Medicare Cuts Pay-out on Two Cancer Drugs – New Medicare rules for a small but promising class of cancer drugs may cause thousands of lymphoma patients to lose access to the treatment, which in some cases is the only therapy available to them. The drugs’ makers and patient advocacy groups say the changes will sharply cut reimbursement for the medicines next year, and they predict that many hospitals will stop offering the treatments. The Medicare changes come just as new data provides additional evidence that the medicines, called Bexxar and Zevalin, are effective. Under federal rules, hospitals that do not offer a drug to Medicare patients are barred from offering it to other patients, even if their insurers fully cover the cost of treatment.
Giuliani’s Mistress Got Taxpayer-Funded Transportation Earlier Than Previously Admitted; Giuliani Aides Change Their Story – Judith Nathan got taxpayer-funded chauffeur services from the NYPD earlier than previously disclosed – even before her affair with then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani was revealed. When pressed by The News Thursday, aides to the Republican presidential hopeful conceded that Nathan got police protection “sporadically” before December 2000 – the previously acknowledged beginning of her taxpayer-funded detail. Thursday, Giuliani aides changed their story. They said Nathan had received previously undisclosed “threats” earlier in 2000, and that protection was provided at those times.
Three Days, Three Changing Stories on the National Intelligence Estimate from the White House – Another day, another explanation of what the president knew and when he knew it with the National Intelligence Estimate on Iran. In just three days, the White House has gone back and forth three times on what the president knew, and when he knew it, in regards to the NIE:
• On Monday, National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley said the president was told about this report “in the last few months.”
• On Tuesday, the president said, “In August, I think it was John – Mike McConnell came in and said, We have some new information. He didn’t tell me what the information was… And it wasn’t until last week that I was briefed on the NIE that is now public.”
• On Wednesday, White House press secretary Dana Perino said that in August, the president was told of the NIE. More importantly, despite the president’s contention that he was not briefed on what might be in it, Perino said he was told that when the report was analyzed, it might show that “Iran does in fact have a covert nuclear weapons program, but it may be suspended.”
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My White House National Intelligence Estimate
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According to Bush, Knowledge is Evil – At Tuesday’s press conference, President Bush said, “Look, Iran was dangerous, Iran is dangerous and Iran will be dangerous if they have the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon.” Is the new foreign policy of the United States to threaten war against any nation that has the knowledge to build a nuclear bomb regardless of intent, materials or an actual nuclear weapons program? Can you be thrown in jail if you have the knowledge to detonate explosives, fire a gun, or fly an airplane into a building? Millions of Americans have these skills, especially our veterans. And anyone can get the knowledge to build a nuclear weapon form the Internet.
C.I.A. Destroyed Two Tapes Showing Interrogations – The CIA in 2005 destroyed at least two videotapes documenting the interrogation of two Qaeda operatives in the agency’s custody, a step it took in the midst of Congressional and legal scrutiny about its secret detention program, according to current and former government officials. The videotapes showed agency operatives in 2002 subjecting terrorism suspects to severe interrogation techniques. The tapes were destroyed in part because officers were concerned that video showing harsh interrogation methods could expose agency officials to legal risks, several officials said. The destruction of the tapes raises questions about whether agency officials withheld information from Congress, the courts and the Sept. 11 commission about aspects of the program.
Regards,
Jim
Andy Hailey