HealthCare.gov: Surge expected on enrollment deadline

FILE - This Nov. 12, 2014 file photo shows the HealthCare.gov website, where people can buy health insurance, on a laptop screen, shown in Portland, Ore.(Photo: AP Photo/Don Ryan)

Cover Oregon is expecting a big uptick in health insurance enrollments at HealthCare.gov on Monday, the deadline to sign up for individual private insurance that would kick in Jan. 1.

While open enrollment will continue through Feb. 15, people might experience coverage gaps if they miss Monday's deadline.

In the first two weeks of open enrollment, just 7,185 people had signed up. One week later, that figure jumped to 26,933. Cover Oregon spokeswoman Amy Fauver said she expects an even bigger surge this week.

"Huge amounts of people come in at the last minute," Fauver said. "It's just human nature."

It's worth emphasizing that because Oregon switched from its own system, Cover Oregon, to HealthCare.gov, everyone who is currently enrolled under Cover Oregon will not have automatic renewals. They have to re-enroll from scratch at HealthCare.gov.

So far, the technology is working well, Fauver said, though people have reported long wait times at the federal call center. The website also has a waiting room function that can be deployed if it is hitting the maximum number of users it can support. So far, it hasn't been used yet, Fauver said.

Oregonians have until 11:59 p.m. local time to sign up.

Those who miss Monday's deadline can sign up by Jan. 15 for coverage starting Feb. 1, and the final deadline is Feb. 15, for coverage beginning in March. Those who don't act would have to wait until next fall's open enrollment period, unless they experience a qualifying life change that would allow them to enroll mid-year.

Cover Oregon's projections for 2015 enrollees are 76,000 to 114,000.

syoo@StatesmanJournal.com, (503) 399-6673 or follow at Twitter.com/syoo.

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Source: http://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/health/2014/12/15/healthcaregov-surge-expected-enrollment-deadline/20452175/

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US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy on obesity, medical marijuana, vaccines ...

Vivek Murthy is the new Surgeon General of the United States, after a hard-won confirmation by the Senateyesterday. Murthy, whose position that guns are a health-care issue in the US earned him the ire of the countrys powerful gun lobby, will serve a four-year term as the nations top doctor and public health advocate. The position has lacked a permanent director sinceJuly 2013.

Murthyco-founded Doctors for America, a group of 16,000 physicians and medical students that sent a strongly-worded letter(pdf) last year to the Congress, urging politicians to take stricter measures to stop gun violence. Thatearned him the ire of the National Rifle Association, slowinghis confirmation, but may have also been one of the factors that ultimately helped him win the support of dozens of politicians, medical groups, and universities.

The letter proposed attempting to cut gun deaths in half by 2020, by banning assault weapons, tighteningsafety regulations, fundingresearch on gun violence, and repealing laws that ban physicians from discussing gun safety with patients. It said:

The circumstances and causes of gun-related injuries and death are diversemass shootings, suicides, individual disputes, robberies, and accidents. There is no single provision that will stop these tragedies from happening, so we must approach the issue from all available angles, just as we have successfully approached other threats to public health such as motor vehicle accident deaths and deaths from fire and drowning.

During his February 2014 opening remarks (pdf) in front of a Senate nominating committee, Murthy stressed the USs other health problems, saying if he was nominated he hoped to marshal partnerships across the country to address the epidemics of obesity and tobacco-related disease, to reduce the crippling stigma of mental illness, to roll back the resurgence of vaccine preventable disease and to address many other issues.

During that nearly two-hour hearing,senators questioned him about his track record on public-health management, what he thinks of medical marijuana (hes heard of anecdotal evidence but believes more information is needed to safely prescribe it), and, predictably, guns.

I do not intend to use the Surgeon Generals Office as a bully pulpit for gun control, Murthy said, in response to a question from a Republican senator:

My concerns with regards to issues like gun violence have to do with my experience as a physician, seeing patients in emergency rooms who have come in with acute injuries; but also seeing many patients over the years who are dealing with spinal cord injuries, post traumatic stress disorder, and other chronic complications from gun violence.

In his May 2014 address to graduates of Harvard Medical School, he first thanked the crowd for not opposing him as commencement speaker, saying that its nice to be out of the line of fire, for a change. He thendelivered a speech that stressed the courage necessary to be doctor when medicine is facing crises with costs, quality, and coverage, and critical public health challenges.

Murthy calledon the students to follow in his footsteps and become public-health advocates:

We can no longer remain within our exam rooms and ignore what happens in our communities. As physicians and dentists, we must have a presence in both places. Our sacred responsibility is both to help the patient in front of us and also to safeguard the health of the nation.

Source: http://qz.com/313164/us-surgeon-general-vivek-murthy-on-obesity-medical-marijuana-vaccines-and-yes-guns/

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WWE Raw Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from Dec. 15

Seth Rollins nearly won this by escaping in the match's opening seconds. John Cena managed to pull him down, and the two foes proceeded to slug it out.

After some help from J&J Security, Rollins briefly took control.He powerbombed the No. 1 contender into the turnbuckle, but Cena came charging back.

Throwing all of his signature moves at Rollins, Cena looked like he had victory within reach. Jamie Noble, though, held the cage door closed to prevent Cena from escaping.

A diving knee from Rollins wasn't enough for the win. Neither was Rollins driving Cena's face into the cage nor Joey Mercury slamming the cage door in Cena's face.

Cena clamped on the STF, but Rollins pulled him to the ropes and choked him. Noble and Mercury tried to drag Rollins out but settled for arming Rollins with the Money in the Bank briefcase.

That weapon couldn't keep Cena down. The former world champ soon prevented Rollins from escaping, slamming him in the center of the ring.

Brock Lesnar soon entered, immediately hitting a series of German Suplexes on Cena.

It looked as if Lesnar would attack Rollins as well, but Paul Heyman simply shook his hand. A grinning Rollins nailed Cena with a Curb Stomp and easily made his way out of the cage.

Result

Rollins wins via escape.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

Cena hits Rollins with a bulldog off the top rope.

Rollins kicks out of the Attitude Adjustment.

Cena hits a legdrop to the back of Rollins' head.

"This is what you asked for. This is what you wanted."Rollins to Cena.

Cena hits an Attitude Adjustment from the top rope.

"That is not a ghost; that is the top of the food chain."JBL on Lesnar.

Grade

A

Analysis

An outstanding match caps off a lackluster Raw.

Despite the win not being a clean one, Rollins benefits aplenty from this. Kicking out of the Attitude Adjustment is something only a small group of men has ever done. That alone boosts him.

It's the commentary team selling Rollins as amastermind that truly gives him momentum going forward. JBL and Company wondered if Rollins orchestrated this attack. Coming off as cunning adds to a persona that was mostly built on cowardice.

The mystery of Rollins' relationship with Heyman and Lesnar is enough to make fans want to watch next week, even if the rest of the show failed to deliver.

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2300371-wwe-raw-results-winners-grades-reaction-and-highlights-from-dec-15

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South African named Miss World 2014

MISS South Africa, 22-year-old Rolene Strauss, was crowned Miss World 2014 at the contest's glitzy final in London on Sunday, with an estimated billion viewers watching on television around the globe.

Miss Hungary, Edina Kulcsar, was judged the runner-up and Miss United States, Elizabeth Safrit, came third in the 64th annual competition, contested by women from 121 countries.

Medical student Strauss clasped her hands together in surprise and was crowned by the outgoing Miss World, Megan Young of the Philippines, to huge cheers in the ExCeL exhibition centre.

"South Africa this is for you," Strauss said. "I think I will brace myself for what's about to happen. It's a huge responsibility."

She told AFP she wanted to help spread education in her homeland and thereby help other people realise their dreams.

"I am what I am today because of the opportunities I have received and I would love to give others the same opportunities; educating, the opportunity to be educated, to make healthy choices and also to live their dreams," Strauss said.

And she was already getting used to the glittering crown.

"I'll definitely keep it on as long as I can but my parents are staying around here so they'll be hugging me and I'm afraid that it might fall off," she said.

Passing on the crown ... Rolene with outgoing Miss World, Megan Young of the Philippines

This year's event has been rocked by the murder of Miss Honduras, 19-year-old Maria Jose Alvarado, who was shot dead along with her sister last month.

Police in Honduras accuse her sister's boyfriend of shooting them after seeing his partner dancing with another man at a party.

Shimmering costumes

Strauss and other contestants will travel to the crime-plagued central American nation to build a school named in the sisters' honour.

"We hope that it will really start to impress on the people in Honduras that the violence, and hurting people like those two innocent women... maybe they can think again before they take a gun," Miss World chairwoman Julia Morley told AFP.

Sunday's show started with a spectacular choreographed dance routine, with all the beauty queens on stage in costumes inspired by their homelands -- including Miss Bolivia in a colourful feathered headdress.

While beauty remains central to the event, the women taking part are chiefly judged on their talents and involvement in good causes.

Miss Malaysia won the talent competition in a live sing-off with Miss Scotland.

In the Beauty with a Purpose section -- the heart of Miss World -- contestants present a charitable project they have been working on in their homeland.

In this section, the judges gave equal first place to Misses Brazil, Guyana, India, Indonesia and Kenya, unable to separate them.

In rounds held since the contestants arrived in London, Miss Finland topped the sporting competition; Miss United States was the multimedia winner; Miss Bosnia and Hercegovina won the top model round and Miss Sweden triumphed in beach fashion.

Bollywood star honoured

The event also featured a special 20-year award for 1994's Miss World, Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai.

The 41-year-old Indian actress appeared on stage with her film star husband Abhishek Bachchan, their daughter Aaradhya and her mother.

The prize was for the "Dhoom 2" star's charitable work with children with cleft palates since being made famous by Miss World.

"I stand here overwhelmed by this honour," she said.

The 10 contestants who topped the final scoreboard were, in descending order, from India, South Africa, England, Guyana, Brazil, Hungary, Kenya, United States, Mexico and Australia.

They were joined by Miss Thailand, who won the people's choice award, voted for by people around the world through a mobile phone app.

The judges chose Miss Hungary, Miss Australia, Miss South Africa, Miss United States and Miss England as their top five before picking their top three.

Miss World began in 1951, a year before its chief rival Miss Universe.

Strauss is the third South African Miss World, the country having held the title in 1958 and 1974.

Venezuela tops the all-time leader board with six titles, ahead of India and the United Kingdom on five titles each.

Source: http://www.newzimbabwe.com/showbiz-19465-South%2BAfrican%2Bnamed%2BMiss%2BWorld%2B2014/showbiz.aspx

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Obama says HealthCare.gov works 'flawlessly'

President Obama says the federal Obamacare exchange works flawlessly and that returning customers should go shopping before the end of the day for a good deal on coverage that starts Jan. 1.

Its a good Christmas present for people who already have signed up for the Affordable Care Act to just take the time to go shopping. It wont take you long, and you may end up saving money, he told Ryan Seacrest in a taped phone interview that aired Monday.

Although customers have until Feb. 15 to sign up for health insurance under the law, Mr. Obama noted that Dec. 15 had been the long-standing deadline for Americans who use the federal HealthCare.gov portal to be covered in time for Jan. 1.

People who hold coverage and do nothing will be re-enrolled in what they have, but their premiums may rise because of year-to-year changes in plans or their government subsidy. Thats why Mr. Obama and his top health officials are encouraging customers to revisit the website.

Several state-run exchanges are giving their residents extra days to enroll and be covered by the new year, but most customers must act by midnight Pacific time, or 3 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on Tuesday.

Mr. Obama acknowledged that last year did not go as planned, as website woes nearly derailed his signature achievement and people were wary of the new options.

Well first of all, the last time we spoke about this was a while back, and I think people were still uncertain about whether or not the Affordable Care Act was right for them, he told Mr. Seacrest in the interview, which had been taped Friday.

The Obamacare marketplace had 6.7 million going into this round of sign-ups, but HHS estimates it can to hit 9.1 million for 2015 by retaining customers and adding millions more.

Every survey shows that the vast majority are satisfied, Mr. Obama said.

The law continues to poll poorly overall, however, and Republicans will try to chip away at the law when they hold majorities in Congress come January.

Source: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/dec/15/obama-says-healthcaregov-works-flawlessly/

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Suspect in murder of Auburn's Jakell Mitchell had criminal history

Updated DEC 15, 2014 5:36p ET

AUBURN, Ala. --An east Alabama man was already on probation for separate crimes when he was charged with killing an Auburn University football playerin a shooting eerily similar to a triple killing two years ago.

Markale Hart, 22, of Camp Hill was arrested on burglary and theft charges in 2010 and pleaded guilty to a reduced burglary charge in 2012, records show. He also pleaded guilty to a marijuana charge that year.

Hart, jailed on a murder charge in the killing of 18-year-old Jakell Lenard Mitchell, remains on probation for the burglary, for which he was sentenced to six months in jail, Tallapoosa County District Attorney Paul Jones said Monday.

"We have filed a motion to revoke his probation based on the new charges," Jones said Monday.

Hart appeared during a brief court hearing in Opelika on Monday. He told the judge that he has two children, ages 1 year old and 4 months, and he can't afford to pay a lawyer. The judge said he would appoint an attorney.

He was arrested Sunday in the fatal shooting of Mitchell, a redshirt freshman football player from neighboring Opelika. Mitchell's girlfriend said the player and another man began arguing during a party when a third person opened fire, killing Mitchell.

The shooting was similar in many ways to the shooting that killed two one-time Auburn players and a third man in 2012.

Mitchell was fatally shot during a late-night party at Tiger Lodge apartments, a large complex a few miles from campus that caters to students with amenities including a large pool, a clubhouse with games and study areas.

The complex -- since renamed and with what promotional materials describe as added security features -- is the same place where one-time football players Ed Christian and Ladarious Phillips and a third man, DeMario Pitts, were shot to death during an argument at a late-night gathering in June 2012.

Desmonte Leonard of Montgomery was convicted of murder and is scheduled to be sentenced next month in the triple slaying. Evidence showed Leonard had driven from Montgomery to Auburn with friends to attend a party but got into a dispute with an Auburn football player that ended in gunfire.

In the shooting last weekend, authorities said Hart is from neighboring Tallapoosa County, where he was arrested, and apparently had gone to the apartment complex for a party.

Witnesses in both cases described hearing a hail of gunshots, followed by a scramble for cover. Mitchell was taken to the same hospital as victims of the 2012 shooting.

Outside of the court hearing Monday, Lee County District Attorney Robbie Treese said he considers the apartments a trouble spot because of shootings, robberies and other crimes through the years. Treese said he is going to review the laws to see what he can do to have the apartments declared a public nuisance and perhaps shut down.

"Enough's enough," he said.

In a message to residents posted on Tiger Lodge's Facebook page, management said those involved in the shooting weren't residents. The note said new owners took over in 2013 and have made improvements including video cameras, improved gates to control access and "courtesy patrols."

"Nonetheless, tragic events such as this can still occur anywhere and at any time," said the statement.

Source: http://www.foxsports.com/college-football/story/auburn-tigers-jakell-mitchell-killed-suspect-probation-121514

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Local to fly high over Army-Navy game

John Andrew Prime, jprime@gannett.com 9:18 p.m. CST December 12, 2014

U.S. Army Capt. Harrison Carmody in his AH-64 Apache helicopter.(Photo: Courtesy Harrison Carmody)

Story Highlights

• A Shreveport-born Army helicopter pilot will have a place of honor at today's Army-Navy game.
• Harrison Carmody, 29, graduated from West Point in 2008.
• Now a captain, he's stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
• He deployed to Afghanistan in 2011-2012 and has flown almost 200 combat missions.

A local pilot and war veteran will have one of the best seats for Saturday's Army-Navy football game.

But it won't be in the stadium.

Instead, Army Capt. Harrison Carmody will look down at the decades-old interservice rivalry from the cockpit of an AH-64 Apache helicopter in an official game overflight that should be part of the local telecast on CBS stations at 2 p.m. today.

"It's a real honor to be able to do this," Carmody, 29, said in a call from Baltimore, Maryland, where the game, the 115th in a series of grudgematches since 1890, will be played. "Only a select few get the opportunity to be chosen by the commander. It was something I did not think I would be selected for. It was a great surprise."

He and three other Apache pilots left Fort Campbell, Kentucky, several days ago, but were held up in West Virginia by weather. Friday was rehearsal day.

"We're just going to do a tight, four-ship diamond formation within one rotor distance of each other," he said.

Carmody, in the Army seven years and single, joined for a number of reasons, patriotism among them of course.

"I just always wanted to do it," he said. "That, and I joined out a sense of service and adventure."

One of six children of Jacquie and Arthur Carmody III of Shreveport, he attended St. Joseph's Catholic School in Shreveport, then later went to the New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell, N.M. Then he was appointed to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, from which he graduated in 2008.

"We are so proud of Harrison for his service to his country," Art Carmody says of his son, "After serving as an Apache pilot in Afghanistan, being selected to do the flyover at the Army-Navy game will be a special day for Harrison and his entire family."

Currently stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, the younger Carmody flies with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 101st Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). In military speak, that's A/1-101 AVN REGT. He has served a tour in Afghanistan in 2011-2012 and has flown "probably close to 200 or so" combat missions.

All of that has led to an overflight at the game that closes out the college football regular season and sets the eyes of the nation on a lad from Northwest Louisiana.

"It's good that a Shreveport boy could make his way up north to Baltimore to enjoy a football game and some crab cakes," he said.

Watch

The Army-Navy game will close out the regular college football season with a game in Baltimore, Maryland, today at 2 p.m. It will be shown on CBS affiliates.

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Source: http://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/local/2014/12/12/local-fly-high-bowl-game/20313329/

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