Medicaid: Half of Doctors Won’t Accept New Patients

Merritt-Hawkins, a national health care search and consulting firm, recently released the results of a telephone survey that measures physicians’ ability or willingness to accept new Medicaid patients across five specialties in 15 metropolitan markets.

The survey’s key finding: The average rate of Medicaid acceptance by physicians in all five specialties and in all 15 markets surveyed was only 45.7 percent. This is lower than the acceptance rate found by the same survey in 2009 (55.4 percent) and in 2004 (49.9 percent).

The survey found that, in 2013, Boston had the highest rate of Medicaid acceptance by physicians in the 15 markets surveyed—73 percent—while Dallas had the lowest, a mere 23 percent.

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Teen Pregnancy, Birth Rates Plummet

Teen pregnancy, birth and abortion rates have declined to historic lows over the last 30 years, according to a new study, evidence researchers say shows efforts to prevent unwanted pregnancies are starting to work.

A study released this week by the Guttmacher Institute, a non-profit reproductive health group, found teen pregnancy rates plummeted in 2010, with 57.4 pregnancies out of 1,000. The drop marks a full 51% decline from its peak in 1990, while teens aged 15 to 19 accounted for a 15% dip in pregnancies in the last two years of data alone, from 2008 to 2010.

According to the report, women aged 18 to 19 made up a majority of teen pregnancies, 69%. And though an increasing proportion of teens in that age group said they were sexually active, fewer became pregnant.

“The decline in the teen pregnancy rate is great news,” lead author Kathryn Kost said in a statement. “Other reports had already demonstrated sustained declines in births among teens in the past few years; but now we know that this is due to the fact that fewer teens are becoming pregnant in the first place.”

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Student Loans to Cost More This Fall

Subsidized student loans will get pricier this fall, thanks to Congress.

Students taking out government student loans could pay nearly a percentage point more in interest rates. Based on rates set at Wednesday's Treasury bond auction, undergraduate loans will likely pay an interest rate of around 4.66% and graduate school loans around 6.21%. That compares to 3.86% for undergraduates and 5.41% for graduates last year.

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On Prom Night, Va. Students Wear Protective Masks To Support Friend With Cancer

A Virginia high school student wanted to go to his girlfriend's prom, but his doctor told him he had to wear a mask to protect himself from getting sick. What his girlfriend and their group of friends did to make him feel comfortable at the prom will no doubt warm your heart.

The 18-year-old you are about to meet received a cancer diagnosis last September. Chemotherapy wasn't far behind.

As if that wasn't tough enough for anyone, especially a teen, his doctor said if he was going to go to the prom, he had to wear a protective mask.

“They had said that I was diagnosed with testicular cancer,” said Jared Hill. “It didn't hit me at first until I got home. And then later that night, I tried to sit down and do some English homework and I just couldn't. I started bawling.”

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The four Ds of the Democrats' Benghazi strategy: Deny, Delay, Disrupt, Discredit

President Obama and his Democratic allies in Congress and the mainstream media face a huge problem in House Speaker John Boehner's decision to appoint a select committee headed by Rep. Trey Gowdy to investigate the Benghazi scandal.

Gowdy is a former prosecutor who has demonstrated beyond any doubt in his work on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee that he means business. Don't be deceived by the Southern manners and the "Yes Ma'ams" and "No sirs."

So Democrats will spare no effort to make Gowdy's life miserable and the work of the panel impossible to complete.

The Democrats' response

White House spokesman Jay Carney and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi framed the Democratic strategy as soon as Boehner's decision became clear.

Carney said "If you look at even what some Republicans have said, it certainly casts doubt on the legitimacy of an effort that is so partisan in nature."

Even "some Republicans" question whether the select committee "is necessary after seven congressional committees and multiple investigations," he added.

As for Pelosi, she initially hinted that House Democrats would boycott the panel, then demanded that Boehner appoint equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans as members.

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Homemade Stink Bug Traps Better Than Store-bought

Warmer weather will bring out stink bugs from cooler hiding places. To get rid of them, researchers at Virginia Tech found homemade stink bug traps work better than store-bought traps.

A pan of soapy water under a desk lamp attracts and kills 14 times more stink bugs than commercially produced traps that can cost as much as $50, the study finds. The study was conducted in 16 houses over two years.

It's the first time the solution was tested scientifically. The findings will be published in the Journal of Extension.

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Marine

A Marine squad was marching north of Fallujah when they came  upon an Iraqi terrorist who was badly injured and unconscious.

On the  opposite side of the road was an American Marine in a similar but less  serious state. 

The Marine was conscious and alert and as first aid was given to both men, the squad leader asked the  injured Marine what had happened. 

The Marine reported, "I was  heavily armed and moving north along the highway here, and coming  south was a heavily armed insurgent.

We saw each other and both took  cover in the ditches along the road.

I yelled to him that Saddam Hussein  was a miserable, lowlife scum bag who got what he deserved.

And he yelled back that Barack Obama is a lying, good-for-nothing, left wing Communist who isn't even an American.

So I said that Osama Bin Laden dresses and acts like a frigid, mean-spirited lesbian!

He retaliated by yelling, Oh yeah? Well, so does Nancy Pelosi!. 

And, there we were, in the middle of the road, shaking hands, when a truck hit us." 

Anthony Brown Campaign For Governor Hires Lobbyist As Adviser

BALTIMORE —The gubernatorial campaign of Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown is receiving scrutiny with a new addition to the payroll.

A lobbyist from one of the state's most connected firms switched hats and joined the campaign a few months ago, the WBAL-TV 11 News I-Team has learned.

Campaign ethics experts said there's nothing illegal or wrong about putting a lobbyist on the campaign payroll but they ask, "Why would you?" considering the types of questions that might be raised.
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JUST IN: House Votes To Establish Select Committee On Benghazi

The House voted Thursday to establish a select committee on Benghazi, formally launching a comprehensive and contentious investigation aimed at answering lingering questions about what happened before, during and after the terror attack that killed four Americans.

The House voted 232-186 to approve the panel. The vote breakdown was 225 Republicans and 7 Democrats in favor, with 186 Democrats voting against the measure.

The vote was never in doubt, as majority Republicans largely were united in support of the committee ever since House Speaker John Boehner called for it last week. Unclear is whether Democrats will boycott the investigation itself.
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Gangster State

Where Is America’s Democracy?

Anyone who looks carefully behind the veil of words cannot find democracy in America. For years I have been writing that the US government is no longer accountable to law or to the people (see, for example, my book, How America Was Lost). The Constitution has been set aside, and the executive branch is degenerating into Caesarism.

Government is used to impose agendas that result from the symbiotic relationship between the neoconservative ideology of US world hegemony and the economic interests of powerful private interest groups, such as Wall Street, the military/security complex, the Israel Lobby, agribusiness, and extractive industries (energy, mining, and timber). Dollar imperialism, threats, bribes, and wars are means by which US hegemony is extended. These agendas are pursued without the knowledge or approval of the American people and in spite of their opposition.

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Residents Encouraged to Take Steps to Reduce Mosquito Breeding Grounds in their Own Yards and Neighborhoods

ANNAPOLIS, MD – The weather has been wet and soggy and now it’s warming up – a combination which means (among other things): more mosquitoes and a higher risk of mosquito-borne diseases to humans, pets and livestock. The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) encourages citizens to learn about the simple things they can do around their homes and yards to reduce mosquito breeding grounds and help keep mosquito populations in check.

“There are 60 species of mosquitoes in Maryland, and many of them are annoying and potentially carry disease,” said Agriculture Secretary Buddy Hance. “When they are biting people and ruining outdoor activities, they can seem to be winning the war, but there are steps homeowners can take right now to prevent them from breeding and multiplying.”

Krauthammer's Take: America's War on Carbon Emissions Is 'Economic Suicide, Global Do-Goodism'

Business Group Rolls Out Roll Call Report Card

Passage of the minimum wage increase has worried business owners and their advocates, who already fret that Mayland’s economic climate is hostile to corporations and mom-and-pop shops alike.

This year’s Maryland Business for Responsive Government’s Roll Call, an annual report card rating lawmakers on how “business friendly” they have voted, also offers analysis of how the hike to minimum wage, signed into law Monday by Gov. Martin O’Malley, will affect the future of the business climate in Maryland.

MBRG, founded in 1985, touts itself and Roll Call as a non-partisan endeavor, representing the interests of state businesses and holding legislators accountable. But inevitably MBRG’s positions tend to fall more in line with Republicans and their pro-business attitudes. Virtually no Democrats earn top scores, but Democrats did do well on a new list of “most improved” legislators.
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Harry Reid’s enriching ‘good old boys’ network

Trail of scandals, corruption trace back decades

NEW YORK – At the center of a Nevada “good old boys” network of movers and shakers through which Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and his family have profited for decades is the Las Vegas-based law firm Lionel Sawyer & Collins.

Some have questioned how Reid, who arrived in Washington in 1983 with a net worth estimated at $1 million, has managed to amass a net worth estimated recently to have peaked at $10 million. He receives as Senate majority leader a top Senate salary set at an annual base of $193,400.

Researching Reid’s relationship with Lionel Sawyer & Collins, WND found a trail of scandals and corruption that trace back decades, surfacing again recently in the Bureau of Land Management standoff with Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy. As WND reported, Reid had championed a proposal by a Chinese energy corporation to fund and own a massive $5 billion solar energy project in Nevada utilizing land currently used to graze cattle.

Nevada law firm hired four Harry Reid sons

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Ocean City Kicks Off the Start of the Season with a Busy Springfest

The season has officially begun, as the 24th Annual Springfest brought over 102,000 people to the Inlet Lot. Accompanied by beautiful weekend weather, Springfest offered four fun-filled days of music, food, arts and crafts for residents and visitors to enjoy.

“We had an extraordinary weekend and I think if you ask any of our vendors or guests they will tell you that Springfest was a success,” said Special Events Director Frank Miller. “We had over 300 outstanding vendors, great entertainment, sold-out headlining concerts and delicious food. Not to mention, aside from a cool start on Thursday, Mother Nature didn’t disappoint!”

Traffic Stop Near Middletown Results in Major Heroin, Cocaine Seizure

Middletown - A traffic stop on Route 1 yesterday afternoon resulted in the seizure of hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of heroin and cocaine.

The stop occurred at 3:47 p.m. south of the Biddles Toll Plaza when a trooper observed a southbound 2014 Dodge Charger speeding. The trooper initiated a traffic stop.

While the trooper spoke to the driver, Michael Chandler, 35, of Philadelphia, a state police drug detection canine sniffed the exterior of the vehicle and indicated there were drugs within.

Troopers searched the vehicle and located plastic bag in the trunk. Inside of the bag was 271 grams of heroin and 83.2 grams of cocaine. The heroin was pure, a form that would normally be diluted before sale to a user. The 271 grams of pure heroin, once diluted and sold, would create over 40,000 bags of heroin valued at more than $400,000.

Chandler was transported to Troop 9 and charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance in a tier 5 quantity, two counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia. He was committed to Howard R. Young Correctional Institute on $1,333,300 cash bail.

Garlic Reverses Heart Disease: UCLA Study

Aged garlic extract can stop heart disease from progressing and, in some cases, even reverse artery plaque accumulation, according to new research.

The studies were conducted at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and led by cardiologist Matthew Budoff, M.D.

He took CAT scans of 72 heart patients who had blockages of at least one of major cardiac artery. He asked half of the study subjects to take two pills of Kyolic Aged Garlic Extract each day, one in the morning and another in the evening. The other participants took placebo pills.

After a year, he repeated the CAT scans and discovered that the subjects who took the garlic experienced regression of arterial plaque. The plaque buildup in patients who took the placebo got worse.

“Our study demonstrated the benefit of this supplement on both plaque changes over time and preventing new plaque formation,” Dr. Budoff told Newsmax Health.

“We have completed four randomized studies to date, and all have led us to concur that aged garlic extract is both beneficial for slowing atherosclerosis and reversing the early stages of heart disease.”

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Survey: Maryland Oyster Population Makes Gains

A survey has found Maryland's oyster population has more than doubled since 2010.

Maryland's 2013 Fall Oyster Survey was released Wednesday by the Department of Natural Resources.

The survey says the oyster population is at its highest point since this type of monitoring began in 1985.

The increase is being attributed to high oyster survival over the past few years and strong reproduction in 2010 and 2012.
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GOVERNOR O’MALLEY, PRESIDING OFFICERS SIGN LEGISLATION TO IMPROVE AIR QUALITY, SAVE CONSUMERS MONEY AND SUPPORT LOCAL GREEN JOBS

Legislation Will Provide Incentives to Expand the Purchase of Electric Vehicles and Recharging Stations
Bill Passage Advances Governor’s Goal to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions

ANNAPOLIS, MD -- Providing financial incentives to expand the purchase of plug-in electric vehicles and recharging stations as a means to improve air quality, save consumers money and support local green jobs, Governor Martin O’Malley, Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr., and House Speaker Pro Tem Adrienne Jones on Monday signed the Electric Vehicles and Recharging Equipment-Rebates and Tax Credits bill (HB 1345 / SB 908). The legislation extends a tax credit on the purchase of plug-in electric vehicles for three years, increases the value of the tax credit provided to most vehicles and enhances the incentive on the purchase and installation of electric vehicle recharging station equipment.

“I applaud my colleagues in the General Assembly for working closely with us to pass this bill that will improve air quality, save hard-working Maryland consumers money and support green jobs here in Maryland,” said Governor Martin O’Malley. “A key component of our strategic efforts to reduce Maryland’s greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2020 is to make owning an electric vehicle more convenient and economical, which this legislation accomplishes.”

“Making it easier to own and operate an electric vehicle is an important part of building a healthy and sustainable environment for Maryland,” said Lt. Governor Anthony Brown. “When we work together with advocates, businesses, and legislative leaders, we can protect our environment while also creating jobs for Maryland’s workers.”

Jet To Stop Printing, Change To Digital App

Jet magazine, which first hit newsstands at the dawn of the civil rights era, is ceasing regular print publication and transforming into a digital app.

Johnson Publishing Co., which owns Jet along with Ebony magazine, says the switch will occur at the end of June. The Chicago-based company says the move is a proactive effort to adapt to its readers' growing desires for quicker and easier access to information.

Desiree Rogers, Johnson Publishing's CEO says the change will take the magazine back to its roots. She notes that Jet, which was founded by John Johnson in November 1951, was originally intended as a newsweekly digest for African-Americans living in an increasingly faster-paced world.
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