#revenue collection at hospitals

[magnetothemagnificent]

Since its Halloween season again......

Places appropriate to have haunted ghost tours or Halloween parties:

-a historic mansion (that wasn't a slave plantation, for fuck's sake)

-your own house or a friend's house

-a forest (as long as you're not disturbing the local landscape and wildlife)

-an amusement park

-a cornfield

-an abandoned industrial warehouse

Places that are not appropriate to have haunted ghost tours or Halloween parties:

-human specimen collection museums

-historic prisons

-historic asylums

-historic slave plantations

-historic hospitals

-sites of tragedy (battlefields, mass graves, memorials to genocide and other historic atrocities)

-marginalized communities' cemeteries and burial grounds

This goes for both people participating in these events and for people hosting it. Sometimes historic sites will host these events as their only way of generating revenue because Capitalism is a plague. Don't attend these events. Want to support a historic site's management? Just donate money directly, don't attend an event profiting off the disrespect and defilement of human bodies and lives.

[robertreich]

The Dark Side of Sports Stadiums

Billionaires have found one more way to funnel our tax dollars into their bank accounts: sports stadiums. And if we don’t play ball, they’ll take our favorite teams away.

Ever notice how there never seems to be enough money to build public infrastructure like mass transit lines and better schools? And yet, when a multi-billion-dollar sports team demands a new stadium, our local governments are happy to oblige.

A good example of this billionaire boondoggle is the host of the 2023 Super Bowl: State Farm Stadium.

That's where the Arizona Cardinals have played since 2006. It was finally built after billionaire team owner Michael Bidwill and his family spent years hinting that they would move the Cards out of Arizona if the team didn't get a new stadium. Their blitz eventually worked, with Arizona taxpayers and the city of Glendale paying over two thirds of the $455 million construction tab.

And State Farm Stadium is not unique. It’s part of a well established playbook.

Here’s how stadiums stick the public with the bill.

Step 1: Billionaire buys a sports team.

Just about every NFL franchise owner has a net worth of over a billion dollars — except for the Green Bay Packers, who are publicly owned by half a million cheeseheads.

The same goes for many franchise owners in other sports. Their fortunes don’t just help them buy teams, but also give them clout — which they cash-in when they want to get a great deal on new digs for their team.

Step 2: Billionaire pressures local government.

Since 1990, franchises in major North American sports leagues have intercepted upwards of $30 billion worth of taxpayer funds from state and local governments to build stadiums.  

And the funding itself is just the beginning of these sweetheart deals.

Sports teams often get big property tax breaks and reimbursements on operating expenses, like utilities and security on game days. Most deals also let the owners keep the revenue from naming rights, luxury box seats, and concessions — like the Atlanta Braves’ $150 hamburger.

Even worse, these deals often put taxpayers on the hook for stadium maintenance and repairs.

We taxpayers are essentially paying for the homes of our favorite sports teams, but we don’t really own those homes, we don’t get to rent them out, and we still have to buy expensive tickets to visit them.

Whenever these billionaire owners try to sell us on a shiny new stadium, they claim it will spur economic growth from which we’ll all benefit.  But numerous studies have shown that this is false.

As a University of Chicago economist aptly put it, "If you want to inject money into the local economy, it would be better to drop it from a helicopter than invest it in a new ballpark."

But what makes sports teams special is they are one of the few realms of collective identity we have left.

Billionaires prey on the love that millions of fans have for their favorite teams.

This brings us to the final step in the playbook: Threaten to move the team.

Obscenely rich owners threaten to — or actually do — rip teams out of their communities if they don’t get the subsidies they demand.

Just look at the Seattle Supersonics. Starbucks’ founder Howard Schultz owned the NBA franchise but failed to secure public funding to build a new stadium. So the coffee magnate sold the team to another wealthy businessman who moved it to Oklahoma.

The most egregious part of how the system currently works is that every dollar we spend building stadiums is a dollar we aren’t using for hospitals or housing or schools.

We are underfunding public necessities in order to funnel money to billionaires for something they could feasibly afford.

So, instead of spending billions on extravagant stadiums, we should be investing taxpayer money in things that improve the lives of everyone — not just the bottom lines of profitable sports teams and their owners.  

Because when it comes to stadium deals, the only winners are billionaires.

[mariacallous]

One night in May, Mikol Ayala stood in an empty parking lot in Florida with his arms out to his side and legs akimbo as two people covered him in isopropyl alcohol. “Get ready to put me out,” Ayala told them. Then the fireworks began.

The scene, illuminated by a pair of car headlights, was being livestreamed on X. The aim was to promote Ayala’s crypto token, Truth or Dare. “Don’t get FOMO, drop a bag on $DARE!” read a graphic layered over the feed. Ayala had been filming himself performing stunts all week—drinking bong water, smashing up his TV, and so forth—but this one went too far.

Ayala dodged the first volley of roman candles fired in his direction, but soon his entire torso was engulfed in flames. “Oh shit,” said a voice from behind the camera, having apparently not considered this possibility. The group threw water over Ayala, but it quickly ran out. He buckled onto a patch of grass and began to scream.

Meanwhile, the price of the $DARE coin pitched upward, reaching a total combined value of $2 million the following day. The denizens of the Internet, it seemed, were pleased with what they saw.

Ayala had suffered third-degree burns on a third of his body, he was later told by doctors. But from the hospital bed, he continued to promote his coin in videos on X, promising to return to stunting as soon as he was able. “I’m the most spontaneous wildcat in the fucking world,” he said. “You tell me let’s go, I’m there.”

Ayala agreed to an interview, but only if he would be paid. WIRED declined.

Though hardly believable to a normie ear, Ayala’s story is not unique in the world of so-called meme coins, in which marketing stunts now routinely range from ridiculous to dangerous to sexually degrading.

This year, to put their coins on the map—as chronicled by crypto media outlet Decrypt—one creator filmed himself getting punched so hard in the face he lost a tooth, another blacked out after smoking drugs, a pair of creators rubbed up against one another in their underwear, and another group detained a person in a purported kidnapping.

Some creators promise to perform specific acts after their meme coins reach certain milestones—a little like funding goals on Kickstarter—thereby incentivizing onlookers to buy in. One creator promised to pour milk over his supposed mother’s breasts, but only once his coin reached a $300,000 valuation.

Meme coins have been around since 2013, when Dogecoin was released. But this year, the number of these coins in circulation has ballooned courtesy of Pump.Fun, a platform that lets people release new coins almost instantly, at no cost.

By some metrics, Pump.Fun is the fastest-growing crypto application ever, taking in an estimated $100 million in revenue—as a 1 percent cut of trades on the platform—since it launched in January. Two million unique meme coins have entered the market through Pump.Fun, Ayala’s coin among them.

The vast majority of these coins never get off the ground. Others attract early attention, then tank after the creator sells off their holdings without warning. A minority of the coins hold value over a longer period.

Meme coins serve no strict purpose other than to act as a vehicle for financial speculation. Fluctuations in their price are therefore a reflection almost entirely of the attention they attract—a collective belief, on whatever grounds, that the price will either rise or fall.

The forces behind the meme coin boom are similar to those that propelled the meme-stock craze of 2021, says Albert Choi, a law professor at the University of Michigan who has published research into meme stocks. Back then, amateur investors on Reddit began a short squeeze on the stock of GameStop and other out-of-favor companies; whereas in 2024, the circulation of viral posts in crypto circles on social media leads meme coins to surge in value. “As [people] recognize momentum building on social media, the strategy is to try to get on the wave before the surge actually takes place,” says Choi.

The potential gains and losses are amplified in crypto, says Choi, because meme coins float free of any fundamental value. Unlike stocks, whose value is in theory tied to the performance and prospects of an underlying company, meme coins have no anchor to prevent a free fall in price. “The problem with crypto is that, if we don’t know what the fundamental value is, what is going to be that opposing and corrective force?” he says.

Previously, the complexity and cost of development were the limiting factors preventing people from flooding the market with meme coins on the off chance they might become rich. But Pump.Fun has flipped that equation. “With platforms that allow individuals to launch meme coins with no coding expertise, the barrier to creating supply is basically nil,” says Kahlil Philander, an assistant professor at Washington State University who specializes in gambling. “Now, the ability to create awareness is what has gotten more expensive.”

The need among small-time meme coin creators to peacock for attention became even more acute when celebrities piled in. In May and June, Caitlyn Jenner, Andrew Tate, and Jason Derulo all released coins of their own.

Around that time, rapper Iggy Azalea put out a coin through Pump.Fun: MOTHER, which reached a $200 million valuation within two weeks. Azalea has promoted the coin relentlessly to her 7.7 million followers on X, through a flurry of provocative images and meme posts.

“I just say whatever I want to say and think is funny,” said Azalea, speaking to WIRED in June. “Part of my strategy is to stay in the conversation. I do like to bait, to troll, to say things that are a little provocative. I like to say things and move in ways that I know can be memeable.”

In a market crowded with hundreds of thousands of coins—including those belonging to Azalea and her celebrity peers—meme-coin creators are being driven to stunts of an ever-escalating lunacy to try to get people to choose their coin instead. “The stunting behavior and use of celebrity accounts is almost exactly the same thing,” says Philander. “It is a source of attention.”

Even the celebrities are struggling to hold the attention of meme-coin investors hungry for the next spectacle. MOTHER is now trading for a quarter of its peak price, despite Azalea’s attempt to create utility for the coin, which is now accepted as payment by a telecom startup in which she has a stake.

Meanwhile, Ayala is quietly plotting his comeback. The $DARE coin has long since lost any gains it made in the immediate wake of the accident, so he needs a way to revive interest in the project. His followers are counting on him.

“Mikol, what are the plans moving forward?” asked one member of the Telegram channel for the coin in August. “Take us to the moon.”

[beardedmrbean]

Prosecutors in northern China have charged dozens of suspects in a decade-long scheme in which corpses marked for cremation were instead sold to one of the country's largest biomaterial firms, a company with ties to the state.

Owners and operators of Shanxi Osteorad Biomaterial Co. and Sichuan Hengpu Technology Co. are accused of receiving more than 4,000 cadavers via illegal means, allowing the former to turn over nearly $53 million in revenue from 2015-2023.

The alleged corpse trafficking spanned at least seven provinces and nearly a dozen localities, where dead bodies were either transferred, dissected, stored or turned into material devices for bone-grafting procedures, according to a leaked May indictment by the Taiyuan People's Procuratorate in Shanxi province.

The case involves at least 75 suspects, including funeral home managers, doctors and company shareholders. The wide investigation was still ongoing as of Thursday, prosecutors told the Shanghai news site The Paper.

The report was carried briefly by Chinese state broadcaster CCTV on Thursday, but both were removed just hours later. Conversations about the topic were also being restricted on Weibo, China's largest social media website, at the time of writing.

Newsweek reached out to China's National Health Commission for comment.

Shanxi Osteorad was founded in 1999 as a subsidiary of Taiyuan's China Institute for Radiation Protection, part of the state-owned China National Nuclear Corp. headquartered in Beijing.

It is among the country's largest bone-graft and substitutes providers in a market to be worth a half-billion dollars by the end of the decade. Its biggest shareholder also owns Sichuan Hengpu, a medical devices manufacturer.

The medical industry uses bone grafting to repair injuries such as severe fractures. Bone tissue can be obtained from the patient—an autograft—but possible complications mean it is commonly harvested from cadavers—an allograft—with donor consent and strict regulatory oversight.

Shanxi Osteorad was accused of forging donor agreements to create allogeneic bone implant material used to treat Chinese patients. Its staff also mistreated cadavers, prosecutors alleged.

In China, the biomedical devices market is overseen by the National Medical Products Administration. The funeral industry falls under the Civil Affairs Ministry. Newsweek reached out to both for comment.

Chinese authorities have for years encouraged small burials, sea burials or cremations to save land. The pandemic also saw a surge in cremations as families were left without access to traditional funeral rites.

But four funeral homes in China's southwestern provinces of Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan, as well as in the Chongqing municipality, collected cremation fees from family members before selling the corpses to two hospitals for dissection and storage, according to the indictment.

Prosecutors said some family members paid for cremation services but did not wish to bring home the ashes. In other cases, unclaimed cadavers were selected instead.

A staff member at Guilin Medical University's anatomy department was alleged to have knowingly purchased at least 450 corpses from three of the funeral homes named in the complaint. The employee bought the bodies for $125 each and later sold more than 300 to Shanxi Osteorad for $1,400 each.

A transplant surgeon at the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, in China's eastern Shandong province, was accused of processing and selling at least 10 corpses to Shanxi Osteorad for $1,400-$3,000 each. Newsweek reached out to both hospitals for comment.

Authorities were alerted to the scandal in September 2023, when China's National Audit Office probed the irregular earnings of the Guilin teaching hospital's faculty member, according to The Paper.

Chinese authorities seized more than 34,000 biomaterial products and over 18 tons of semi-finished goods, as well as 16 properties and 29 vehicles, it said. All suspects have reportedly admitted to their roles.

[theculturedmarxist]

I can't reblog it for some reason, but regarding a thread about how awful Mao is and how his policies killed a hundred billion people, I think this is significant.

---

DETROIT — Another country that once had an addiction problem—one that lasted for almost 200 years and involved an incredible 25 per cent of its population—is China.

Today China is virtually drug‐free— and the methods the Chinese used to eradicate their addiction problem might well offer methods we could use to achieve the same results.

China was forced into addiction by the Opium Wars. Contrary to popular belief, these wars—from 1839 to 1842 —did not originate because China wanted to export opium. They began when China resisted England's demand to import opium in exchange for Chi nese products—mostly tea, silk, and porcelain. China lost these wars, and among other indignities was forced to exchange its goods for opium. As a result it became a highly narcoticized country, a victim of ruthless Western economic and political policy. By 1850 an entire fifth of the revenue of the British Government of India — the source of opium — came from Chinese consumption of this drug.

Obviously to enlarge the market for opium, China was forced to create a huge number of addicts. And it did.

In October of 1949 the People's Re public of China was proclaimed. With in a year the Communist Government instituted a comprehensive program designed to eliminate this threat to the nation. All evidence indicates that by 1953 the problem of narcotic drug abuse was practically eliminated.

One important factor was the changed ideology of the young people —no new supply of addicts was forth coming. The changes in outlook in cluded a redefinition of the nation and its youth, of their worth and role. In rural areas this new definition was based on land distribution; collective farming; new educational, social, and vocational opportunities; and the elec tion of local councils. In the cities it took the form of nationalization of commerce and industry, full employ ment, worker control, and the end of foreign domination.

This total ideological transformation of the younger generation was accom panied by the reintegration of Chinese society through small street commit tees that offered cultural leadership.

Equally significant in the Chinese drive to eliminate narcotic addiction were its methods of plugging the source, China is 80 per cent rural, and an unknown but significant part of the land had been turned into poppy cul tivation. The first major economic and political mass campaign of the Gov ernment was land reform, and this aim was coordinated with elimination of poppy growth. Distribution of land from large landholders to landless peasants was accompanied by the need to convert the opium cash crops to badly needed food crops. Today China produces enough opium to meet its medical needs, but no more.

Smuggled opium was still a source of the drug, and China acted to stop this supply with a policy of “carrot and stick.” Leniency was recom mended for employes and workers of opium traffickers; but heavy penalties existed for those controlling the traf fic, manufacture, or growth of opium.

China's attitude toward the individ ual reformed addict was one of good willed congratulations, and represents another important reason why the nar cotic problem was overcome. The re habilitation of opium addicts began with their registration. Arrangements by city‐wide antiopium committees for addict rehabilitation included treat ment to break the habit at home, in clinics and in hospitals.

At every stage of personal rehabili tation the ideological motivation was stressed. Given China's attitudes, this ideology was strong on political, so cial, and economic information. But the important thing is that the anti drug campaign recognized that the de sire and will of the addict is ultimately the controlling factor of addiction. China's policy was not simply to de prive a person of drugs, but to replace the need for narcotics with a forceful, national commitment. Equally signifi cant, the former addict was fully ac cepted back into Chinese life without official stigma or prejudice.

Naturally, many questions have to be answered about the total success of the Chinese experience. Is there an addict population living in labor camps or prisons because of failure to re habilitate? Do the rehabilitated addicts all function as useful members of Chi nese society? To what extent would addiction be a problem in China if its internal and border controls were less stringent? Does traditional Chinese medicine offer useful ideas about ad diction treatment?

---

Wikipedia puts the census count in 1950 at 546,815,000, and a quarter of that is 136,703,750. So about that many people saved from opium addiction by the Communists.

I wonder if that's the reason the West wants to focus so much on the famine.

[georgefairbrother]

On September 7th, 1978, British Labour Prime Minister James Callaghan confirmed that he would not be calling an early election, despite the precarious stability of his minority government.

"…The government must and will continue to carry out policies that are consistent, determined, that don’t chop or change and that brought about the present recovery in our fortunes…We can see the way ahead…"

Opposition Leader Margaret Thatcher was not best pleased, referring to the government as chickens and stating;

"…The real reason he isn’t having an election is because he thinks he'll lose…"

Even Liberal leader David Steel, whose party had propped up the government through the Lib-Lab Pact, wasn’t happy, stating that the country was due for change and that an election was the only way to breathe life into the four-year-old parliament.

Callaghan had succeeded Harold Wilson in tricky circumstances in 1976. Inflation had peaked at 26% and unemployment was heading toward 1.5 million, a devastating figure in the context of the time although it would more than double by the mid 1980s under the Tories. Callaghan was forced to make unpopular cuts in government spending to comply with terms set out by the International Monetary Fund, after a financial crisis precipitated by the plunging Pound had necessitated an emergency loan. But it wasn’t all doom and gloom, the balance of trade was improving on the back of growing revenue and production from North Sea Oil, which was expected to make the country self-sufficient by 1980.

In the autumn of 1978, the government proposed that trade unions moderate the following year’s pay claims to 5% as a key part of the ongoing fight against inflation, which was by then hovering at 8%. The unions, however, rejected any limits proposed by the Callaghan government and vowed to pursue their right to free and unrestrained collective bargaining. The first major employer to concede over and above the government’s proposed ceiling was Ford Motor Company, which granted an increase of 17% after an initial ambit claim of 25%.

That December, the government received an unwanted Christmas present, when a motion in the House of Commons was carried condemning;

"…the arbitrary use of economic sanctions against firms and workers who have negotiated pay settlements beyond a rigid limit which Parliament has not approved…"

The Civil Service unions, now isolated under government control while private sector companies were free to set their own wage negotiation benchmarks without risk of sanction, prepared for militant action. The ensuing Winter of Discontent strikes created shortages of a number of essential commodities. NHS hospitals, ambulance services, rubbish collection, schools and even funeral and burial services were caught up in transport and related stoppages that created nationwide chaos.

At one point 200 000 workers were temporarily laid off, and rubbish piled high in the streets. By the end of January 1979, the strike ended with employers conceding to almost all of the various unions’ demands.

Into this chaotic atmosphere returned the PM from a summit with US President Carter, French President Valery Giscard d’Estaing and the West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt. The meeting had been held in the sunny Caribbean Island of Guadeloupe. Callaghan, looking relaxed and unconcerned according to some reports, rather unwisely stated,

"…I don’t think that other people in the world would share the view that there is mounting chaos…"

He was rewarded by the famous What Crisis? headline in The Sun.

With an election looming, the government and Trades Union Congress finally made an attempt to publicly reconcile. The new Concordat, issued in February 1979, spelled out guidelines for a new cooperative approach toward dispute resolution, called for restraint in wage demands and set a joint ambition for an inflation rate of below 5% by 1982. It promised more measured picketing and more liberal union control over workforces. Callaghan called this a great step forward, while the Confederation of British Industry, unsurprisingly, said it was too little, too late.

Opposition Leader, Margaret Thatcher, soon seized a golden opportunity to take command of the agenda. She steamed in with motion of no confidence against the government on March 28th, 1979. The motion was passed by one vote, the first such successful motion since 1924. The subsequent general election paved the way for 18 years of Tory government.

Following the inevitable election loss, Jim Callaghan stayed on as Opposition Leader until 1980 when he was succeeded by Michael Foot. He subsequently served in the Lords as Baron Callaghan of Cardiff and passed away in 2005, aged 92.

[elladastinkardiamou]

This week's newsletter from AthensLive is out:

* Low wages, no savings, high working hours, high housing costs 

* 2024 Budget submitted: Tax revenues increase by 2 billion 

* SYRIZA: That’s all, folks

Greece has the lowest average annual wage in all EU countries and ranks last with a negative figure for disposable income. According to the OECD, the country is 3rd from the bottom in average wages among 35 countries and has the 7th highest average working time. It doesn’t sound good, right?

The 2024 budget was submitted to Parliament. Some extra 2 billion are to be collected from taxes, while very little extra funding is provided for hospitals and education. Also, public debt is expected to drop to 152.3% of GDP in 2024 from 160.3% of GDP this year (It was far lower when Greece was told it should go under structural adjustment, remember?)

SYRIZA is ‘game over.’ The main opposition party is disintegrating as nine more MPs, an MEP, and dozens of members from its institutions are breaking from the party. New leader Kasselakis isn’t doing well at all, and it’s also depicted in polls.  

Read and share this week's updates on the events and developments in Greece here: https://steadyhq.com/en/athenslivegr/posts/ba0224ee-5fc0-4c64-ab24-af390c57552d

For anyone with a wish or need to follow and to gain an insight into recent events in Greece and to read and support independent and investigative journalism in English, the weekly newsletter from AthensLive should be a core element in the reading flow.

If you want the best overview of the events and developments in Greece right now, this is the place to go. Not the mainstream Greek news, but independent journalism with sharp analysis and links to interesting and important topics from a variety of sources.

Become a member and get the newsletter in your inbox every week here:

https://steadyhq.com/en/athenslivegr/newsletter/sign_up

[greenerteacups]

Re economy question it tickles me how the Ministry looks like the biggest employer of Wizarding Britain…their economy is a mishmash of preindustrial commerce and landholding held together by a kleptocracy

The number of people employed by the Ministry is like, absurd. To the point where I assumed it was overrepresented for Plot Reasons. Like, we need Arthur to have a Ministry job so he has the inside scoop on Bertha Jorkins and a bunch of stuff in fifth year, we meet a lot of Aurors because this is a story about a war, a lot of the bureaucrats who get involved with Harry's hearing/school administration are a result of the Umbridge Arc, and I take it as implicit that most of all jobs Just Happen Somewhere Else, because like.

Okay sidebar about the Ministry. Let me talk to you about the Ministry. Can I talk to you about the fucking Ministry? Put aside the fact that there are more named Ministry employees in this story than there are normal taxpayers. Put aside the fact that the banking system being run exclusively by a disenfranchised underclass that you happen to treat like shit is a policy move that ranks up there with "invading the Soviet Union in December." Put aside the fact that this is basically a modern welfare state stapled on top of a market that's still hammering out the kinks of industrial economics in 19-fucking-91. Here's my question, alright:

WHERE IS THE MONEY GOING?

Let's do an exercise. In 1990, public sector employment was 27% of the British national workforce (and growing). The population dynamics of Harry Potter are irrevocably fucked, so this is only going to even-sort-of-work if we fudge it, as I'm about to do: I'm setting the number of Ministry workers, e.g. salaried bureaucrats, at 10,000. Base pay for a government bureaucrat in 1990, is, what, £25-30,000? Let's say so. Multiply that by 10k, you get a personnel budget of £300 million. Sounds like a lot of money, right?

Except what the fuck does the Ministry do? The reason employment costs balloon in the late twentieth century is because we see the rise of social services that require a lot more administrators to vet and deliver — social security in the United States, the NHS in Britain, public education, etc., etc. Public housing! This is why Maggie Thatcher goes postal and starts hack-sawing the national budget. But what, exactly, does the Ministry of Magic deliver? We don't see any poverty relief programs being administered to the Weasleys. Pensions are a thing, but only for Ministry workers. Health services? Sure, let's say St. Mungo's is a public hospital, fair enough. And Hogwarts is free for all British citizens, that's cool, that's probably some expense. But those are two institutions. Where's the rest of it? Where are the big-ticket items that justify this huge corpus of employees? A pure regulatory state does not require this much personnel! There's a whole Department for Games and Sports (e.g. quidditch — oh wait, that's a private league sport!), but not a Department of Energy, or Department of Housing? Fuck off! There is not!

That's not even the biggest problem, though. There's a much, much bigger issue with Ministry organization: There's no fucking Inland Revenue! It doesn't matter how the budgets are balanced, frankly, because unless IR is hidden somewhere in a secret department we don't know about, nobody is paying the government for fuck!

Admittedly, this is pedantry, at some point. JKR was frankly under no obligation to explore the finer points of tax collection in her series of children's novels. I get that, I do. But I'm reminded of what George R. R. Martin said about his annoyance with fantasy novels — the fact that you never got to judge these mythical kings and Chosen Ones by their actual leadership choices. You never see what Aragorn's tax policy is like. And in reality, that's much more important than how good you are with a sword. So — especially in things like The Cursed Child, which actually does try to explore the "adult" world of Harry Potter — it's fascinating that there are so are so many parts of the universe that just live in the world of inference.

[avetalive]

Planning to Choose Hospital Revenue Cycle Management in New York

Hospital Revenue Cycle Management refers to the process of managing the financial flow of a hospital from patient registration and billing to payment collection. It involves tracking patient data, insurance claims, and financial transactions to ensure that the hospital is receiving timely and accurate payments for the services it provides. Effective Revenue Cycle Management is critical for the financial health of a hospital and requires expertise in medical billing, coding, and compliance. At its core, Revenue Cycle Management aims to optimize revenue while providing quality care to patients. Get in touch with us for more detailed information via visit our website!

[royal-diaries-podcast]

Russian economic development was well below the standards in western Europe. Historian François Cruzet writes that Russia under Catherine, "had neither a free peasantry, nor a significant middle class, nor legal norms hospitable to private enterprise. Still, there was a start of industry, mainly textiles around Moscow and ironworks in the Ural Mountains, with a labor force mainly of serfs, bound to the works."

Catherine paid a great deal of attention to financial reform, and relied heavily on the advice of hard-working Prince A. A. Viazemski. She found that piecemeal reform worked poorly because there was no overall view of a comprehensive state budget. Money was needed for wars and necessitated the junking the old financial institutions. Vaizemski's Office of State Revenue took centralised control and by 1781, the government possessed its first approximation of a state budget.

Catherine made public health a priority. She launched the Moscow Foundling Home and lying-in hospital, 1764, and Paul's Hospital, 1763. She had the government collect and publish vital statistics. She established a centralised medical administration charged with initiating vigorous health policies. Catherine decided to have herself inoculated against smallpox by Thomas Dimsdale, a British doctor. While this was considered a controversial method at the time, she succeeded. Her son Pavel later was inoculated as well. Catherine then sought to have inoculations throughout her empire and stated: "My objective was, through my example, to save from death the multitude of my subjects who, not knowing the value of this technique, and frightened of it, were left in danger". By 1800, approximately 2 million inoculations (almost 6% of the population) were administered in the Russian Empire. Historians consider her efforts to be a success.

Image: A 5-kopeck coin bearing the monogram of Catherine the Great and the Imperial coat of arms, dated 1791

[besttradingplatform1]

Upcoming IPOs in India 2023

The IPO is an Initial Public Offer in which companies offer their privately held shares to the public for the first time, i.e, they sell their shares to the public. Companies that wish to change their company status from Private Limited to Limited must draft a DRHP with SEBI. Here is the list of upcoming IPOs in the year 2023:

S.No

Company

Issue Size (in Rs. Crores)

Sector

1.

Infinion Biopharma

Yet to be updated

Health Care

2.

Go Airlines India Ltd.

3,600

Aviation

3.

Snapdeal Ltd.

1,250 + OFS

E-commerce

4.

Skanray Technologies Ltd.

400

Healthcare technology

5.

One Mobikwik Systems Ltd

1,900

Technology

6.

Ixigo

1,600

Travel & Hospitality

7.

Sterlite Power Transmissions Ltd.

1,250

Industrials

8.

Gemini Edibles and Fats

2,500

Consumer Staples

9.

Bajaj Energy

5,450

Electric utilities

10.

Arohan Financial Services Pvt Ltd.

1,800

Financials

11.

Capillary Technologies India Ltd.

850

Technology

12.

Uma Converter Limited

Yet to be updated

Packaging

13.

Emcure pharmaceuticals

Around 4,500-5,000

Health Care

Here are some factors you should consider before investing in an IPO:

Company’s background: Before investing in any IPO, look for the company’s past background, and understand its business model and how it is operated. Also, look for their financials. It would be a good investment if revenues and profits are increasing consistently.

Valuation: Another factor is to check the company’s valuation. The best way to assess a company's valuation is to compare its price to that of its listed peers. Look for various ratios like price-to-earnings ratio, return on equity, etc.

Future prospects: Now try to understand the reason behind the IPO. And also understand the industry and business in detail to make sure it will sustain itself in the future. Also, the reason behind bringing the IPO can be many, so try to understand whether the money will be used for expansion, paying off loans or anything else.

Conclusion IPOs have rarely seen such strong investor demand as they have in recent years. According to data, the total collection for IPOs has well surpassed the INR 100 lakh crore mark this year. With less than a month until the end of the year, investors may see similar investor participation in upcoming IPOs.

Source - https://justpaste.it/2q3cc

[eaglesnick]

101 Things You Should Know About The UK Tory Government

Thing 94

According to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, there were around 13.4 million people living in poverty in the UK between 2020 and 2021. Since then, energy price increases and inflation have driven  more families below the bread line.

One of the lesser-known consequences of this is the fact that many of the poor can no longer afford to pay for the medicine they need.

“One in two pharmacists had ... seen a rise in people not collecting their prescription, while two in three pharmacists reported seeing an increase in requests for cheaper, over-the-counter substitutes for the medicine they had been prescribed.” (MailOnline: 13/02/23)

England is the only country within the UK to levy prescription charges. Being too poor to be able to afford essential medicines will only cost the NHS more in the long run, with more people ending up in hospital than might otherwise have been the case. The government charges £9.35 per prescription item. 

Rather than scrap the prescription charge altogether, in 2021 the government announced plans to charge the over 60’s who up until now have been exempt from paying.

The government justifies these changes thus:

“Prescription charges generate approximately £600 million in revenue for the English NHS each year. An increase to the upper age exemption could generate additional revenue for NHS frontline services.”  (Gov.UK 01/07/21)

Is it possible for this Tory government to become any more mean-spirited?

[neworkplace]

Lil Wayne Snubbed: No Super Bowl in New Orleans? 🏈

As the Super Bowl approaches, excitement is building across the country. However, a notable absence looms over the celebrations—New Orleans, a city with a rich history of hosting the event, has been passed over in favor of Las Vegas for the 2024 game. This decision has sparked disappointment, particularly from local icon Lil Wayne, whose connection to the city and its culture is profound.

A City Built for Celebration

New Orleans is known for its vibrant atmosphere, rich musical heritage, and festive spirit, making it a natural choice for hosting the Super Bowl. The city has hosted the big game multiple times, each occasion marked by a unique blend of football and cultural celebration. Mardi Gras-style festivities, live music, and unparalleled cuisine transform the event into a citywide party that attracts fans from around the globe.

Lil Wayne, born Dwayne Carter Jr., is synonymous with New Orleans culture. His music often reflects the struggles and triumphs of life in the city, celebrating its resilience and artistry. For Wayne, the Super Bowl represents more than just a sporting event; it’s a platform to showcase New Orleans to a wider audience.

The Disappointment of Exclusion

When the NFL announced that the 2024 Super Bowl would be held in Las Vegas, many New Orleans residents felt a deep sense of disappointment. Lil Wayne took to social media, expressing his frustration and emphasizing how the city’s vibrant culture deserves recognition on such a grand stage. His sentiments resonated with fans who see the snubbing of New Orleans as a missed opportunity to highlight its unique contributions to American culture.

Wayne’s disappointment is not merely personal; it reflects the collective feelings of a community that prides itself on its hospitality, creativity, and passion for football. New Orleans is home to some of the most devoted fans in the league, and the absence of the Super Bowl is felt deeply across the city.

Economic Implications

The economic impact of hosting the Super Bowl is significant. From hotel bookings to restaurant reservations, the influx of visitors generates substantial revenue for local businesses. New Orleans, still recovering from the dual challenges of natural disasters and the pandemic, could have greatly benefited from the financial boost that comes with hosting such a high-profile event.

Without the Super Bowl, local businesses face a missed opportunity for growth and exposure. The city has a unique charm and character that would have shone brightly during the festivities, making the NFL’s decision to host elsewhere feel particularly poignant.

A Call for Recognition

Lil Wayne’s response to the Super Bowl snub serves as a rallying cry for New Orleans. The rapper embodies the city’s spirit and resilience, using his platform to advocate for recognition and celebration of local culture. The Super Bowl could have showcased New Orleans’ music, food, and community spirit to millions, but the decision to overlook the city raises questions about how the NFL values its host cities.

Fans and artists alike are urging the NFL to consider the cultural significance of the locations it chooses. New Orleans deserves to be celebrated not only during major sporting events but every day, as it has a rich tapestry of art, history, and culinary innovation that enriches the American landscape.

Looking Ahead

While this year’s Super Bowl may not be in New Orleans, the city continues to thrive as a cultural hub. Festivals, concerts, and local events keep the spirit alive, and artists like Lil Wayne remain committed to promoting their hometown. The hope is that New Orleans will one day reclaim its status as a Super Bowl host city, allowing the world to experience its vibrant culture firsthand.

Conclusion

The decision to host the Super Bowl in Las Vegas instead of New Orleans has left many feeling snubbed, including Lil Wayne and his fans. However, this moment serves as a reminder of New Orleans’ rich cultural legacy and the importance of celebrating its unique identity. As the community looks to the future, the spirit of New Orleans will continue to resonate, ensuring that its story is told and its music is heard, one beat at a time.

[tamanna31]

Interactive Kiosk Market - Structure, Size, Trends, Analysis and Outlook 2022-2030

Interactive Kiosk Industry Overview

The global interactive kiosk market size was valued at USD 28.45 billion in 2021 and is projected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.1% from 2022 to 2030. 

Due to the high development in payment and security technologies, the market has witnessed rapid growth over the past few years. Many of the self-service kiosk manufacturers will continue to extract these technologies’ maximum potential and are expected to include them as an indispensable component of their product offering. Interactive kiosks help prevent long queues at public places, such as inquiry counters at railway stations, banks, and malls and check-in counters at airports. At places, such as hospitals and government offices, they help reduce the paperwork associated with visitor data collection and enhance visitors’ experiences.

Gather more insights about the market drivers, restrains and growth of the Interactive Kiosk Market

An increase in product adoption in the BFSI and retail segments is expected to be a major growth driver for the market. Some of the major manufacturers are already working on developing and integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based technology in interactive kiosks. For instance, ViaTouch Media has introduced AI-based kiosks, which enable shoppers to examine the products before making a purchase. As products are removed from the retailer’s shelf, a video screen above displays product information to the customer. The growing problems due to the outbreak of COVID-19 have increased the adoption of self-checkout kiosks to avoid human interaction. As self-checkout kiosks ensure social distancing in stores, they pave the way for a little human interaction.

Looking forward to driving the adoption of and advantages offered by interactive kiosks to customers, the vendors operating in the market have launched various advanced solutions and technologies in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has doubled the R&D spending and innovation by the vendors. For instance, kiosk systems with temperature sensors, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)-dispensing kiosks, smart kiosks that collect swab samples for COVID-19 tests, and mobile testing kiosks are some of the latest solutions launched by the vendors operating in the market. The vendors are expected to continue focusing on product innovation and development to gain a significant share in the years to come.

Interactive Kiosk Market Segmentation

Grand View Research has segmented the global interactive kiosk market report on the basis of component, type, end use, and region:

Component Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

Hardware

Display

Printer

Others

Software

Windows

Android

Linux

Others (iOS, Others)

Service

Integration & Deployment

Managed Services

Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

Automated Teller Machines (ATMs)

Retail Self-Checkout Kiosks

Self-Service Kiosks

Vending Kiosks

End Use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

BFSI

Retail

Food & Beverage

Healthcare

Government

Travel & Tourism

Others

Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

North America

US

Canada

Europe

UK

Germany

France

Asia Pacific

China

India

Japan

Singapore

Thailand

Indonesia

Malaysia

Vietnam

Australia

Latin America

Brazil

Middle East & Africa (MEA)

Browse through Grand View Research's Next Generation Technologies Industry Research Reports.

The global hybrid printing technologies market size was estimated at USD 4.59 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 12.3% from 2024 to 2030.

The global 4D printing market size was estimated at USD 156.8 million in 2023 and is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 35.8% from 2024 to 2030. 

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

The market is characterized by the presence of a few players accounting for significant industry share. New product launches and technology partnerships are some of the major strategies adopted by key companies to strengthen their market position. Key industry players are also heavily investing in research & development projects and focusing on establishing production infrastructure to develop and offer differentiated and cost-effective self-service solutions. The Meridian, Advanced Kiosk, and Kiosk Information System have a strong market presence due to the availability of a strong R&D department and production facilities. The companies mainly focus on product innovation and effective distribution through a strong network of partners in multiple countries, such as the U.S., Germany, India, and Brazil. Some of the key players in the global interactive kiosk market include:

NCR Corp.

Diebold Nixdorf AG

ZEBRA Technologies Corp.

Advanced Kiosks

Embross Group

GRGBanking

IER SAS

Order a free sample PDF of the Interactive Kiosk Market Intelligence Study, published by Grand View Research.

[wshcare]

Specialized Support for Optimized Revenue Cycles

Hospital RCM Services offer specialized support to healthcare facilities in managing their revenue cycles effectively. These services cover a broad range of activities, including charge capture, medical coding, claims submission, payment posting, and denial management. By outsourcing these critical tasks to experienced professionals, hospitals can focus on delivering quality patient care while ensuring that their financial operations are handled with precision.

The complexity of healthcare billing and the frequent changes in regulations make it challenging for hospitals to manage their revenue cycles in-house. RCM service providers bring expertise and technology that help streamline these processes, reduce errors, and ensure compliance with industry standards.

In addition, hospital RCM services often include analytics and reporting tools that provide administrators with real-time insights into their financial performance. This allows hospitals to identify areas for improvement, optimize their revenue cycle processes, and maximize revenue collection.

[brookemedbil]

The Ultimate Guide to Medical Billing and Claims: Everything You Need to Know

**Title: The‌ Ultimate Guide to Medical Billing and Claims: Everything You ‍Need to Know**

**Introduction:** Medical billing‍ and claims play⁤ a crucial ‌role in healthcare‍ administration, ensuring that ‍healthcare providers receive proper⁣ compensation for their‍ services. In this comprehensive​ guide, we will walk you through ‍everything you need to know about medical billing and claims, from the basics to more advanced concepts. By ⁤the⁤ end​ of this article, ⁢you will ⁤have a solid understanding of the processes involved⁤ and⁣ how to⁤ navigate them⁣ successfully.

**Benefits‍ of⁣ Understanding Medical Billing and Claims:** Understanding medical billing and⁢ claims is essential for healthcare providers, medical billers, and anyone involved in the ⁢healthcare ​industry. Some key ⁢benefits‍ include:

– Maximizing‌ revenue: Properly submitting and managing medical claims can help healthcare providers maximize their⁢ revenue by ensuring they are reimbursed for the​ services they provide. – Compliance: Understanding medical billing regulations and requirements helps healthcare ⁣providers stay compliant and avoid costly penalties. – ​Improved efficiency: ⁢Efficient medical billing processes can streamline administrative tasks,‍ reduce errors, and ultimately improve overall workflow. – Patient satisfaction: Clear and‌ accurate⁣ billing practices can enhance patient ‌satisfaction by‌ providing transparent communication and resolving ‌billing issues promptly.

**What is Medical Billing?** Medical billing is the process of submitting and following up on claims with health insurance companies to receive payment ⁣for healthcare services provided. It involves translating healthcare‌ services into billing codes,​ submitting claims to insurance companies, and resolving any issues that may ⁢arise during the⁢ reimbursement⁤ process.

**Key ‍Steps in the Medical Billing Process:** 1. Patient Registration: Gathering‍ patient demographic and insurance information to establish⁢ a billing file. 2.⁢ Insurance​ Verification: ⁣Verifying patient insurance coverage and eligibility for services. 3. Coding: ‌Assigning the appropriate codes⁢ to healthcare services⁢ using ICD (International ‍Classification ​of ⁣Diseases) and CPT (Current Procedural Terminology) codes. 4. Claim ​Submission: Submitting ⁤claims to ‍insurance companies‍ electronically​ or via paper format. 5. Payment ​Posting: Recording and posting⁢ payments received from insurance companies or patients. 6. Denial Management: Addressing claim‍ denials, resubmitting or appealing denied claims for reimbursement.

**What are Medical Claims?** A medical claim is a request for payment submitted by a healthcare provider to an insurance company or payer for healthcare services rendered to⁤ a patient. It contains detailed information about the services provided, including diagnosis codes, procedure codes, and other‍ relevant⁢ information necessary for‍ reimbursement.

**Types of ‌Medical Claims:** – CMS-1500: The standard claim form used⁣ for submitting professional fee-for-service ‌claims. -⁤ UB-04: Used for inpatient ⁣and outpatient hospital ‍services. – Electronic Claims: Submitted electronically ​through practice management software or clearinghouses⁣ for⁤ faster processing.

**Common Medical Billing Errors to Avoid:** – Incorrect Patient ⁣Information: Ensure accurate⁣ patient demographic and insurance information is collected and ⁤verified. – Coding Errors: Incorrect use⁣ of ICD and CPT codes can lead to claim denials or underpayment. -‍ Timely Filing:​ Submit claims within the designated ‍timeframe to avoid claim denials. – Claim Denials: Monitor ‌and address claim denials ​promptly to maximize reimbursement. – Up-coding or Unbundling: ‌Ensure⁣ services are billed ‌accurately and appropriately‍ to⁣ avoid fraudulent billing practices.

**Conclusion:** Medical billing and ‍claims are essential components of​ healthcare administration, impacting the financial health of healthcare providers and the overall patient experience. By understanding the key processes, common errors to avoid, and best practices in medical billing, you ‌can ensure efficient revenue cycle management and compliance with billing regulations. Stay informed, stay compliant, and optimize⁤ your medical billing⁣ and claims processes for success.

Remember, proper medical billing is not just ⁢about getting paid; it’s about providing quality care to patients⁤ while maintaining financial stability.

**Meta Title: The Ultimate Guide ⁤to Medical Billing and Claims: Everything You ⁣Need to Know** **Meta Description: Discover the ins and outs of medical billing and claims, from the basics to best practices. Maximize revenue, ⁢streamline processes, and ensure ‌compliance with our comprehensive guide.**

https://medicalbillingcodingcourses.net/the-ultimate-guide-to-medical-billing-and-claims-everything-you-need-to-know/