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President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to run the sprawling government agency that administers Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act marketplace — celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz — recently held broad investments in health care, tech, and food companies that would pose significant conflicts of interest. Oz’s holdings, some shared with family, included a stake in UnitedHealth Group worth as much as $600,000, as well as shares of pharmaceutical firms and tech companies with business in the health care sector, such as Amazon. Collectively, Oz’s investments total tens of millions of dollars, according to financial disclosures he filed during his failed 2022 run for a Pennsylvania U.S. Senate seat. Trump said Tuesday he would nominate Oz as administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The agency’s scope is huge: CMS oversees coverage for more than 160 million Americans, nearly half the population. accounts for approximately $1 trillion in annual spending, with over 67 million enrollees. UnitedHealth Group is one of the largest health care companies in the nation and arguably the most important business partner of CMS, through which it is the leading provider of commercial health plans available to Medicare beneficiaries. UnitedHealth also offers managed-care plans under Medicaid, the joint state-federal program for low-income people, and sells plans on government-run marketplaces set up via the Affordable Care Act. Oz also had smaller stakes in CVS Health, which now includes the insurer Aetna, and in the insurer Cigna. It’s not clear if Oz, a heart surgeon by training, still holds investments in health care companies, or if he would divest his shares or otherwise seek to mitigate conflicts of interest should he be confirmed by the Senate. Reached by phone on Wednesday, he said he was in a Zoom meeting and declined to comment. An assistant did not reply to an email message with detailed questions. “It’s obvious that over the years he’s cultivated an interest in the pharmaceutical industry and the insurance industry,” said Peter Lurie, president of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a watchdog group. “That raises a question of whether he can be trusted to act on behalf of the American people.” (The publisher of KFF Health News, David Rousseau, is on the .) Oz used his TikTok page on multiple occasions in November to praise Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., including their efforts to take on the “illness-industrial complex,” and he slammed “so-called experts like the big medical societies” for dishing out what he called bad nutritional advice. Oz’s positions on health policy have been chameleonic; in 2010, he urging Californians to sign up for insurance under President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act, telling viewers they had a “historic opportunity.” Oz’s 2022 financial disclosures show that the television star invested a substantial part of his wealth in health care and food firms. Were he confirmed to run CMS, his job would involve interacting with giants of the industry that have contributed to his wealth. Given the breadth of his investments, it would be difficult for Oz to recuse himself from matters affecting his assets, if he still holds them. “He could spend his time in a rocking chair” if that happened, Lurie said. In the past, nominees for government positions with similar potential conflicts of interest have chosen to sell the assets or otherwise divest themselves. For instance, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Attorney General Merrick Garland agreed to divest their holdings in relevant, publicly traded companies when they joined the Biden administration. Trump, however, declined in his first term to relinquish control of his own companies and other assets while in office, and he isn’t expected to do so in his second term. He has not publicly indicated concern about his subordinates’ financial holdings. CMS’ main job is to administer Medicare. About half of new enrollees now choose Medicare Advantage, in which commercial insurers provide their health coverage, instead of the traditional, government-run program, from KFF, a health information nonprofit that includes KFF Health News. Proponents of Medicare Advantage say the private plans offer more compelling services than the government and better manage the costs of care. Critics note that Medicare Advantage plans have a long history of than the traditional program. UnitedHealth, CVS, and Cigna are all substantial players in the Medicare Advantage market. It’s not always a good relationship with the government. The Department of Justice filed a 2017 complaint against UnitedHealth used false information to inflate charges to the government. The case is ongoing. Oz is an enthusiastic proponent of Medicare Advantage. In 2020, he proposed offering Medicare Advantage to all; during his Senate run, he offered a more general pledge to expand those plans. After Trump announced Oz’s nomination for CMS, Jeffrey Singer, a senior fellow at the libertarian-leaning Cato Institute, “uncertain about Dr. Oz’s familiarity with health care financing and economics.” Singer said Oz’s Medicare Advantage proposal could require large new taxes — perhaps a 20% payroll tax — to implement. Oz has gotten a mixed reception from elsewhere in Washington. Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman, the Democrat who defeated Oz in 2022, signaled he’d potentially support his appointment to CMS. “If Dr. Oz is about protecting and preserving Medicare and Medicaid, I’m voting for the dude,” on the social platform X. Oz’s investments in companies doing business with the federal government don’t end with big insurers. He and his family also hold hospital stocks, according to his 2022 disclosure, as well as a stake in Amazon worth as much as nearly $2.4 million. (Candidates for federal office are required to disclose a broad range of values for their holdings, not a specific figure.) Amazon operates an internet pharmacy, and the company announced in June that its is available to Medicare enrollees. It also , One Medical, that accepts Medicare and “select” Medicare Advantage plans. Oz was also directly invested in several large pharmaceutical companies and, through investments in venture capital funds, indirectly invested in other biotech and vaccine firms. Big Pharma has been a frequent target of criticism and sometimes conspiracy theories from Trump and his allies. Kennedy, whom Trump has said he’ll nominate to be Health and Human Services secretary, is a longtime anti-vaccine activist. During the Biden administration, Congress gave Medicare authority to negotiate with drug companies over their prices. CMS initially selected 10 drugs. Those drugs collectively accounted for between June 1, 2022, and May 31, 2023, under Medicare’s Part D prescription drug benefit. At least four of those 10 medications are manufactured by companies in which Oz held stock, worth as much as about $50,000. Related Articles Oz may gain or lose financially from other Trump administration proposals. For example, as of 2022, Oz held investments worth as much as $6 million in fertility treatment providers. To counter fears that politicians who oppose abortion would ban in vitro fertilization, Trump making in vitro fertilization treatment free. It’s unclear whether the government would pay for the services. In his TikTok videos from earlier in November, Oz echoed attacks on the food industry by Kennedy and other figures in his “Make America Healthy Again” movement. They blame processed foods and underregulation of the industry for the poor health of many Americans, concerns shared by many Democrats and more mainstream experts. But in 2022, Oz owned stakes worth as much as $80,000 in Domino’s Pizza, Pepsi, and US Foods, as well as more substantial investments in other parts of the food chain, including cattle; Oz reported investments worth as much as $5.5 million in a farm and livestock, as well as a stake in a dairy-free milk startup. He was also indirectly invested in the restaurant chain Epic Burger. One of his largest investments was in the Pennsylvania-based convenience store chain Wawa, which sells fast food and all manner of ultra-processed snacks. Oz and his wife reported a stake in the company, beloved by many Pennsylvanians, worth as much as $30 million. ©2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Fadnavis Set to Reclaim Maharashtra Chief Ministership in Grand Ceremony
Firefighters to demand inflation-beating pay rise of up to 5 percent to 'make up lost ground'Cable cars are having a moment. And they are appealing not just to skiers and tourists. “The positive response to the second edition of Cable Car World at Messe Essen makes it clear that more and more local authorities see urban cable cars as a cost-effective and sustainable alternative to conventional infrastructure in local public transport,” reported Urban Transport Magazine, after the June trade fair in Germany. “Over 600 trade fair and congress participants from 21 countries [...] came to find out about technologies, products and services.” Among the more far-flung cities to have inaugurated a cable-car system this year is Antananarivo, Madagascar, where the new bit of kit is “capable of carrying up to 75,000 passengers a day”, reports africanews.com. Few countries, though, are as ambitious as New Zealand, where 10 new cable-car lines have been proposed: three for Auckland; two for Christchurch; four for Wellington; and one for tourist favourite Queenstown. Saudi Arabia is getting in on the act, too, with its fourth cable-car system scheduled to launch next year, whisking pilgrims and other visitors up to the Cave of Hira, where the Prophet Mohammed is said to have received his revelation of the Koran for the first time. Although technically a funicular railway, Hong Kong’s Peak Tram is considered to have been the first cable-car operation in Asia, having started services in 1888, but many have been installed across the continent’s eastern half since.Lead exposure in the 20th century may have led to mental health issues in Americans, a new study suggests. Researchers from Duke University and Florida State University studied the impact of lead in gasoline, which was first added in 1923 to help keep car engines healthy. (It was later banned from all U.S. vehicles in 1996.) The use of lead gas is said to have peaked from the mid-1960s through the mid-1970s. The findings revealed that childhood exposure to car exhaust from leaded gas resulted in an imbalance of mental health in the U.S., which made “generations of Americans more depressed, anxious and inattentive or hyperactive,” according to a Duke press release. The study, published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, attributed an estimated 151 million cases of psychiatric disorders over the past 75 years to leaded gas exposure in American children. Americans born before 1966 experienced “significantly higher rates of mental health problems as a result of lead, and likely experienced changes to their personalities that would have made them less successful and resilient in life,” the researchers wrote. ‘No safe level’ Lead is “neurotoxic” and can erode brain cells and alter brain function – therefore, there is “no safe level of exposure at any point in life,” according to Duke. While young children are especially vulnerable to the effects, the researchers noted that “no matter what age, our brains are ill-equipped for keeping lead toxicity at bay.” Lead study author Aaron Reuben, PhD, based in North Carolina, wrote in a statement that humans are “not adapted to be exposed to lead at the levels we have been exposed to over the past century.” He added, “We have very few effective measures for dealing with lead once it is in the body, and many of us have been exposed to levels 1,000 to 10,000 times more than what is natural.” ‘Clinically concerning’ The researchers analyzed historical data on childhood blood-lead levels, leaded gas use and U.S. population statistics, determining that more than 170 million Americans had “clinically concerning levels” of lead in their blood as children as of 2015. Lead exposure resulted in greater rates of mental disorders like depression and anxiety, but also more “mild distress that would impair quality of life.” “We saw very significant shifts in mental health across generations of Americans — meaning many more people experienced psychiatric problems than would have if we had never added lead to gasoline,” co-author Matt Hauer said in a statement. This likely resulted in lower IQs, mental health problems and other long-term health complications, such as cardiovascular disease, the study suggests. In an interview with Fox News Digital, Reuben reiterated that mental health in America was “likely significantly influenced by Americans’ exposure to lead over the past century.” He said, “Declining lead exposures were likely met by improving mental health. Lead has played a larger role in our mental health than previously thought.” While the researcher said he was not surprised to find that lead caused harm, he was surprised by the “magnitude” of its effect. “We assume that our ‘lead problem’ was solved in the 1970s and 1980s, but that was just the start of solving the problem,” he said. “There are millions of Americans alive today who had extremely high lead exposure as children. How have those exposures influenced the trajectories of their lives? This is one thing we set out to answer.” Reuben pointed out some limitations of the study, including that it only included two cohorts and that it did not study exposures from other sources besides gasoline. “As time goes on, we hope that more lead-mental health studies become available for us to improve our estimates based on better lead-harm curves,” he said. “Future studies should ideally be able to incorporate lead exposure from water and paints.” The expert urged the public to take lead exposure seriously by removing hazards that still exist in some paint, fuel, batteries and other mediums. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a regulation in Oct. 2024 giving cities 10 years to replace any remaining lead plumbing. The agency also took action in Jan. 2024 to lower the levels of lead in soil at residential homes across the country. In an interview with Fox News Digital, California child psychologist Dr. Michele Borba noted that the current youth mental health crisis in America has been largely attributed to social media, but that this new study on lead exposure explores a “new realm” of what could be behind deteriorating mental health. “It’s an unusual and fascinating reason that most of us have never been prepared for or even thought of – but it isn’t just children’s mental health and well-being at stake,” she said. “It’s an unusual and fascinating reason that most of us have never been prepared for or even thought of – but it isn’t just children’s mental health and well-being at stake,” she said.
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One Bio Secures $27 Million in Series A Funding to Revolutionize Nutrition with Launch of Breakthrough Technology Making High-Dose, Anti-Inflammatory Plant Fiber Imperceptible in Food and Beverage for the First TimeTen-man Botafogo win Copa LibertadoresMost Populous Employers in Data Science in the US Data science is an essential area in this data-driven world of today. Since companies depend on insights based on data, the need for individuals with experience working with data has been on the rise. Some exceptional American companies are operating innovatively in this sphere and offering interesting opportunities for data scientists and analysts: Google is still one of the top companies to use data to advance business decisions and technological innovation. It is very famous for its artificial intelligence and machine learning projects, among others. Google offers cutting-edge tools and massive datasets to its data scientists and encourages creativity in the working environment, which makes it highly sought after by professionals who wish to work on innovative projects. Amazon has revolutionized all aspects of e-commerce, cloud computing, and logistics. Data science closely follows the company. Amazon hires more professionals in data to optimize its supply chain, customize the customer experience, and streamline product recommendations. With such a variety of opportunities from its departments, Amazon will continue drawing top talents into data science. Microsoft is well known for its contribution to software, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence. Data scientists at Microsoft are working on projects like predictive analytics in Azure and machine learning applications in Office 365. The inclusive and collaborative culture of the company contributes to its being an attractive leader as an employer. IBM has been a leader in artificial intelligence and data analytics for decades. The company has made gigantic strides toward harnessing the power of data through initiatives like IBM Watson. Data professionals at IBM handle various projects ranging from healthcare and finance to business optimization. Innovation guarantees exciting challenges for its employees. Meta , formerly known as Facebook, survives and thrives based on the data it can use to improve its platforms. Data scientists at Meta involve themselves in social network analysis, modeling user behavior, and content recommendation. The firm's focus on state-of-the-art research and development attracts people passionate about working on impactful projects. For example, data science in Apple refines the company's products and services, such as Siri, and analytics in the App Store. The company values users' privacy while extracting insights meaningful to a unique and challenging workplace. Here, data professionals influence product development directly. Tesla is at the leading end of innovation in the automotive and energy sector, and data science at Tesla provides the impetus to work on autonomous vehicles, advance battery technology, and enhance energy optimization. A faster-paced and mission-driven professional environment attracts people interested in pushing technological boundaries. Capital One has become a technology-driven financial company highly invested in data science and AI. It uses analytics to detect fraud and assess credit risk and provides customized banking experiences. Therefore, this firm has a very dynamic and challenging environment for anyone interested in fintech. Data allows Airbnb to personalize and tailor the marketplace for hosts and guests. Data scientists at Airbnb try to understand user preferences, trends, and pricing strategies to deliver increased customer satisfaction. The culture of innovation at Airbnb makes it a more attractive workplace for data professionals. The benchmark at Netflix has been about how data science could change the entertainment industry: it needed to look at the preferences of its viewers to personalize recommendations and produce material that each viewer would like. Working at Netflix as a data scientist means analytics meets creativity. Besides innovative projects, other major things define these companies: the opportunities they provide for people to grow professionally. They offer access to advanced tools, a supportive environment, and real-world problems to be solved. Data science is something that's not exclusive to tech giants: startups and small companies, too. They sometimes offer unique opportunities in niche projects in the line. However, the companies listed above remain popular for the scale of projects, resources, and the impact they usually bring. Demand for skilled data professionals will surely rise in the next few years. Companies such as Google, Amazon, and Netflix constantly innovate and make data science further integral to their business cores. Organizations such as these will be great platforms to flourish and create a significant impact for those who aspire to have influential careers in data.
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VANCOUVER , Dec. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- City Office REIT, Inc. CIO ("City Office," "CIO" or the "Company") announced today that its Board of Directors has authorized a quarterly dividend amount of $0.10 per share of common stock and common unit of partnership interest for the fourth quarter of 2024. Additionally, the Board of Directors authorized a regular quarterly dividend of $0.4140625 per share of the Company's 6.625% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock. The dividends will be payable on January 23, 2025 to all stockholders, preferred stockholders and operating partnership unitholders, as applicable, of record as of the close of business on January 9, 2025 . About City Office REIT, Inc. City Office REIT is an internally-managed real estate company focused on acquiring, owning and operating office properties located predominantly in Sun Belt markets. City Office currently owns or has a controlling interest in 5.6 million square feet of office properties. The Company has elected to be taxed as a real estate investment trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Forward-looking Statements This press release contains both historical and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are based on management's current expectations, assumptions and beliefs. Forward-looking statements can often be identified by words such as "approximately," "anticipate," "assume," "believe," "budget," "contemplate," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "future," "intend," "may," "outlook," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "seek," "should," "target," "will" and similar expressions, and variations or negatives of these words. They are not guarantees of future results and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statement. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, among other things, changes to CIO's expected liquidity position and the risk factors set forth in CIO's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The statements made herein speak only as of the date of this press release, and, except as required by law, CIO does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. Contact City Office REIT, Inc. Anthony Maretic , CFO +1-604-806-3366 investorrelations@cityofficereit.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/city-office-reit-announces-dividends-for-fourth-quarter-2024-302329536.html SOURCE City Office REIT, Inc. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Trump wants pardoned real estate developer Charles Kushner to be ambassador to France