Latest news with #AlanMorgan
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
No one knows whether Trump's $50B for rural health will be enough
A ranch owner brings in a load of hay from her ranch in Texas in 2024. Experts and lawmakers worry a new $50 billion program designed to help struggling rural health care providers may not be enough to offset federal funding losses. (Photo by) Congress set aside $50 billion for rural hospitals and medical providers to allay fears over the billions more in historic cuts to federal health care spending that President Donald Trump signed into law on Independence Day. But is that bandage big enough to save struggling rural hospitals? 'I have more questions than I have answers,' said Alan Morgan, CEO of the National Rural Health Association, a nonprofit policy group. 'No one has those answers yet.' Morgan noted that the new money for rural health, to be spent over five years, is far less than the $155 billion in rural Medicaid spending cuts over 10 years, as estimated by KFF, a nonprofit health policy and research group. Experts, hospital leaders and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle fear that Trump's signature legislation will particularly gut rural hospitals and clinics, which see an outsize share of patients who are insured through Medicaid, the federal-state public health insurance for people with low incomes. The new law slashes more than $1 trillion from Medicaid over the next 10 years to help pay for tax cuts that disproportionately benefit the wealthy. States scramble to shield hospitals from GOP Medicaid cuts The $50 billion addition was an effort by Republican leaders in Congress to win the votes of colleagues within their party who initially balked at supporting such steep cuts to Medicaid and other health services. In the U.S. Senate, the rural program helped secure the vote of Alaska moderate Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who expressed concern about the law's impact on health care in her state. About 1 in 3 Alaskans are insured through Medicaid. Jared Kosin, the president and CEO of the Alaska Hospital & Healthcare Association, said he's deeply frustrated with the new law's gutting of Medicaid funding, which he thinks will wreak lasting damage on Alaskans. And Republicans sidestepped potential solutions by just throwing money into a program, he said. 'It's frustrating in the public realm when decisions like this are made fast and, frankly, carelessly,' he said. 'The consequences are going to fall on us, not them.' More than half of the law's cuts to funding in rural areas are concentrated in 12 states with large rural populations that expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act to cover more people, according to KFF: Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Some GOP lawmakers in Congress have heralded the $50 billion rural program as a health care victory. But it's still unclear which hospitals, clinics and other providers would receive money and how much. The Rural Health Transformation Program will dole out $10 billion annually from fiscal years 2026 through 2030. States must apply for their funding by the end of this year, submitting a detailed plan on how it would be used. The law outlines some ways that states can use the money, according to an analysis of the legislation from the Bipartisan Policy Center: Making payments to rural hospitals to help them maintain essential services such as emergency room care or labor and delivery. Recruiting and training rural doctors, nurses and other health workers. Bolstering emergency medical services such as ambulances and EMTs. Using new technologies, including telehealth. Providing opioid use disorder treatment and mental health services. Improving preventive care and chronic disease management. Half of the $10 billion each year will be distributed evenly across states that have applied for it. The other half can be distributed by the administrator of the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services — currently Dr. Mehmet Oz — at his discretion, based on a state's rural population and rural health facilities. Although the program doesn't replace the amount states are likely to lose, Morgan said it's still an opportunity to rethink how rural health care is funded. He'd like to see states given flexibility in how they're able to use the funds, and he hopes they focus on keeping rural communities healthy through preventive care while still helping hospitals keep their doors open. 'If done correctly, it could really change the future course for rural America,' Morgan said. 'That is such a tough ask, though.' Kentucky could take the biggest hit from the new law's reduction in rural Medicaid funding, losing an estimated $12 billion over 10 years, according to a KFF analysis. Tracking Medicaid patients' work status may prove difficult for states The state's Medicaid department is still waiting for additional federal guidance to understand how the state's program will be affected, Kendra Steele, spokesperson with the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, told Stateline in a statement. 'Over 1.4 million Kentuckians rely on Medicaid — including half of all children in our state, seniors and more vulnerable populations — and the passage of legislation on the federal level will have serious impacts for those individuals, rural health care and hospitals and local economies,' she wrote. Even with the new program, states across the country will have to reevaluate their budgets in light of the cuts, said Hemi Tewarson, executive director at the National Academy for State Health Policy, a nonpartisan group that supports states in developing health care policies. 'Every region is slightly different and there's not a one-size-fits-all approach,' she said. 'Hospital ownership varies [as well as] the types of services that are critical for the community where they're located. They have to think about new ways to provide those services in a context with fewer resources.' About 44% of rural hospitals are operating in the red, according to a KFF analysis of Rand Hospital Data, a higher share than the 35% of hospitals in urban areas. Prior to the bill's passage, Oz attempted to reassure U.S. House Republicans that their districts could get money from the program even if they weren't specifically rural, Politico reported earlier this month. We're all rural at heart when it comes to money. – Alan Morgan, CEO of the National Rural Health Association Pennsylvania Republican U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan said money would begin flowing to his district as early as the beginning of next year, telling the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader earlier this month that he met with Trump, Oz and others to secure pledges that hospitals in his district could access the fund. He represents the northeastern corner of Pennsylvania, which includes suburban and rural areas, as well as the cities of Scranton and Wilkes-Barre. Though the legislation includes guidelines on which facilities or areas qualify as 'rural,' Morgan, of the National Rural Health Association, expects a mad dash from lawmakers and providers to claim rural status in order to get a piece of the funding. 'That's going to be a huge issue — defining who's rural,' Morgan said. 'We're all rural at heart when it comes to money.' Stateline reporter Anna Claire Vollers can be reached at avollers@ SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Solve the daily Crossword
Scottish Sun
04-07-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Major food and drinks business that supplies Aldi & Tesco is on edge of collapse with staff ‘totally devastated'
Plus, other firms that have gone bust this month NOT SUPER Major food and drinks business that supplies Aldi & Tesco is on edge of collapse with staff 'totally devastated' A MAJOR baby food manufacturer is facing liquidation as the business is on the verge of collapse. Workers are "totally devastated" as they are about to lose their livelihood. 1 A major food manufacturer is on the verge of closure Credit: Alamy Nourisher, which produces and supplies yogurts, soups and tray meals to Aldi and Tesco, is reportedly shutting down. The Totton-based firm is set to have its assets sold to settle debts, according to Daily Echo. Devastated workers Around 100 locals who are employed by the company are now facing the grim prospect of losing their jobs. The staff have been crushed to learn the news as they struggle to make ends meet. Team leader Alan Morgan, who worked at Nourisher for six years, told Daily Echo: "Totally devastated after six years. "We had a text saying don't come into work until further notice. "Then we were told that they were looking for an administrator, then they said they were looking for a buyer, then they appointed an administrator, then back to waiting for an administrator, it's all been lies after lies." Alan hasn't received his paycheck for over 12 weeks, and he's not the only worker left to fend for himself. He continued: "Because of this, my bills couldn't be paid. "I had a letter from the landlord seeking possession of my car and bike finance unpaid, struggling to put food on the table, and there are about 50 of us left sorting things out to survive." Liquidation meeting scheduled The company has generated millions of pounds in sales annually, producing goods for companies like Mamia. But it is now awaiting closure with a meeting scheduled in London today to nominate joint liquidators, according to an official notice. Finbarr Thomas O'Connell and Clare Lloyd, both insolvency professionals from S&W Partners LLP, have been identified as the company's potential liquidators. The company is currently led by Ajay Chowdhary who was appointed just a month prior following the dismissal of the former directors. The Sun has reached out to Nourisher for comment. Other closures It comes after a major manufacturer has suddenly shut down due to "very difficult" market conditions. The furniture maker, which supplied "leading brands" across the UK, had to cease trading. Andrew Paul Furniture, which manufactured bespoke chairs and sofas, has closed down after a decline in sales. The firm stopped trading on June 26 after 15 years on the market and is about to go into liquidation. Meanwhile, a popular 138 year old bakery is set to axe 250 jobs following two very difficult years. Roberts Bakers, which supplies products to major supermarkets like Asda, Morrisons, and Tesco, is set to slash its workforce at its factory in Cheshire. The decision follows two years of tough challenges, including a devastating fire in 2023 that severely disrupted operations. The bakery, which employs around 700 people, said it had lost two-thirds of its bread production capacity for over a year after the fire.
The Sun
04-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Major food and drinks business that supplies Aldi & Tesco is on edge of collapse with staff ‘totally devastated'
A MAJOR baby food manufacturer is facing liquidation as the business is on the verge of collapse. Workers are "totally devastated" as they are about to lose their livelihood. 1 Nourisher, which produces and supplies yogurts, soups and tray meals to Aldi and Tesco, is reportedly shutting down. The Totton-based firm is set to have its assets sold to settle debts, according to Daily Echo. Devastated workers Around 100 locals who are employed by the company are now facing the grim prospect of losing their jobs. The staff have been crushed to learn the news as they struggle to make ends meet. Team leader Alan Morgan, who worked at Nourisher for six years, told Daily Echo: "Totally devastated after six years. "We had a text saying don't come into work until further notice. "Then we were told that they were looking for an administrator, then they said they were looking for a buyer, then they appointed an administrator, then back to waiting for an administrator, it's all been lies after lies." Alan hasn't received his paycheck for over 12 weeks, and he's not the only worker left to fend for himself. He continued: "Because of this, my bills couldn't be paid. "I had a letter from the landlord seeking possession of my car and bike finance unpaid, struggling to put food on the table, and there are about 50 of us left sorting things out to survive." Liquidation meeting scheduled The company has generated millions of pounds in sales annually, producing goods for companies like Mamia. But it is now awaiting closure with a meeting scheduled in London today to nominate joint liquidators, according to an official notice. Finbarr Thomas O'Connell and Clare Lloyd, both insolvency professionals from S&W Partners LLP, have been identified as the company's potential liquidators. The company is currently led by Ajay Chowdhary who was appointed just a month prior following the dismissal of the former directors. The Sun has reached out to Nourisher for comment. Other closures It comes after a major manufacturer has suddenly shut down due to "very difficult" market conditions. The furniture maker, which supplied "leading brands" across the UK, had to cease trading. Andrew Paul Furniture, which manufactured bespoke chairs and sofas, has closed down after a decline in sales. The firm stopped trading on June 26 after 15 years on the market and is about to go into liquidation. Meanwhile, a popular 138 year old bakery is set to axe 250 jobs following two very difficult years. Roberts Bakers, which supplies products to major supermarkets like Asda, Morrisons, and Tesco, is set to slash its workforce at its factory in Cheshire. The decision follows two years of tough challenges, including a devastating fire in 2023 that severely disrupted operations. The bakery, which employs around 700 people, said it had lost two-thirds of its bread production capacity for over a year after the fire. Why are retailers closing stores? RETAILERS have been feeling the squeeze since the pandemic, while shoppers are cutting back on spending due to the soaring cost of living crisis. High energy costs and a move to shopping online after the pandemic are also taking a toll, and many high street shops have struggled to keep going. However, additional costs have added further pain to an already struggling sector. The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury's hike to employer NICs from April will cost the retail sector £2.3billion. At the same time, the minimum wage will rise to £12.21 an hour from April, and the minimum wage for people aged 18-20 will rise to £10 an hour, an increase of £1.40. The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has also warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year. It comes on the back of a tough 2024 when 13,000 shops closed their doors for good, already a 28% increase on the previous year. Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the CRR said: "The results for 2024 show that although the outcomes for store closures overall were not as poor as in either 2020 or 2022, they are still disconcerting, with worse set to come in 2025." It comes after almost 170,000 retail workers lost their jobs in 2024. End-of-year figures compiled by the Centre for Retail Research showed the number of job losses spiked amid the collapse of major chains such as Homebase and Ted Baker. It said its latest analysis showed that a total of 169,395 retail jobs were lost in the 2024 calendar year to date. This was up 49,990 – an increase of 41.9% – compared with 2023. It is the highest annual reading since more than 200,000 jobs were lost in 2020 in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced retailers to shut their stores during lockdowns. The centre said 38 major retailers went into administration in 2024, including household names such as Lloyds Pharmacy, Homebase, The Body Shop, Carpetright and Ted Baker. Around a third of all retail job losses in 2024, 33% or 55,914 in total, resulted from administrations. Experts have said small high street shops could face a particularly challenging 2025 because of Budget tax and wage changes. Professor Bamfield has warned of a bleak outlook for 2025, predicting that as many as 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector. "By increasing both the costs of running stores and the costs on each consumer's household it is highly likely that we will see retail job losses eclipse the height of the pandemic in 2020."
Time of India
01-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
RegTech startup Zango AI raises $4.8 million from Nexus Venture Partners, others
Regtech startup Zango AI has raised $4.8 million in a round led by Nexus Venture Partners to expand teams in Bengaluru and London and develop AI-native compliance tools. Founded in 2024, Zango uses regulation-specific LLMs to automate compliance tasks, serving clients like Novobanco, Monzo, and Juni. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Regulatory tech startup Zango AI has raised $4.8 million in a funding round led by Nexus Venture Partners The round also saw early backer South Park Commons participate, along with angel investors such as Richard Davies, CEO of Allica Bank, and Alan Morgan, senior partner, financial services, at McKinsey, among fresh capital will be used to scale up the company's teams in Bengaluru and London, and to build out other product modules for AI-native governance risk and compliance solutions, the company said. Zango is also expanding its product suite into other financial services verticals, including insurance and asset in 2024 by Ritesh Singhania and Shashank Agarwal , Zango aims to modernise how financial institutions manage regulatory requirements. It uses regulation-specific large language models (LLMs) to automate tasks such as horizon scanning, gap analysis, and audit preparation, which are traditionally handled through manual reviews and spreadsheet-heavy startup claims its AI agents are capable of interpreting changing regulations and integrating compliance checks directly into daily operations of the company's tools are currently used by Portugal's Novobanco and fintech companies such as Monzo and Juni."Our AI agents are paired with humans in the loop to ensure 100% accuracy. Peace of mind doesn't come from a tool; it comes from a result. That's why we win against consultants — because they don't just sell software, and neither do we,' said previously founded ClearGlass, a pension compliance platform, and served as head of technology at financial services technology provider Simplitium. Agarwal co-founded Third Watch, a fraud detection startup, which was acquired by digital payments company Razorpay. He also led trust and compliance engineering at IPO-bound fintech PhonePe."The global regulatory landscape is ripe for disruption," said Anand Datta, partner at Nexus Venture Partners. "Ritesh and Shashank, with their firsthand, proven expertise, developed Zango's first-principles approach: uniquely marrying cutting-edge AI with human compliance expertise. Their AI-led solution is already augmenting the compliance team and increasing efficiency at global financial institutions.'
