Conditions in hospitals have always been strained, and not because they have to be. The system is broken on purpose—the priority is profit, rather than people.

The INA and other union groups have shown me real-life, research-backed examples of how health care could do better. A Safe Patient Limits bill is one solution and is possible statewide and, eventually, federally. They’re already doing it in California: four patients to one nurse, maximum.

We have enough nurses per capita to enact safe patient limits in Illinois and elsewhere. But if we don’t give health care workers what they need to survive Covid—PPE, staffing, appropriate public safety policy, and respect as humans and professionals—will we still have enough left when Covid is no longer the scapegoat for our long-failed system?

Kristen Perez is a nurse at an inner-city safety-net hospital in Chicago. 

Source: A Nurse’s Story: My True Cost of the Pandemic | Labor Notes

Ernesto Espinosa, 71, of Miami, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. According to court documents, from January 2010 to June 2015, Espinosa and his co-conspirators paid kickbacks to Medicare beneficiaries to recruit them for referral to home health agencies. Espinosa also coached the Medicare beneficiaries, who did not need home health services, on what to say to obtain home health prescriptions from doctors. In exchange for referring these beneficiaries, Espinosa solicited and received kickbacks and bribes from the home health agencies. Espinosa and the home health agencies attempted to disguise these kickbacks and bribes by routing them through shell companies controlled by Espinosa. The home health agencies then submitted false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for services that were not medically necessary and typically not even provided. As a result of this fraud, Espinosa and his co-conspirators caused Medicare to make payments of approximately $870,000 for the bogus claims. Espinosa personally netted approximately $630,000 from the scheme.

Espinosa is scheduled to be sentenced on May 24 and faces up to 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Source: Patient Recruiter Pleads Guilty to $870,000 Kickback Scheme | OPA | Department of Justice

Source: Brandi Carlile To Be Honored At Human Rights Campaign 2022 Los Angeles Dinner – Look to the Stars

They were banned and designated as extremist by a Russian court in October 2021. But Male State — the online gang of racists, homophobes and misogynists Bellingcat investigated last year — has retained a significant following and managed to become a vocal and vile online booster of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

While Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has stated that one of the main aims of his country’s military action is the “denazification” of Ukraine, vile anti-semitic posts and calls for Ukraine’s leaders to be executed are a regular feature on Male State channels.

As we detailed in our previous investigation, Male State’s tens of thousands of members fight against everything they perceive as a threat to Russia. They wrap up their hate in an extreme right-wing ideology they describe as “national patriarchy”, all under the informal leadership of a college dropout named Vladislav Pozdnyakov.

Although the movement is not explicitly neo-Nazi, posts previously made on Male State channels and chats identified by Bellingcat include references to terms used by neo-Nazis. These include the “1488” numerical code and the term ‘untermensch,’ (‘subhuman’), a word used by the Nazis to describe those they deemed inferior — and also by some in Male State chats to describe Ukrainians.” One Male State channel even posted a video with a clip of a fighter from Task Force Rusich, a neo-Nazi Russian military unit, giving a Nazi salute.

Source: Male State: The Russian Online Hate Group Backing Putin’s War – bellingcat

There is more evidence why parents of children ages 5 to 15 years should have them vaccinated against COVID-19 after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new data that shows the shots protect against symptomatic illness with multiple virus variants.

Among unvaccinated children infected with the virus’ Delta variant, which was the predominant one nationally last summer and fall, 66% reported experiencing symptoms, the data showed.

Source: New CDC data shows COVID-19 vaccine protects kids against multiple variants – UPI.com

Lucky for them, Texas officials probably can’t be prosecuted for bullying under the state’s education laws. The gist of those laws, however, is crystal clear, and so is the effect of their actions and rhetoric about gender-affirming health care. Source: Analysis: Texas officials bully transgender kids for political points | The Texas Tribune