Virginia

The University of Virginia Health System has announced that it will be canceling decades of court judgments and liens over unpaid medical bills in an effort to reduce some of the financial burden of medical costs for low-income patients. UVA Health announced the new policy in a Monday press release , explaining that it plans to “release all liens and judgments for patients who are at or below 400% of the federal poverty level.” Based on current federal poverty levels , individuals who would qualify under this new policy include single patients who make less than $51,520 or less, as well as a patient who's part of a family of four that makes $106,000 or less. ADVERTISEMENT Douglas E. Lischke, UVA Health’s chief financial officer, said in a statement, “We are committed to providing high-quality, compassionate care to all community members and these new policies and practices uphold our commitment.” The move follows previous reforms announced in 2019 … [Read more...] about University of Virginia hospital system to cancel thousands of backlogged lawsuits over medical bills

Students at the University of Virginia (UVA) voted 89 percent in favor of banning gender pronouns from the school’s constitution, swapping them out for gender-neutral pronouns, such as “they.” The University of Virginia’s recent Student Council elections included a question about removing gendered pronouns from its constitution, which the vast majority of voters approved, according to a report by Campus Reform. UVA Student Council Director of University Relations Noah Strike told Campus Reform that the first referendum question on the students’ ballot, titled, “Modernization and Inclusion of Student Council Constitution,” included that the updates strike “any use of ‘he or she,’ him or her,’ or ‘his or hers’ to the gender-neutral singular ‘they’ pronoun” in the student government’s constitution. “Seeing as our offices are all gender-neutral (i.e. not limited to ‘men only’ etc.), the update reflects how students of any gender identity could serve in positions,” Strike said. … [Read more...] about U. of Virginia Students Ban Gender Pronouns from Constitution

Massachusetts has been ranked as the number one most expensive state in which to buy a home, according to a recent report. The report by SmartAsset said the personal-finance website used metrics that analyzed 48 states and Washington, DC, based on their effective property tax rate, median listing price and price per square foot, median value for homes in the bottom third of the market, and average closing costs. However, Louisiana and Delaware were the only states excluded from the report due to insufficient data. A report by MarketWatch said: All the states were ranked for each of these metrics, and then researchers calculated their average ranking. This then determined the index value they were assigned on a scale from 0 to 100, with 100 being the cheapest. Massachusetts’ index came in at zero, while West Virginia was the most affordable state with a value of 100. A study released by CNBC in July of 2018 previously ranked Massachusetts as the third most expensive … [Read more...] about Massachusetts Ranked Number One Most Expensive State to Buy a Home

Republicans from various factions in the GOP are racing to distance themselves — and the party at large — from a band of hard-line House conservatives whose flirtation with forming a caucus espousing white nationalist views has ignited a firestorm of controversy on Capitol Hill. GOP leaders, anti-Trump centrists and vulnerable Republicans in battleground districts wasted little time in recent days denouncing the “America First Caucus,” whose stated purpose in a platform document included the defense of America as a nation “strengthened by a common respect for uniquely Anglo-Saxon political traditions." While the Republicans reportedly behind the group — including Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene Marjorie Taylor Greene Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene says she's meeting with Trump 'soon' in Florida QAnon site shutters after reports identifying developer Republicans head to runoff in GA-14 MORE (Ga.) and Paul Gosar Paul Anthony Gosar GOP struggles to rein … [Read more...] about Republicans race for distance from ‘America First Caucus’

Republicans are sounding the alarm that divisive candidates running across the country could cost them key Senate and gubernatorial races next year. The party is concerned that disruptive contenders could hurt their chances of keeping Senate seats in Missouri, Alabama and Wisconsin and flipping the governor’s mansion in Virginia. Republicans are also nervously watching primaries for open Senate seats in North Carolina and Ohio and Democratic-held seats in Arizona and Georgia. Nearly a dozen GOP strategists and donors almost unanimously said former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens (R), who resigned in disgrace in 2018 and is running for Senate, carries the most baggage out of any midterm candidate. ADVERTISEMENT But there are also concerns over Alabama Rep. Mo Brooks Morris (Mo) Jackson Brooks The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Facebook - All US adults can get vaccine; decision Friday on J&J vax Republicans fret over divisive candidates The Hill's 12:30 … [Read more...] about Republicans fret over divisive candidates