday loan is a short-term, small-sum loan that's intended to be repaid on your next paycheck. They're a popular option for people who don't have good credit, but they can be costly and cause serious financial problems.

These loans have high-interest rates and can create a cycle of debt that's hard to break. They are also dangerous for people who have a low income or no credit history.

Payday loans are often offered by check-cashing businesses or finance companies that offer a range of consumer financial services. These companies are regulated under the Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit Act of 2010.

In some states, payday loans are illegal. Sixteen states--Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Vermont--and the District of Columbia outlaw payday loans.

The main reason people get payday loans is to cover recurring costs. This includes student loan payments, everyday transportation costs, and other expenses that come up on a regular basis.

To repay a payday loan, you write a postdated check or authorize the lender to electronically debit your checking account. The money is due on your next payday, generally two to four weeks from the date the loan was made.

Many payday lenders charge fees of up to $30 for every $100 you borrow. These fees add up quickly, resulting in an average annual percentage rate of almost 400% for a two-week payday loan, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Another way to avoid payday loans is to build up an emergency fund. If you save even a few hundred dollars, you can cover unexpected expenses such as car repairs or medical bills.

You can also reach out to a local community organization for free funds or to an alternative lender that offers lower interest rates. NerdWallet's database of local alternatives to payday loans can help you find the right solution for your situation.

In addition, be sure to shop around for a low-interest rate when you do take out a payday loan. You can do this by comparing interest rates, fees, and other charges.

They are issued at a store or online

In a nutshell, a payday loan is the name of a smallish cash loan (usually less than $1500) that can be borrowed from most bank and credit union branches. They can be obtained by presenting a photo ID, proof of address, and employment details, and they usually carry an interest rate of about 50%. The loan is usually repaid in one lump sum on your next payday or, more likely, within two weeks. The best way to get the most bang for your buck is to take the time to research which lenders are available in your local area. A quick Google search or a trip to your local bank branch should give you a few good recommendations. Alternatively, you could opt to use a comparison website to find the top payday lenders. The site will also tell you which lenders are regulated and the best prices for your money. The most important thing to remember is that you need to be honest with yourself and your lender to avoid getting into debt. To that end, it’s time to get your budget in order before you even think about a payday loan.

They are repaid in a single payment

Typically, borrowers repay payday loans in a single payment on or around the borrower’s next payday. The lender will either ask you to write a post-dated check for the full loan amount plus fees or it can electronically withdraw funds from your bank account.

While a payday loan may seem like a fast solution to an emergency, it’s important to remember that the interest on these loans is often high. A better solution would be to set aside extra cash each month to cover your expenses until you have an emergency that requires a larger amount of money. This will allow you to avoid paying high-interest rates on a payday loan and keep your credit score healthy. There are other options that can offer you a similar speed of cash, such as credit cards and pawnshops. You might also want to consider a local community organization that offers free funds to help you meet your basic monthly expenses, such as rent or utilities.

They are a form of credit

A payday loan is a form of credit that is issued at a store or online and that requires your signature to run a check or authorize an electronic withdrawal from your bank account. They are typically issued for up to two weeks, although some lenders can extend the loan up to a month, depending on the lender’s policies. Usually, you repay the full amount plus interest on your next payday, which can be up to one month after you receive the loan.

While they may seem like a quick fix, payday loans can quickly turn into a cycle of debt that leaves you paying fees and accrued interest every time you borrow money. Instead of seeking a payday loan, consider a personal loan or working with your credit union to get an affordable small-dollar loan. You can also consider reducing your expenses by eliminating unnecessary or unneeded items from your budget. By doing so, you will free up funds for emergencies, which could make you less likely to turn to payday loans in the future.

[norabliss]

Advantages Of Auditing Your Medical Billing Expenses

In any business across industries, auditing plays an important role. It acts as an excellent tool for ensuring proper revenue management cycle, adhering to regulations and laws, to identify the scope of improvement in the internal processes. This is definitely true when it comes to physicians, particularly with medical claims.

Medical audits cater to two ways to enhance operations at a medical practice. The primary auditing begins with the claims administrator. The second one is self-audit of operations within your own practice to identify the areas of mistakes and how improving from those mistakes can bring a difference.

Dealing with medical claims is quite complicated and costly if not well-managed. Some factors that medical claims may require audits are finding errors in medical billing, finding methods for improving recovery opportunities, and ensuring a medical practice is adhering to the recent compliance regulations governing medical claims.

Before we look into the benefits of auditing in medical billing, let us know the types of audits performed in medical billing.

Medical Billing

Types of medical claim audits

Medical claims and medical billing audits can be conducted no matter what the size of your organization is. Performing regular audits can keep your medical billing system streamlined and with sufficient cash inflow.

The following are the types of audits performed in medical practice:

Random Sample audit

In this audit, claims are picked according to the insurance money covering both large and small claims are audited. It throws more focus on the dollar amounts rather than the number of claims involved. A random audit does not get you money refunds from insurers directly but can help to move to a comprehensive auditing review.

Comprehensive audit

This audit has a more immense scope and looks at a group of audited clams prior, both electronically and manually. It gets you to claim refunds from claims administrators, which is the comprehensive audit’s ultimate objective.

Hybrid audit

A hybrid audit is the combination of random sample audits and comprehensive review audits that achieves the results of both factors, such as the recovery of money and compliance to regulations. Moreover, it focuses on the quick recovery of over payments.

Benefits of a Medical claims audit

A self-audit is not officially incorporated by the federal government but only encouraged by the CMS.

So, according to CMS, a medical practice can experience the following benefits due to medical claims audits:

#1: Reducing and preventing improper payments

Audits can have a check on your regular and irregular payments and can guide you on how to make a move for further transactions with your claims partner. It helps identify the reason behind delays in claims reimbursements/medical billing systems and gives you a clear picture of improvements and best practices. This definitely helps you with reduced payment issues and prevents insufficient funds inflow in your medical practice.

#2: Ensuring claims are submitted accurately

Since audits help check every nuke and corner of medical billing and claims submission, your future claims get progressed without any rejections from the insurer. When claims are submitted accurately, your revenue is also enhanced, resulting in patient satisfaction.

#3: Enhancing patient care

Regular audits support you in receiving quick reimbursements and improved focus on patient care who visits your medical practice. When there is no hassle in medical billing and claims processing workflow, you can run your operations more efficiently with spending more time for your patients.

#4: Reducing the chances of external audit

If your internal medical audits are sufficient to provide the scope for improvement and point out messed-up areas, there is no need for you to spend time and money, allowing external audits.

#5: Instant feedback on staff performance

Internal medical audits give an opportunity for you to identify the good/poor performance of the staff and instruct them on their areas of improvement instantly. It also provides accountability of errors to your staff so that they work more responsibly.

#6: Cost-benefit and compliance

Audits help your practice figure out the areas where you can pull your pending or slowed-down money from and introduce new policies and procedures to avoid the mistakes made previously by your staff. Thus audits offer benefits both cost and compliance-wise.

#7: Training on weakened areas

Since internal audits help you understand how efficient your staff is in terms of medical billing and claims services, they can be provided proper training on areas where they find it difficult.

Conclusion:

All your internal audits can be made easy by partnering with 24/7 Medical Billing Services, one of the leading medical billing and coding outsourcing partners. You need not break your head on documentation and other audits related work, since we handle your patients’ data highly secured.

About 24/7 Medical Billing Services:

24/7 Medical Billing Services is the nation’s leading medical billing service provider catering services to more than 42 specialties across the entire 50 states. You can rely on us for end-to-end revenue cycle management. We guarantee up to 10-20% increase in the revenue with cost reduction of your practice for up to 50%. Call us today at 888-502-0537 to know more on how we can help boost profitability for your practice.

 Contact us -

24/7 Medical Billing Services,

16192 Coastal Hwy,

Lewes, DE – 19958

Tel: + 1 -888-502-0537

Email - info@247medicalbillingservices.com

[jennyvergeese]

Benefits of Medical Billing Outsourcing

Growing number of healthcare providers are choosing to outsource their billing needs. It is not only helping them gets paid on time but they are also getting more time to focus on their patients.

According to a report by Grand View Research Inc., it has been projected that the global medical billing outsourcing market will reach USD 19.7 billion by 2026. It is expected to expand at a CAGR of 11.8%.

Implementation of ICD-10 coding, rising healthcare cost and federal mandate for implementing EMR (Electronic Medical Records) to maintain revenue level are some of the factors that are responsible for the subsequent rise in outsourcing of medical billing.

 Besides getting timely payments and freeing more time for patient care, there are several other benefits of outsourcing medical billing:

•       Many clinics or physician offices are outsourcing revenue management in order to cut unnecessary costs. They are hiring a third party to prevent the burden of managing an administrative team for ensuring effective handling of in-house billing.

•       There are multi-specialty medical groups that are implementing consolidation that involves EHR integration and large healthcare networks. This creates a strong need for RCM and the right expertise to manage it. This is also where outsourcing really helps.

•       Third benefit is that practices get access to a team of dedicated and trained billing and coding specialists who work dedicatedly to increase the profitability of the practice. They are well-trained in reviewing and posting all payments to ensure that the insurance carriers are paying the right amount. From error-free coding to submitting claims on time, they take care of all aspects of medical billing to help you get paid on time.

•       There is a misconception that if a practice outsources their revenue cycle management to a third party, they lose control over their finances. This isn’t true. In fact, you become more in control of your revenue cycle by getting to review monthly reports and keep a track of your practice’s health. Practices can make monthly as well as annual comparisons and address areas that need changes.

•       The most important benefit of outsourcing is that providers are less stressed and can focus on quality care and growing their practice.

Since fewer claims will be sent out incorrectly, more money will be coming into the account. Hiring a team of billing specialists really helps bring in more money.  

To Know More About@ http://bit.ly/2LhaM4Z

 About 247 Medical Billing Services:

We are a medical billing company that offers ‘24/7 Medical Billing Services’ and support physicians, hospitals, medical institutions and group practices with our end to end medical billing solutions. We help you earn more revenue with our quick and affordable services. Our customized Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) solutions allow doctors to attract additional revenue and reduce administrative burden or losses. Contact:  247 Medical Billing Services Tel: +1 888-502-0537 Email: info@247medicalbillingservices.com

[genderqueerpositivity]

I've been thinking a lot about the impact that these anti-trans bills are going to have. Trans kids will be affected the most, for certain. But so will everyone else. What are cis kids going to learn and internalize from these situations?

~

Cis kids are actively being taught that their trans classmates are lesser, should be excluded, and are a threat to them. That alone is sick.

But at the same time, these anti-trans laws are teaching cis kids a lot about their own gender and assigned sex.

What must it be like to be a cis girl right now? To be told that you can never truly compete with your male classmates because you are inherently biologically weaker? To be told that you will always be at a disadvantage because of your assigned sex?

What must it be like to be a cis girl student athlete right now, seeing that the majority of public discussion about girls sports is not actually about girls sports because of their own value and importance--but about anti-trans laws?

At the same time, cis boys are being taught that their cis girl classmates are not as strong as they are and are less capable athletes. They're being taught that "boys" are stealing scholarships from girls--implying that girls are held to lower standards of performance than boys are. How will this impact the ways that cis boys think of and interact with their cis girl peers?

How is this NOT reinforcing sexism and patriarchal beliefs about sex and gender?

~

It's also going to be interesting to see how the move to ban access to transition related health care impacts not only trans people--but cis people.

One of Arkansas's newest anti-trans laws allows medical professionals to deny certain services to patients if providing that service would conflict with their moral, ethical, or religious beliefs; the same law also applies to health insurers, allowing them to deny coverage for certain services.

A pediatrician wouldn't have to prescribe puberty blockers to a trans child, a doctor wouldn't have to provide a referral to an endocrinologist for a trans person to seek hormone therapy, a health insurer would not have to cover transition related surgeries, and so on.

But do you really think a pharmacist who would refuse to fill an estrogen prescription for a trans woman based on their personal religious beliefs wouldn't also refuse to fill a birth control prescription for a cis woman?

That a religiously affiliated hospital which would deny a trans man a hysterectomy wouldn't also refuse to allow a cis woman to have a tubal ligation after childbirth?

That the same laws which allow health insurance companies to deny coverage for gender affirming health care services based upon religious objections won't also be used to defend refusing coverage for birth control?

Stripping bodily autonomy from ANYONE is a serious problem and a violation of human rights. Every single one of these anti-trans healthcare laws will open the door for further restricting the bodily autonomy and human rights of minorities in the future.

Republicans know this--they know exactly what they are doing by pushing transphobia as an issue of religious freedom and by pushing the "think of the children" tactic. There is a reason that one of Arkansas's anti-trans bills' is titled the "Save Adolescents From Experimentation Act", while South Carolina introduced a similar bill a short time ago called the "Minor Child Compassion and Protection Act".

Republicans are experts at this shit: they've been fighting for decades to restrict abortion rights to save "innocent unborn babies", to prevent marriage equality in order to defend "Christian rights" and "religious freedom", to prevent lesbians and gay men from adopting and fostering children to protect children from the imaginary "child abuse" of having same gender parents because "every child deserves a mother and father".

Oppressing minorities to privilege Christian conservative beliefs is the name of the game. Do y'all really believe that Republicans are suddenly wildly supportive of girls and womens sports--or have they simply spotted an opportunity to further marginalize trans people, uphold traditional binary sex roles, strip away the right to bodily autonomy, and further their agenda to pass laws that allow discrimination based on Christian religious beliefs?

It's ridiculous to me to think that the radical feminists cheering these bills on don't understand how allowing medical professionals the power to discriminate will also harm cis women. And if you think that openly and visibily lesbian, bisexual, and queer cis women won't be among those harmed by transphobic laws, I am certain you are wrong.

~

Transphobia hurts everyone. Patriarchy hurts everyone. Biological essentialism hurts everyone. Trans people, especially trans kids, will suffer the most. But cis people will not be unaffected. Fighting to maintain cis supremacy and the binary gender system will not come without a cost--for everyone.

[sarcasticcynic]

Last year, when Justice Ginsburg was still on the U.S. Supreme Court, the Court narrowly rejected a Louisiana anti-abortion law that was "almost word-for-word identical" to a Texas anti-abortion law that the Court had already held unconstitutional back in 2016. Good ol' justice Thomas--who firmly believes that the Constitution guarantees only the most minimal rights--issued a blistering dissent, in which he (as usual) indicated his strong desire to overrule every single past decision of the Supreme Court on abortion.

"[T]hose decisions created the right to abortion out of whole cloth, without a shred of support from the Constitution's text. Our abortion precedents are grievously wrong and should be overruled. ... The Constitution does not constrain the States ability to regulate or even prohibit abortion." (June Medical Services, LLC v. Russo (2020) 591 U.S. ___., 140 S.Ct. 2103)

A few weeks before the 2020 election, Justice Ginsburg passed away. Donald Trump promptly nominated, and the GOP-controlled Senate promptly confirmed, Amy Coney Barrett, a far-right religious conservative who (among other things) in 1998 published a law review article stating that "abortion ... is always immoral," and in 2006 added her signature to a two-page advertisement demanding that the Court overturn Roe v Wade and calling the 1973 landmark abortion rights decision "barbaric" and a "raw exercise of judicial power." Unsurprisingly, anti-abortion-rights groups widely praised Barrett's confirmation.

Emboldened by the now-solid Trump-appointed highly conservative majority on the Supreme Court, Republican-controlled legislatures in numerous states have passed some of the most draconian and blatantly unconstitutional anti-abortion laws in U.S. history, laying the groundwork for the Court to overturn Roe v. Wade and its progeny. These states include Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Iowa, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.

And then there's this one: Republican Bryan Slaton has introduced a new Texas law that not only bans abortion at fertilization, with no exceptions for rape or incest, but also redefines abortion as literal murder. "Women who receive an abortion and physicians who perform the procedure could be charged with assault or homicide, which is punishable by death in Texas." Slaton's bill specifically cites Justice Thomas's dissent (a.k.a. "not the law"), asserting that the Constitution "does not constrain the states' ability to regulate or even prohibit abortion."

And just to make absolutely sure that no one interferes with putting these women and their physicians to death, the bill explicitly requires Texas to enforce the law "regardless of any contrary federal statute, regulation, treaty, order or court decision." So even if a court determines that the law is unconstitutional and orders Texas not to enforce it, Texas will essentially say, "Fuck off."

By the way, a 59% majority of U.S. adults say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, while only 39% think abortion should be illegal in all or most cases. And 58% of Americans are opposed to overturning Roe v. Wade, while only 32% are in favor. Not that the GOP gives a flying fuck what the people they supposedly represent actually want.

[rivertalesien]

Trans Rights Are Human Rights

Wednesday, March 31st is the International Transgender Day of Visibility, closing out this week of Transgender Visibility. Now, maybe more than ever, we have to stand up for our trans family: laws are being drafted (and currently one in Arkansas is about to be sent to the governor to sign) to deprive trans folks of their rights and hate groups like the LGB Alliance are working overtime to ramp up anti-trans sentiment and vilify trans persons for living their truth, and denying trans youth access to healthcare. 

Now, more than ever we have to affirm our humanity and commitment to justice, for ourselves, but especially for those most marginalized and victimized by our society.  

Meet the Activists Fighting 2021 Anti-Trans Bills

6 Trans Advocates Speak Out on Why Gender-Affirming Care is Lifesaving Care

Record Number of Anti-Trans Bills Introduced in States This Year

From The Advocate:

Far-right hostility to transgender Americans has reached record proportions, at least in state legislatures around the nation.

As of this week, 82 anti-trans bills have been introduced at the state level in 2021, the most in history, according to a count released Friday by the Human Rights Campaign. The previous record was 79, set last year.

About half of the 2021 bills would bar transgender athletes from participating in school sports designated for the gender with which they identify; those are aimed primarily at keeping trans girls and women from competing alongside cisgender females. The next largest portion of them, nearly 30, would prohibit gender-affirming medical care for minors, in some cases making the provision of such care a felony.

Anti-trans or “religious freedom” bills in Mississippi, South Dakota, Montana, Tennessee, North Dakota, Arkansas and Alabama have already passed their Houses, bills in South Carolina, Texas and Michigan are on their way.  

Please stand up however you can: make phone calls, participate in boycotts, donate, protest. This year has been devastating for pretty much everyone and so many non-white or non-straight communities are under attack. We’ve seen the attacks against Asian Americans, against BLM, against the disabled and elderly. What the Trump “presidency” wrought across the board, up to the immigration ban and 400k unnecessary deaths due to Covid. We’re all tired and hurting and we need one another. 

Let this be the year love strikes back. This hate cannot win. It isn’t an option. 

From GLAAD:

Resources for Transgender People

Transgender people in crisis should contact the following resources:

The Trevor Project's 24/7/365 Lifeline at 866-4-U-TREVOR (866-488-7386) or TrevorChat, their online instant messaging option, or TrevorText, a text-based support option. If you are looking for peer support, you can visit TrevorSpace from anywhere in the world.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255)

Trans Lifeline at 877-565-8860

Do you live outside the United States? If so, check out The Trevor Project's list of international resources here.

Transgender Organizations

National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE)  (advocacy)

Transgender Law Center (TLC)  (legal services and advocacy)

Gender Proud  (advocacy)

Sylvia Rivera Law Project (SRLP)  (legal services)

Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF)  (legal services)

Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition (MTPC)  (advocacy)

Trans People of Color Coalition (TPOCC)  (advocacy)

Trans Women of Color Collective (TWOCC)  (advocacy)

Black Trans Advocacy  (advocacy)

Trans Latina Coalition  (advocacy)

Gender Spectrum  (support for families, trans youth, and educators)

Gender Diversity (support for families, trans youth, and educators)

Trans Youth Equality Federation  (support for families and trans youth)

Trans Youth Family Allies (TYFA)  (support for families and trans youth)

TransTech Social Enterprises  (economic empowerment)

SPART*A  (advocacy for trans military service members)

Transgender American Veterans Association  (advocacy for trans veterans)

TransAthlete.com  (info about trans athletes)

TransLife Center at Chicago House  (support services)

Transgender Programs at LGBT Organizations

GLAAD's Transgender Media Program  (media advocacy)

Freedom for All Americans (policy and legislative advocacy)

PFLAG Our Trans Loved Ones  (support for families of people who are trans)

PFLAG Transgender Resources (resources for trans people and their families)

PFLAG's Transgender Ally campaign  (advocacy)

COLAGE Kids of Trans Community  (support for kids of trans parents)

The Task Force's Transgender Civil Rights Project  (advocacy)

HRC's transgender resources  (advocacy)

Gender Identity Project at the NYC LGBT Center  (support services)

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)  (legal services)

Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) Transgender Rights Project  (legal services)

National Center for Lesbian Rights - Transgender Law  (legal services)

L.A. LGBT Center's Transgender Economic Empowerment Project  (economic empowerment)

SF Transgender Economic Empowerment Initiative  (economic empowerment)

TransJustice at the Audre Lorde Project  (advocacy)

General Information and Resources

The 2015 U.S. Trans Survey is the largest survery of transgender people ever conducted. The data has also been broken down by race, ethnicity, and geography. The survey's results detail the extent of the poverty, discrimination, and violence faced by transgender people. The results are also available in Spanish.

Transgender Lives: Your Stories is an interactive campaign created by The New York Times to allow transgender people to tell their own stories in their own words.

I AM: Trans People Speak is a campaign created by the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition (MTPC) and sponsored by GLAAD to raise awareness about the diversity of transgender communities. It lifts the voices of transgender individuals, as well as their families, friends, and allies.

[dr-archeville]

INDY Daily: Five Bills That Should Pass in the N.C. Senate Before the Crossover Deadline

It’s Friday, May 7

Thank  you to this week's sponsor, UNC Summer School, offering over 700 affordable online courses.  Summer term begins on May 19th; registration opens now.  Explore a new interest, move toward your goals, earn college credit.      

Good morning, readers.

The crossover deadline—the date by which all bills must have passed either the House or the Senate chamber in order to be eligible for consideration throughout the remainder of the legislative session—is next Thursday, May 13. (Bills with provisions related to finance or appropriations, constitutional amendments, appointments, or elections laws are exempt.)

Here are five bills we think should pass in the Senate before the crossover deadline.

Senate Bill 393 + Senate Bill 634

Part of the suite of Sen. Natalie Murdock's Momnibus package, these bills seek to improve health outcomes for Black pregnant mothers by supporting doula services through grants and asking DHHS to consider funding doulas under Medicaid. Read more here and here.

Senate Bill 439: Hate Crimes Prevention Act

Filed on March 31, two weeks following the shootings of six Asian American spa workers in Atlanta, the bill would create a hate crimes database, expand protections against hate crimes and increase punishments for hate crimes, and require training for law enforcement officers and prosecutors. Read more here.

Senate Bill 544: 2021 Water Safety Act

A bipartisan bill that would provide funding of $10 million or more to North Carolina universities to study ways to address PFAS ("forever chemicals"), including GenX, in the state's waterways.

Senate Bill 710: A Tax Plan for a Just Recovery

This bill would increase state funding by close to $2 billion dollars per year by rolling back Republican tax cuts on corporations and families making over $500,000 per year. The money would go into the general fund to support education and other goals set forth in the state constitution.

Senate Bill 669 + 711: N.C. Compassionate Care Act + Senate Bill 646: Marijuana Justice and Reinvestment Act

The bipartisan Senate Bill 711 would legalize medical marijuana for patients suffering from debilitating illnesses, as would Senate Bill 669. Senate Bill 646 would legalize marijuana for recreational use.

Honorable mentions:

Senate Bill 459: Improve Pipeline Safety

Read more here.

Senate Bill 510: Release Body-Worn/Dashboard Camera Video

Read more here.

Feel free to forward this email to your Republican lawmakers. Have a great weekend!

For more information, resources, and promotional opportunities please contact sales@indyweek.com

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Orange County

UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz and other university leaders shared plans for transitioning to full, in-person operations this fall at an employee forum this week.

Derek Torres and his wife, Julianna Villarosa, a UNC-Chapel Hill alumna, are working on a documentary that explores the racial impacts of the very problematic South of the Border tourist attraction located off of I-95 just south of the North Carolina boarder with South Carolina.

Durham County

The City of Durham is considering naming a poet laureate after three local poets brought the idea before the City Council. The city's cultural advisory board will begin to flesh out plans. Chapel Hill and Carrboro already have poet laureates.

Singer and musician John Legend gave Duke University's commencement speech this year and warned graduates of the dangers of zero-sum thinking. Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett will speak to UNC's graduates this weekend.

State officials are urging Durham residents to be on the lookout for a gauge that measures potentially hazardous, radioactive material stolen from a Durham construction site on Thursday.

Wake County

The City of Raleigh presented plans for the 14-acre Deveraux Meadows Park, located along the Peace Street corridor between Glenwood Avenue and Person Street and once home to a professional baseball team and stadium, the Minor League Raleigh Capitals, from the 1930s until 1979.

The area has been revitalized in recent years with the Smoky Hollow Development that includes a Publix grocery store. This stretch of land will be reimagined as a sculpted green space with a waterfront into downtown following restoration of the Pigeon House Branch of Crabtree Creek.

Wendy Wishart, the Brier Creek woman charged with shooting and killing her husband, Sean Michael Wishart, this week, is a well-known local anti-abortion harasser, according to the Triangle Abortion Access Coalition, a group of clinic escorts.

Elsewhere

At a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting this week on the controversial farm bill, committee leaders shut down public discussion of contentious portion of the Farm Act. The bill itself limits public input on swine farms that install biogas systems and anaerobic digesters.

House Speaker Tim Moore, who doesn't usually file bills, is a co-sponsor of legislation that would make rioting a felony if it leads to significant property damage or if someone is injured or dies. Citing the protests and the aftermath of the George Floyd killing last summer, Republican lawmakers want vandals to be held for 48 hours in jail, charged with felonies, and imprisoned for two years. The ACLU of North Carolina calls the bill unreasonably harsh.

A bill that removes language from state laws listing violations as not serious enough for long-term school suspension (including using inappropriate language, noncompliance, dress code violations and minor physical alterations) passed in the N.C. House yesterday. Democratic lawmakers say the bill could unfairly target Black students.

Will lawmakers do anything to address the harmful "forever chemicals" in the state's waterways this legislative session? Ten bills have been introduced for them to consider.

Pasquotank County Commissioners voted unanimously Thursday to ask lawmakers in the General Assembly to change the state's body camera law following the shooting death of Andrew Brown Jr. by sheriff's deputies and a Superior Court judge's ruling not to release the body camera footage right away.

Statewide COVID-19 by the numbers: Wednesday, May 5

1,798 New lab-confirmed cases (978,566 total; seven-day average leveling)

1,031 Current hospitalizations reported (seven-day average trending down; 12,738 total deaths, +17 over Thursday)

34,310 Completed tests (12.59 million total; most recent positive rate was 4.4 percent)

7,456,842 Total vaccinations administered (State data not updated daily)

Today's weather

Cloudy with showers and potential thunderstorms. Cooler with highs in the mid 60s.  

Song of the day

Hiss Golden Messenger and Megafun–Red Rose Nantahala

— Jane Porter— Send me an email | Find me on Twitter

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[the-emerald-standard]

South Carolina Marijuana Law Reform Group's Last Roll of the Dice Fizzles Out, Advocates Disappointed

South Carolina Marijuana Law Reform Group Burns Out, Opts to Stop Rolling

A South Carolina marijuana law reform group has decided to stop rolling after their efforts to change the state’s laws have been unsuccessful. The group, known as South Carolina Compassionate Care Alliance, has been working for the past two years to pass legislation that would allow for the medical use of marijuana in the state.

The group's efforts have been met with resistance from state lawmakers, who have refused to consider any bills related to marijuana law reform. The group has also faced opposition from law enforcement and other groups who are opposed to marijuana legalization.

Despite their efforts, the group has been unable to make any progress in changing the state’s laws. As a result, they have decided to stop their efforts and focus their energy on other issues.

The news of the group’s decision to stop rolling has been met with disappointment from marijuana advocates in the state. They had hoped that the group’s efforts would lead to a change in the state’s laws.

The decision to stop rolling also comes as the state is facing a potential ballot initiative that could legalize medical marijuana. The initiative is currently being considered by the state’s Supreme Court.

Advantages of Hiring ACS Lab

The decision to stop rolling is a setback for marijuana advocates in South Carolina, but it does not mean that the fight for marijuana law reform is over. Companies in the hemp and cannabis industry can still benefit from the services of an industry-trusted testing and compliance partner like ACS Lab. ACS Lab provides comprehensive testing and compliance services to ensure that products meet all applicable regulations and standards.

ACS Lab also provides consulting services to help companies navigate the complex regulatory landscape and ensure that products are compliant with all applicable laws. By working with ACS Lab, companies can rest assured that their products meet all applicable standards and regulations.

For more information on the advantages of working with ACS Lab, visit ACS Lab.

[tinyshe]

Mass Protests Can End Vaccine Passports

Story at-a-glance

Peaceful protests work. In the U.K., following massive protests against vaccine passports, government may now scrap its plan for vaccine passports as a legal requirement for large events

In the U.S., 14 states have enacted laws that ban vaccine passport requirements in order to prevent the creation of a two-tier society. Only two have implemented vaccine passport requirements for certain activities

Vaccine passports or any other type of certification are part of a much larger plan to implement a global social credit system, which would rely on the interconnectivity of thousands of databases, which Oracle offered to do for the U.S. government in 2002, for free

Oracle manages databases for COVID-19 cases, vaccine data and clinical trial data, the U.S. national security database and databases for the CIA, Navy Intelligence, Air Force Intelligence and the National Security Agency, plus banking, and a host of commercial databases. Oracle Labs is also partnered with DARPA to create an interconnected supercomputer

Ultimately, the vaccine passport will expand to include not just vaccination status but also other medical data, basic identification records, financial data and just about anything else that can be digitized and tracked. The end goal is to end freedom as we know it, using a social credit system based on 24/7 electronic surveillance to ensure compliance

March 20, 2021, on the 1-year anniversary of the first COVID-19 lockdown, people in more than 40 countries took to the streets to peacefully demonstrate against COVID-19 lies and tyrannical measures under the banner of “Worldwide Freedom Day.” While synchronized around the world that particular day, demonstrations are more or less ongoing in various areas.

Peaceful Protests Are Ending Vaccine Passport Requirements

In the U.K., Britons held a “Unite for Freedom” rally in London, Saturday May 29, 2021, as seen in the short video clip above. According to ITV.com,1 hundreds of no-vaccine-passport protesters surged into the Westfield shopping mall in London, while another large crowd gathered in Parliament Square.

They were reportedly cleared from the mall after about 20 minutes by police, but no one was injured or arrested in this particular instance.

As reported by Reuters2 May 30, 2021, it now looks like the U.K. will be scrapping its plan for vaccine passports as a legal requirement for large events, although a government spokesman told Reuters that a final decision has yet to be made and that the COVID-19 vaccine certification review is still ongoing. Why the sudden change? Undoubtedly, it���s because Britons have repeatedly taken to the streets in protest of the medical apartheid these passports create.

14 US States Have Banned Vaccine Passport Requirements

In the U.S., there’s also good news. A number of states have enacted laws that ban vaccine passport requirements in order to prevent the creation of a two-tier society of those with the freedom to live as they please, and others whose lives would be restricted based on vaccination status alone.

As of May 28, 2021, the following 14 states have banned vaccine passports from being required:3 Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Montana, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Wyoming.

Utah has issued a partial ban that applies to state government only. Only two states so far — Hawaii and New York — have actually implemented vaccine certification requirements for certain activities.

In Hawaii, only those with proof of vaccination are allowed to travel between counties without pretravel testing and quarantine restrictions, while New York requires you to be vaccinated or have a recent negative COVID-19 test to enter certain sports arenas and large performance venues.

Florida Fights to Make Cruise Lines Adhere to Law

In my home state of Florida, one of the best pro-freedom governors in the U.S., Ron DeSantis, is now fighting the cruise industry over its proposed vaccination passport requirement.4 The bill he signed into law May 3, 2021,5 prohibits state government from issuing vaccine passports and private businesses from requiring proof of vaccination status to enter or obtain services.

As such, cruise lines that do business in Florida and want to restrict travel to vaccinated-only are in violation of this new anti-medical apartheid law. As reported by NBC News:6

“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gave the go-ahead Wednesday to begin work toward restarting cruises for the first time in over a year after the massive ships became some of the first superspreader locations for the coronavirus …

To comply with CDC guidance … several cruise liners want to require nearly everyone onboard to be fully vaccinated. But that could now be illegal in Florida, the center of the American cruise industry, under a law DeSantis signed … that prohibits businesses from discriminating against unvaccinated customers.

‘In Florida, your personal choice regarding vaccinations will be protected, and no business or government entity will be able to deny you services based on your decision,’ DeSantis said of the law, which codified executive orders he had already issued.

The dispute may end up in court, as the cruise industry argues that the state law doesn't apply to it thanks to federal rules. In the meantime, companies may decide to move ahead with plans to require vaccinations, even if it means racking up violations in Florida.”

A Social Credit System Is the End Goal of Vaccine Passports

It’s important to realize that vaccine passports or any other type of certification in and of themselves are not the end goal here. They’re merely a part of a much larger plan to implement a social credit system, such as that already implemented in China. First, they’d be expanded to cover other required vaccinations.

Ultimately, the vaccine passport will expand to include not just vaccination status but also other medical data, basic identification records, financial data and just about anything else that can be digitized and tracked. The end goal is to end freedom as we know it, using a social credit system to ensure compliance.

Booster shots against COVID-19 variants would logically come first, followed by any number of other vaccinations. The sky’s the limit as far as that’s concerned, and many are likely to be gene-based and therefore dangerous in the extreme. Already, vaccine makers have announced they’re working on a combination COVID-flu/mRNA vaccine,7 a pneumococcal-COVID/mRNA booster shot for adults over 65,8 and mRNA/seasonal influenza vaccines.9

Ultimately, the vaccine passport will expand to include not just vaccination status but also other medical data, basic identification records, financial data and just about anything else that can be digitized and tracked. It may even extend to include real-time biological data.

The end goal is to end freedom as we know it, using a social credit system to ensure compliance. If you disobey or act “out of line” with a prevailing dictate, your freedom to travel, bank, shop, get a loan or even leave your home could be vastly restricted.

We can see how such a system could work by looking at the Chinese social credit system10 where behavior is electronically monitored to assess “trustworthiness” in real-time. Aside from failing to pay taxes on time, score-lowering actions can include such minutia as cheating in an online video game, jaywalking, not visiting your parents on a frequent-enough basis, smoking in a nonsmoking zone or walking your dog without a leash.

Momentary thoughtlessness can also land you on any one of hundreds of blacklists controlled by a variety of state agencies with their own jurisdictions, and if you end up on one, you’re typically subject to blacklisting across all of them, at which point you won’t be allowed to do much of anything except work to improve your score. On average, it takes two to five years to get off a blacklist, and that’s assuming you comply with all the recommendations put forth.11

While the Chinese social credit score is still in its infancy, eventually, the plan is to use it to “search for signs of potentially harmful behavior before it occurs”12 — in other words, a real-world pre-crime type of situation as illustrated in the movie “Minority Report.” This is what vaccine passports can lead to, and there’s every reason to believe that is the plan.

As noted by Naomi Wolf, a former adviser to the Clinton administration, in an interview with Fox News’ Steve Hilton:13,14

“I’m [the] CEO of a tech company, I understand what these platforms can do. It is not about the vaccine, it’s not about the virus, it’s about your data … What people have to understand is that any other functionality can be loaded onto that platform with no problem at all. It can be merged with your Paypal account, with your digital currency.

Microsoft is already talking about merging it with payment plans. Your network can be sucked up. It geolocates you everywhere you go. Your credit history can be included. All of your medical and health history can be included …

It is absolutely so much more than a vaccine pass … I cannot stress enough that it has the power to turn off your life, or to turn on your life, to let you engage in society or be marginalized.”

It’s All Been Building to This Point

Indeed, recreating China’s social credit system here in the U.S. is likely easier at this point than anyone would like to think, and probably wouldn’t take long to implement. Silicon Valley titan Oracle nabbed the contract to be the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s central data repository for all COVID-19 vaccine data in the U.S. early on in the pandemic.

Oracle also manages the database for COVID-19 cases and the National Institute for Allergies and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) database for clinical research into COVID-19 vaccines and drugs, a program overseen by Dr. Anthony Fauci.

Now consider this: Oracle has for many years also managed the U.S. national security database, as well as databases for the CIA, Navy Intelligence, Air Force Intelligence and the National Security Agency, plus banking, and a host of commercial databases. As reported by The Defender:15

“’The information about your banks, your checking balances, your saving balance is stored in an Oracle database,’ Ellison was quoted in the 2004 book, ‘The Naked Crowd.’ ‘Your airline reservation is stored in an Oracle database. What books you bought on Amazon is stored in an Oracle database. Your profile on Yahoo! is stored in an Oracle database.’”

And, as Ellison admitted in 2002, thousands of databases can easily be integrated into a single national file — something he offered to do for free for the U.S. government all the way back then.

The Defender also recounts an old Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) program called Total Information Awareness (TIA), which sought to collect the medical records, drug prescriptions, DNA, financial information, travel data and media consumption habits of all Americans.16

The justification for this vast data collection, according to DARPA, was that “the whole population needed surveillance to prevent not only future terrorist attacks, but bioterrorism and even naturally occurring disease outbreaks.” The program was defunded in 2003 after intense public backlash, “but TIA never really went away,” The Defender writes.17 “Various of its programs ended up divvied into a web of military and intelligence programs.”

Here are a few more connections to consider when trying to decide whether a social credit system is really in the works, and why a vaccine passport could serve a central function.

Oracle Labs, the research arm of Oracle, is partnered with DARPA to create an “optically interconnected supercomputer” — something that would come in handy if putting together a massive social credit system that demands interconnectivity between thousands of databases.

DARPA is also working on advanced pandemic surveillance and biological threat detection.18 In fact, it has an entire division specializing in biological technologies — the Biological Technologies Office (BTO) — which developed hydrogel, an implantable type of nanotechnology that transmits light-based digital signals through wireless networks.19

It’s basically a gel-like biosensor that can both record and share biological data. The hydrogel is manufactured by Profusa, which is partnered with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation20 and backed by Google, the largest data mining company in the world.

In 2020, there were rumors that this hydrogel would be part of Moderna’s mRNA delivery system.21 DARPA, by the way, actually funded Moderna too.22 However, it is unclear whether hydrogel actually ended up being used in Moderna’s or any other COVID-19 vaccine. At any rate, it could be used, if not now, then in the future.

Now, ask yourself, considering all of these various data points that I’ve covered — which by no means includes everything — just how likely is it that a national social credit system based on digital surveillance, including medical and biological surveillance, is NOT in the works?

Vaccine Passports Spell the End of Freedom

I recently interviewed Wolf about her book “The End of America.” The book, published in 2007, was a prescient warning about the very time we now find ourselves in. In it, she laid out the 10 steps toward tyranny that have been followed by virtually every modern-day would-be tyrant.

“They all took the same 10 steps, and they always work. I warned people that when you start to see these 10 steps, you have to take action, because there is no way to recover once things go too far without a bloody revolution or a civil war. We are [now] at Step 10 … and once Step 10 locks in, there is no going back,” Wolf says.

The 10 steps toward tyranny start with the invocation of a terrifying internal and/or external threat. It may be a real threat or an imagined one, but in all cases, it’s a hyped-up threat. From 2001 onward, that threat was terrorism, which was used as the justification for stripping us of our liberties.

The last and final step in the implementation of tyranny, Step 10, involves the creation of a surveillance state where citizens are under constant surveillance and critique of the government is reclassified as dissent and subversive activity. Vaccine passports are clearly an integral part of that surveillance apparatus, and a precursor to a social credit system.

There simply can be no doubt of that, and if we don’t put a stop to it now, we’ll be locked into not just a national dictatorship but a global one, run by unelected, largely unknown individuals and Big Tech oligarchs. There will be no one to help anyone else, because all nations will be in the same boat.

Peaceful Protest and Legislative Action Are the Remedy

To avoid the fate that comes next, everyone everywhere needs to recognize the danger and take action. Such action includes peaceful protest and civil disobedience — simply not complying with mask mandates, social distancing, lockdowns, vaccination or anything else.

We must also fight through legislation. As mentioned earlier, 14 U.S. states have already passed laws banning requirements for vaccine passports, which protects the freedoms of everyone within those states. While that’s a good start, there are dozens more to go, and other countries need to enact such laws as well. As noted by Wolf in my interview with her:

“Once [vaccine passports] are launched … people like you and I, Dr. Mercola, will be switched off of society. ‘Oops, my vaccine passport is positive. I guess I can't go food shopping for my family.’ ‘I said something critical of biofascism on Dr. Mercola's show, so now my child can't get into school.’

Just as in Israel, where people who are critics are being surveilled [and] marginalized from society, it has turned into a two-tier society. If you choose not to get vaccinated, then you're really in a marginalized minority in an apartheid state.

The more we know about these vaccines, the scarier it is to have coercion that is social. It's also illegal. In America, we have the Americans with Disabilities Act. It means it's illegal to even ask me anything about my medical status. You can't ask me if I'm pregnant. You can't ask me if I'm disabled. You can't ask me if I have diabetes or HIV. You cannot ask me anything. By definition, these intrusive measures are unlawful.

We have to use the law to save the law, basically … We have to fight before we are living in fascist regime where every move is tracked and we're marginalized from society.”

The National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) recently posted more than 50 video presentations from the pay-for-view Fifth International Public Conference on Vaccination held online October 16 to 18, 2020, and made them available to everyone for free.

The conference's theme was "Protecting Health and Autonomy in the 21st Century" and it featured physicians, scientists and other health professionals, human rights activists, faith community leaders, constitutional and civil rights attorneys, authors and parents of vaccine injured children talking about vaccine science, policy, law and ethics and infectious diseases, including coronavirus and COVID-19 vaccines.

In December 2020, a U.K. company published false and misleading information about NVIC and its conference, which prompted NVIC to open up the whole conference for free viewing. The conference has everything you need to educate yourself and protect your personal freedoms and liberties with respect to your health.

Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity. I was a speaker at this empowering conference and urge you to watch these video presentations before they’re censored and taken away by the technocratic elite. [go here, scroll to bottom of page for access]