by: LISA MASCARO, KEVIN FREKING and ANDREW TAYLOR, Associated Press
Posted:
Dec 23, 2020 / 11:16 PM EST
WASHINGTON (AP) Threatening to tank Congress’ massive COVID relief and government funding package, President Donald Trump’s demand for bigger aid checks for Americans is forcing Republicans traditionally wary of such spending into an uncomfortable test of allegiance.
On Thursday, House Democrats who also favor $2,000 checks will all but dare Republicans to break with Trump, calling up his proposal for a Christmas Eve vote. The president’s last-minute objection could derail critical legislation amid a raging pandemic and deep economic uncertainty. His attacks risk a federal government shutdown by early next week.
(Image Provided/https://www.coronavirus.in.gov/2393.htm)
by: Associated Press and WISH Staff Reports
Posted:
Dec 23, 2020 / 03:26 PM EST
INDIANAPOLIS (AP/WISH) For a third straight week, more than a quarter of Indiana counties are rated with the highest risk level of coronavirus spread in Wednesday’s state update that continued to show no area in the low or moderate community spread zones.
The Indiana State Health Department tracking map labels 24 of the state’s 92 counties the most dangerous red category, down two from a week ago.
All other counties are in the next-riskiest orange rating of the four-level system.
Dec 22, 2020 / 01:26 PM EST
(CNN) Congress has finally addressed one of Americans’ biggest health care headaches: surprise medical billing.
Lawmakers included a bipartisan, bicameral agreement to stop the practice in this week’s government spending bill. The deal among key players in both the House and Senate was released earlier this month a year after the last joint-chamber agreement was announced before withering amid competing measures in the House.
At issue are the bills that patients get after receiving care from out-of-network physicians or hospitals, often in emergency situations. Roughly 1 in every 6 emergency room or in-hospital stays generated at least one out-of-network medical bill in 2017, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation analysis.
Dec 22, 2020 / 06:27 PM EST
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) The Indiana State Department of Health has issued new COVID-19 information for our state.
On Sunday, ISDH said 3,758 more Hoosiers have tested positive for COVID-19. The new cases were recorded between Nov. 20 and Dec. 21. Of the new cases, 3,729 were recorded on Monday.
A total of 471,876 Hoosiers have tested positive for COVID-19.
ISDH says 143 more Hoosiers have died from COVID-19. The deaths occurred between Nov. 10 and Dec. 21. ISDH says 26 of the deaths occurred on Monday.
A total of 7,244 Hoosiers have died from COVID-19. Another 337 “probable” deaths have occurred, but a positive test is not on record.
Dec 21, 2020 / 07:02 PM EST
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) School districts in Indiana have gone through so much this year. One of the challenges was having to switch to online learning for both students and teachers.
The future of education funding in Indiana could have questions.
Teri Ulm and Guerino “G” Cento have a son who is learning virtually in a Marion County school.
“The e-learning experience has been a nightmare. My son has autism, so he already has some deficits that we’re dealing with,” Ulm explained.
And that hasn’t been easy.
“Yes, he has an ‘A’ in their, because he’s brilliant at math, but he’s not getting that interaction that he needs. Like seeing somebody actually talking to him,” Ulm explained.