Category: Health

MIL-OSI Security: CEO of Health Care Software Company Convicted of $1 Billion Fraud Conspiracy

Source: US FBI

MIAMI – A federal jury convicted the CEO of Power Mobility Doctor Rx, LLC (DMERx) for his role in operating a platform that generated false doctors’ orders to defraud Medicare and other federal health care benefit programs of more than $1 billion.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Gary Cox, 79, of Maricopa County, Arizona, and his co-conspirators targeted hundreds of thousands of Medicare beneficiaries who provided their personally identifiable information and agreed to accept medically unnecessary orthotic braces, pain creams, and other items through misleading mailers, television advertisements, and calls from offshore call centers. Cox and his co-conspirators owned, controlled, and operated DMERx, an internet-based platform that generated false and fraudulent doctors’ orders for these items. As part of the scheme, Cox connected pharmacies, durable medical equipment (DME) suppliers, and marketers with telemedicine companies that would accept illegal kickbacks and bribes in exchange for signed doctors’ orders transmitted using the DMERx platform. Cox and his co-conspirators received payments for coordinating these illegal kickback transactions and referring the completed doctors’ orders to the DME suppliers, pharmacies, and telemarketers that paid kickbacks and bribes for the orders.

The fraudulent doctors’ orders generated by DMERx falsely represented that a doctor had examined and treated the Medicare beneficiaries when in fact purported telemedicine companies paid doctors to sign the orders without regard to medical necessity, based only on a brief telephone call with the beneficiary or no interaction with the beneficiary at all. The DME suppliers and pharmacies that paid illegal kickbacks in exchange for these doctors’ orders billed Medicare and other insurers more than $1 billion. Medicare and the insurers paid more than $360 million based on these claims. According to evidence presented at trial, Cox and his co-conspirators concealed the scheme through sham contracts and by eliminating from doctors’ orders what one co-conspirator described as “dangerous words” that might cause Medicare to audit the scheme’s DME suppliers.

“Medicare fraud undermines the integrity of our nation’s most critical healthcare programs, which are relied upon by millions of patients, doctors and honest healthcare professionals.” said U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida. “Fraud of this kind wastes taxpayer dollars and increases the cost of healthcare for all Americans. Together with our law enforcement partners, we will relentlessly pursue those who steal from taxpayers and exploit our healthcare system for their own personal gain”

“The defendant orchestrated a scheme to defraud government health care benefit programs on a massive scale, creating fraudulent doctors’ orders used to bill insurers over $1 billion,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Americans are all too familiar with junk mail and spam calls that target seniors to steal their personal information and promote waste, fraud, and abuse in our economy. The Criminal Division will continue to aggressively prosecute health care fraud schemes to hold criminals accountable, protect the vulnerable, and recover financial losses.”

“Fraud schemes perpetrated against veterans are abhorrent and will be thoroughly investigated,” said Special Agent in Charge David Spilker of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Southeast Field Office. “The VA OIG, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to combat these schemes to ensure the integrity of VA’s healthcare programs for veterans and their families.”

“The defendant deliberately exploited the federal health care system by prioritizing personal enrichment over the medical needs of vulnerable patients,” stated Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “By fraudulently billing the government for medically unnecessary durable medical equipment, the defendant not only violated the law but also assaulted the public’s trust placed in health care providers. There is zero tolerance for those who abuse federal health care programs, and HHS-OIG remains steadfast in its commitment to ensure that individuals who engage in such egregious fraud are held fully accountable.”

“Medicare fraud and other health care related frauds are, unfortunately, nothing new,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Mark McCormick of the FBI Miami Field Office. “As such, the FBI and our partners devote considerable resources to investigate, arrest, and prosecute those committing this fraud. The victims are U.S. taxpayers – you and me. Our message to those who commit health care fraud and steal from U.S. taxpayers is clear: you will be caught, and you will face justice.”

Cox was convicted of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, three counts of health care fraud, conspiracy to pay and receive health care kickbacks, and conspiracy to defraud the United States and make false statements in connection with health care matters. Cox faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud conviction, 10 years for each health care fraud conviction, five years for the conspiracy to pay and receive health care kickbacks conviction, and five years for the conspiracy to defraud the United States and make false statements in connection with health care matters conviction. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

HHS-OIG, FBI, VA-OIG, and DCIS investigated the case.

Trial Attorneys Darren C. Halverson and Jennifer E. Burns of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. Fraud Section Trial Attorneys Andrea Savdie and Shane Butland assisted in the prosecution. Trial Attorney Evan N. Schlom with the Fraud Section’s Special Matters Unit provided valuable assistance.

The charges contained in an information are merely accusations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-cr-20271.

###

MIL Security OSI –

June 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Environment and Climate Change Canada presents summer seasonal outlook

Source: Government of Canada News (2)

June 10, 2025 – Gatineau, Quebec

Today, Environment and Climate Change Canada presented a seasonal outlook for summer. Experts predicted higher-than-normal temperatures are likely throughout most of Canada this summer, with cooler-than-normal conditions possible in some northwestern regions along the Beaufort Sea.

This spring, parts of Canada saw an uneven transition out of winter, with many regions experiencing temperature swings. Additionally, much of Canada, particularly in the Prairies, experienced dry conditions. These conditions, in combination with the high likelihood of a warmer-than-normal summer, could increase the risk of wildfires in the coming months—potentially leading to poor air quality and health risks for you and your family.

Understanding the risks of these extreme weather events can help Canadians make informed decisions to protect their health, safety, and property. Canada’s Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) is an important tool to help people understand what the air quality around them means for their health.

Climate change is causing more frequent and intense severe weather across the country. Environment and Climate Change Canada’s weather information and alerts are essential tools in protecting Canadians. The public is urged to regularly monitor weather forecasts, monitor the AQHI and UV Index, take all weather alerts seriously, and get prepared this summer. Canadians can download the WeatherCAN app to receive weather alerts directly on their mobile devices and set personal notifications for temperature and the AQHI.

MIL OSI Canada News –

June 11, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Goldman, Bonamici Introduce Legislation to Safeguard Summer EBT Benefits for Children
Source: US Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10)

MEALS Act Would Reimburse Stolen Summer EBT Benefits

At Least $40 Million in Food Assistance Benefits Have Been Stolen from New Yorkers in Recent Years, 20% of Nationwide Claims

New York Currently Forbidden from Refunding Stolen Summer EBT Benefits Using Federal Funds

Nearly 2 Million New York Children Depend on Summer EBT Benefits for Nutritious Meals During Summer Months

Read the MEALS Act Here

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) and Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) introduced the Mitigating Electronic Access Losses for Students (MEALS Act), which would ensure working families who rely on Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) benefits to make ends meet can be reimbursed if their benefits are stolen via EBT card skimming and fraud.

“It is unconscionable that any child should go hungry in the wealthiest nation on earth,” Congressman Dan Goldman said. ”As lawmakers, we have a moral and legislative duty to ensure that every child has access to nutritious food year-round, especially during the summer months, when free or reduced-price school meals are unavailable. The Summer EBT program is a proven tool for combating food insecurity, yet far too often, these essential benefits are stolen through no fault of the families who rely on them. This is unacceptable. We must create a clear and efficient process to replace skimmed Summer EBT benefits quickly and in their entirety so that no child suffers due to theft or bureaucratic failure.”

Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici said, “Students should not have to go hungry if their families fall prey to scammers who install illegal skimming devices at the places where they buy groceries. The MEALS Act is commonsense legislation that will prevent the theft of S-EBT benefits and restore those that are stolen. This legislation will help keep hungry kids fed when school is out during the summer.”

The Summer EBT program provides eligible families with funds to purchase groceries when school is out of session. For many children, summer can be a particularly challenging time because they lose access to school meals, which are often a critical source of daily nutrition. Through Summer EBT, eligible families can receive $120 per child, which can be used at participating grocery stores to buy nutritious food, helping bridge the gap during these months. Over 2 million children are eligible for Summer EBT benefits in New York State. These benefits are often stolen via skimming, cloning, or similar fraud.

Congressman Goldman previously urged USDA to investigate the Summer EBT theft in NY-10, highlighting seventeen instances of Summer EBT theft in Brooklyn’s Sunset Park community alone, totaling over $1600 worth of stolen benefits. He also requested the federal reimbursement for victims of Summer EBT fraud, however, USDA ultimately issued guidance prohibiting states from replacing stolen Summer EBT benefits using federal funds.

Last summer, Rep. Goldman joined Governor Hochul in announcing the rollout of the Summer EBT program in New York and continues to champion food assistance relief for New Yorkers. As Congressman Goldman pushes to reauthorize federal reimbursement of SNAP refunds, this bill would provide critical relief for families during the hungry summer months.

Specifically, the MEALS Act would:
1. Require the Secretary of Agriculture to
  1. Issue guidance to State agencies and covered Indian Tribal organizations (ITOs) in detecting and preventing theft of summer EBT benefits, and issue a rule for participating State agencies and ITOs to take appropriate security measures and implement procedures for the replacement of summer EBT benefits;
  2. Coordinate with the Office of Family Assistance at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Attorney General to determine how summer EBT benefits are being stolen and establish measures to prevent summer EBT benefits from being stolen and establish standard reporting methods;
  3. Submit a report to Congress that includes the prevalence of summer EBT theft and measures establishes by the Secretary and AG;
  4. Replace stolen summer EBT benefits, and State agencies and covered ITOs to submit claims for replacement benefits that include a signed statement by the affected household, data reports on benefit theft, and planned use of benefit theft prevention measures;
2. Require GAO to submit a report to Congress that examines the risks related to summer EBT benefit payment system security and policy recommendations to improving the summer EBT payment system.
Protecting food assistance benefits, including SNAP, from skimming and theft has been a focal point of Congressman Goldman’s time in office.

In March, Congressman Goldman hosted a press conference to demand a comprehensive change to state and federal law to address the urgent issue of stolen EBT benefits.

In the Fall of 2024, Congressman Goldman led an effort to extend critical protections to victims of food stamp theft that are set to expire at the end of September without further action. The lawmakers sent a letter to Congressional leadership urging them to include a provision in a forthcoming stop-gap funding bill that would allow victims to continue to be reimbursed from federal funds.

In Summer of 2023, Congressman Goldman introduced the ‘SNAP Theft Protection Act,’ which aimed to update SNAP to allow states to use existing SNAP funding to refund stolen benefits to victims of SNAP-related scams.

###

MIL OSI USA News –
June 11, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Artificial Intelligence Models Improve Efficiency of Battery Diagnostics

Source: US National Renewable Energy Laboratory

NREL-Developed Neural Networks Uncover New Insights Into Battery Health

NREL’s battery researchers are turning to cutting-edge artificial intelligence models to optimize battery performance for a new generation of energy storage. Photo by Werner Slocum, NREL

Resilient energy systems depend on reliable batteries. The lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries powering our world must endure the steady strain of time, charge cycles, and environmental conditions that gradually wear them out through degradation.

Understanding the health of a battery can help manufacturers, researchers, and consumers alike optimize its lifetime performance. Yet diagnosing a battery’s state of health is no easy feat, as each cell is a complex system of chemical reactions and physical changes that standard evaluation models struggle to capture with speed and precision.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) researchers have developed and demonstrated a groundbreaking physics-informed neural network (PINN) model that can predict battery health nearly 1,000 times faster than traditional models.

“Li-ion battery lifetime and aging dynamics vary significantly with chemistry, operating conditions, cycling demands, electrode design, and operational history, which makes optimal handling, design, and maintenance difficult,” said Kandler Smith, who leads electrochemical modeling and data science research at NREL. “It’s especially difficult to understand the physical degradation mechanisms of a battery during use without opening it up. We need reliable methods to check in on batteries’ internal state in a nondestructive way.”

NREL’s PINN replaces the traditional, resource-intensive battery physics model with a powerful artificial intelligence approach that mimics the interconnected neurons of our brains to analyze nonlinear, complex datasets. This deep learning process can enhance battery health diagnostics by quantifying physical degradation mechanisms and pave the way for more efficient, scalable approaches to manage battery aging.

Traditional Models and Limitations

NREL researchers have created a vast array of battery lifespan models to diagnose battery health, predict battery degradation, and optimize battery designs. For years, the team has been on the cutting edge of physics-based machine learning techniques to optimize predictive modeling for advanced battery research.

Two such models, the Single-Particle Model (SPM) and the Pseudo-2D Model (P2D), are widely used and accepted approaches to providing a window into how a battery’s internal health parameters—such as electrode inventory and kinetics, Li-ion inventory, and Li transport paths—evolve over time. However, directly using these models is an intensive process that requires massive amounts of computations and limits their ability to offer rapid diagnostics.

“Instead of a physics model, we proposed a PINN surrogate model to separate out a battery’s internal properties from its output voltage,” said NREL Computational Science Researcher Malik Hassanaly, who collaborated closely with the battery research team. “This approach drastically reduces the computational time and resources required, allowing researchers to quickly diagnose battery degradation and provide real-time feedback on battery health.”

The NREL-developed PINN surrogate combines the predictive power of artificial intelligence with the rigor of physics-based modeling. The resulting two-part study published in the Journal of Energy Storage demonstrates how researchers trained and tested the PINN surrogate using conventional SPM and P2D models. This multifaceted approach allowed NREL researchers to train the PINN surrogate on a wide range of internal battery properties. The resulting open-source model offers critical insights into changes that occur during battery aging, helping quickly estimate how long a battery might last in a different setting.

What makes this development especially revolutionary in battery research is the integration of physics-informed principles into neural networks. Traditional neural networks are data-driven models that excel at pattern recognition but often lack the ability to enforce physical laws, which are crucial for accurately simulating battery behavior. PINNs, however, are designed to understand and follow these physical laws by embedding them directly into the model’s training procedure, enabling it to predict battery parameters with a level of scientific rigor previously achievable only by complex, time-intensive models. With the PINN surrogate, techniques typically constrained by high resource requirements can now be applied on a broad scale, bringing real-time insights into battery health within reach.

Applications and Next Steps

The success of NREL’s PINN surrogate offers wide-ranging implications. For battery diagnostics, the PINN surrogate can provide rapid state-of-health predictions, allowing for faster decision-making across battery applications. By drastically lowering the computational barriers to battery diagnostics, the PINN surrogate model paves the way for widespread, scalable, and efficient energy storage management—helping ensure energy is available when and where it is needed.

“This approach unlocks new capabilities in battery diagnostics, paving the way for onboard diagnostics of batteries in use,” Smith said. “This means that batteries of the future may include systems to extend their useful life by identifying degradation signals and adapting fast-charge limits with age.”

Currently, researchers are working to transition the PINN surrogate from controlled simulations to real-work data validation, using batteries cycled within NREL’s laboratories. By bridging this gap, researchers hope to deploy PINN-based diagnostics across a wide range of battery systems, enhancing battery performance monitoring and extending lifespans. Future research will focus on refining the PINN model to handle highly dimensional problems, allowing it to predict a broader array of internal battery parameters with increased precision. This means creating models that can both respond to diverse current loads and scale effectively to future battery designs and usage patterns.

Learn more about NREL’s energy storage and transportation and mobility research. And sign up for NREL’s quarterly transportation and mobility research newsletter to stay current on the latest news.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 11, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Dr. Cato T. Laurencin Represents U.S. at U.S.-Africa Frontiers of Science, Engineering, and Medicine Symposium

Source: US State of Connecticut

More than 100 scientists, engineers, and medical professionals from 16 African countries and the United States discussed advances across a broad range of multi-disciplinary topics, including Biotechnology, New Solutions for Decarbonization, Advances in Space Research, Smart and Connected Cities, and Precision Agriculture. UConn’s Dr. Cato T. Laurencin has served as a distinguished member of the Oversight Committee for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine since its inception.

Sponsored by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, the U.S.-Africa program brings together outstanding young scientists, engineers, and medical professionals from the U.S. and the member countries of the African Union to discuss exciting advances and opportunities in their fields. The goal of the meetings is to enhance the scientific exchange and dialogue among young researchers in African countries and the U.S., including the African science diaspora, and through this interaction, facilitate research collaboration within and beyond the region.

Laurencin, an internationally recognized scientist, engineer, and surgeon, is actively involved in Africa through his work with the African Academy of Sciences (AAS) and other African scientific organizations. He has been a fellow of the AAS since 2012. Laurencin also participated in the first U.S.-Africa Frontiers of Science, Engineering, and Medicine symposium, contributing to discussions on research collaboration and scientific exchange between African countries. He also spoke at the 2024 Galien Forum in Dakar, Senegal, on the role of women in STEM in addressing environmental crises in Africa.

Laurencin is a fellow of the Senegalese Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a fellow of the Benin National Academy of Science and Arts. He received the 2019 UNESCO-Equatorial Guinea International Prize for Research in the Life Sciences at the African Union Heads of State Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Laurencin received the 2019 UNESCO-Equatorial Guinea International Prize for Research in the Life Sciences, becoming the first American to earn this prestigious award. The ceremony took place during the Africa Union Heads of States Summit located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

At UConn Laurencin is the University Professor and Albert and Wilda Van Dusen Distinguished Endowed Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at UConn School of Medicine, professor of Chemical Engineering, professor of Materials Science and Engineering, and professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Connecticut. He is the chief executive officer of The Cato T. Laurencin Institute for Regenerative Engineering, a cross-university institute created and named for him at the University of Connecticut. A shoulder and knee surgeon, he is a pioneer of the field of Regenerative Engineering. In receiving the Spingarn Medal, the NAACP named him the world’s foremost engineer-physician-scientist. He is the first surgeon elected to the National Academy of Medicine, the National Academy of Engineering, the National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Inventors.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 11, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: NHS red tape blitz delivers game-changing new cancer treatment
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Press release

NHS red tape blitz delivers game-changing new cancer treatment

Patients to benefit from new era in cancer treatment, as Government slashes red tape to unleash life-saving innovation
NHS patients will be the first in Europe to benefit from a ground-breaking, non-invasive liver cancer treatment, as the Government’s Plan for Change slashes burdensome red tape and drives innovation, establishing Britain’s role as a medical technology powerhouse.

Using ultrasound technology, the device – developed by US-based company HistoSonics – destroys tumours without surgery, scalpels, radiation, with minimal damage to surrounding organs.

Patients stand to benefit from faster recovery times, potentially greater survival rates, fewer potentially dangerous complications, and less hospital stays – helping to cut waits for others – all marking a new era in cancer treatment.

Ongoing research is exploring its potential to transform treatment for other hard-to-reach tumours – including kidney and pancreatic cancers – bringing hope to even more NHS patients in the future.

Treatment is delivered via a single short session – potentially taking no longer than 30 minutes – with limited or no pain, a quick recovery, and can be performed as a day case.

As the Government busts the bureaucracy holding back public services and stifling innovation, Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting granted authorisation for controlled early access to the device via an unmet clinical need authorisation. Available through the UK’s Innovative Devices Access Pathway programme, a government-funded scheme to get cutting-edge health innovations to the market much quicker, NHS patients can benefit from technology years earlier than planned.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

Bureaucracy has become a handbrake on ambition, stopping innovation in its tracks and holding our health service back.

But through our Plan for Change, we are slashing red tape, so game-changing new treatments reach the NHS front line quicker – transforming healthcare.

Regulation is vital to protect patients. However, as the pace of innovation ramps up, our processes must be more agile to help speed the shift from analogue to digital.

Our common sense approach to regulation will streamline approval processes so countless more patients are liberated from life-limiting conditions.

The technology, called histotripsy, is being debuted at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, part of Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (CUH) with the first NHS patients being treated using the game-changing device this summer. The technology was procured and installed thanks to a generous donation to the University of Cambridge from the Li Ka Shing Foundation, which has been a longstanding supporter of cancer research at the University.

Professor Deborah Prentice, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, said:

Through his longstanding support of cancer research at Cambridge, Sir Ka-shing Li continues to make a significant impact on outcomes for cancer patients.

Cutting-edge technology such as this histotripsy machine allows Cambridge to remain at the forefront of understanding and treating cancer, a position we aim to strengthen further with Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital.

The Government’s Plan for Change is focused on securing the UK’s position as a global tech powerhouse – including in healthcare – which fosters innovation to transform the lives of working people and deliver a decade of national renewal.

The move delivers on the Government’s commitment to tackle bureaucracy blocking investment and regulatory complexity that has previously stifled growth.

Roland Sinker, Chief Executive of Cambridge University Hospitals said:

Histotripsy is an exciting new technology that will make a huge difference to patients.

By offering this non-invasive, more targeted treatment we can care for more people as outpatients and free up time for surgeons to treat more complex cases.

The faster recovery times mean patients will be able to return to their normal lives more quickly, which will also reduce pressure on hospital beds, helping us ensure that patients are able to receive the right treatment at the right time.

We are delighted to be receiving this new state of the art machine.

Fiona Carey, Co-chair of the Patient Advisory Group for Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital and kidney cancer patient with advanced disease, said:

This is seriously good news. A new, non-invasive option to treat these cancers is very welcome indeed.

For patients for whom ordinary surgery is no longer an option, this could make all the difference.

James Pound, Interim Executive Director, Innovation and Compliance at MHRA, said:

This is a strong example of smart, agile regulation in action. Working closely with partners through the Innovative Devices Access Pathway, we’ve shown we can get promising technologies to patients faster – without compromising safety.

It’s a major step forward for patients with liver cancer and shows how the UK can be a frontrunner in supporting responsible innovation that meets real clinical need.

Share this page

The following links open in a new tab

Share on Facebook (opens in new tab)

Share on Twitter (opens in new tab)

Updates to this page

Published 10 June 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
June 11, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Art Gallery unveils nation’s favourite railway artwork
Source: Scotland – City of Aberdeen

Train Landscape by artist Eric Ravilious has been named as the world’s best-loved railway artwork in the UK, following a global poll organised by Railway 200 and Art UK to mark the 200^th anniversary of the modern railway. The watercolour is in the collection of Aberdeen Archives, Gallery & Museums and has gone on display in Gallery 7 at Aberdeen Art Gallery.

Painted in 1940, it shows the chalk white horse of Westbury, Wiltshire, viewed through the window of a third-class train carriage. Tirzah Garwood, the wife of Eric Ravilious, made the collage using elements from different watercolours Ravilious painted whilst travelling on trains.

Ella Ravilious, granddaughter of Eric Ravilious, said: “I’m thrilled that Train Landscape has been voted best-loved railway artwork, as it captures travel through the British landscape in a third-class carriage in the late 1930s. This painting by my grandfather, Eric Ravilious, was created with the assistance of my grandmother, Tirzah Garwood. Eric rode back and forth on the train, making several watercolours, none of which he was totally happy with. Tirzah collaged the best bits of each painting together to create a successful picture. Train lovers might notice that the chalk figure visible from the train window should be the Long Man of Wilmington rather than the Westbury Horse because it was painted on the Brighton to Eastbourne line.”

Railway 200 explores how a British invention changed the world forever and how the railway continues to shape our lives and livelihoods, presenting a constant source of inspiration to artists. The bicentenary commemorates the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR) in 1825 when George Stephenson drove Locomotion No.1 26 miles between Shildon, Darlington and Stockton. Alan Hyde from Railway 200 said: “Like the amazing artworks, this competition has captured the imagination of people around the world, highlighting an enduring connection between art and the railway. We hope that art lovers, rail enthusiasts and others will enjoy the Railway 200 exhibition on the Art UK website, and travel by train to enjoy these wonderful railway-inspired paintings at first hand during rail’s bicentenary.”

Andrew Ellis, Chief Executive of Art UK, said: “Art UK is delighted to have partnered with Railway 200 to connect the public to a truly wonderful selection of railway-inspired artworks held in collections across the UK. This masterful evocation of a sighting of the Westbury White Horse from a railway carriage by Eric Ravilious is an extremely worthy winner that also throws a spotlight on the rich art collection of Aberdeen Archives, Gallery & Museums. We are thrilled that the work will now be on display and we encourage everyone to make the train journey to Scotland and see it.”

Councillor Martin Greig, Aberdeen City Council’s culture spokesman, said: “It’s a tremendous source of pride for all of us here in Aberdeen that the public vote has recognised Train Landscape in this way – to steam into first place ahead of a painting JMW Turner is really quite something. On a personal level, this painting has been a favourite of mine since childhood. It’s just one of the many outstanding treasures visitors to Aberdeen Art Gallery can enjoy free of charge, seven days a week. Art UK does a wonderful job of sharing the country’s public collections online, and we hope that this news will encourage people to travel to Aberdeen to experience Train Landscape in real life, along with all the other outstanding works on display at Aberdeen Art Gallery – just a short walk from the train station!”

Art lovers and rail enthusiasts can now enjoy a curated exhibition of the 20 most popular paintings on the Art UK website at artuk.org until 31 December 2025.

The final order of the top 20 best-loved UK railway artworks:
1. Train Landscape, 1940, by Eric Ravilious (1903–1942), Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums
2. Rain, Steam, and Speed – The Great Western Railway, 1844, by Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775–1851), The National Gallery, London
3. Service by Night, 1955, by David Shepherd (1931–2017), National Railway Museum
4. The Travelling Companions, 1862, by Augustus Leopold Egg (1816–1863), Birmingham Museums Trust
5. Clapham Junction, 1961, by Terence Tenison Cuneo (1907–1996), National Railway Museum
6. By Rail to Wales, by Frank Wootton (1911–1998), National Railway Museum
7. The ‘Coronation Scot’ Ascending Shap Fell, Cumbria, 1937, by Norman Wilkinson (1878–1971), National Railway Museum
8. Talyllyn Railway on the Dolgoch Viaduct, 1967, by Terence Tenison Cuneo (1907–1996), Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum
9. View from a Railway Carriage; Beginning of the Carriage, by Anna Todd (b.1964), Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
10. Blue Train at Bowling Harbour, 1965, by Terence Tenison Cuneo (1907–1996), Glasgow Life Museums
11. Waterloo Station, 1967, by Terence Tenison Cuneo (1907–1996), Science Museum
12. Mallard, 1980s, by Ann Emily Carr (b.1929), Hopetown Darlington
13. A Diesel Train on the Shore of Bassenthwaite Lake, near Keswick, Cumberland, by Barber (active c.1950–1961), National Railway Museum
14. The Opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, 1825, 1949, by Terence Tenison Cuneo (1907–1996), National Railway Museum
15. The Erecting Shop of the North British Locomotive Company’s Hyde Park Works, Glasgow, 1924, by Ralph Gordon Tetley (1910–1985), National Railway Museum
16. Train Crossing Monsal Dale Viaduct, by Norman Wilkinson (1878–1971), National Railway Museum
17. The Day Begins, 1946, by Terence Tenison Cuneo (1907–1996), National Railway Museum
18. The Railway Station, 1862, William Powell Frith (1819–1909), Royal Holloway, University of London
19. Euston Station: Loading the Travelling Post Office, 1948, by Grace Lydia Golden (1904–1993), The Postal Museum
20. ‘Crimson Rambler’, 1992, by Philip D. Hawkins (b.1947), The Postal Museum
Image credit: Michal Wachucik / Abermedia LTD / Art UK
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
June 11, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The risks to consider before going under the knife

Source: Anglia Ruskin University

By James D. Frame, Anglia Ruskin University

A series of ads for Brazilian butt lifts (BBL) on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook were recently banned by the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). These ads were found to be misleading and irresponsible, often downplaying serious health risks and pressuring consumers with time-limited offers.

This move highlights growing concerns over how cosmetic surgery is marketed online and the safety of BBL procedures. But BBLs are not the only cosmetic surgeries under scrutiny.

Liposuction has a high rate of post-operative complications, and even non-surgical procedures like lip fillers and liquid BBLs have raised health concerns among experts.

According to recent data from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS), there were 27,462 cosmetic procedures performed in 2024 – a 5% rise from 2023. More than nine out of ten (93.5%) of these procedures were performed on women.

Body contouring – including liposuction, abdominoplasty and thigh lifts – are the most popular surgeries, while facial rejuvenation procedures, particularly face and neck lifts, brow lifts and eyelid surgery have all increased in popularity since 2023.

Risk factors

Many of these popular procedures are also among the riskiest. Body contouring surgeries like liposuction, tummy tucks and fat grafting, for example, are major operations that typically take hours and involve general anesthesia.

And the aesthetic outcomes are not always as expected either. Fat removal can sometimes lead to uneven body contours, lumps, or skin irregularities, which may worsen as the body continues to age.

All surgeries carry risks, but complications from cosmetic procedures are often downplayed or misunderstood. These risks can manifest immediately after surgery or even weeks later, ranging from minor issues like infection and scarring to life-threatening conditions such as blood clots or organ failure.

One of the most dangerous risks is pulmonary embolism, which occurs when a blood clot travels to the lungs. In the US, around 18,000 cases of venous thromboembolism (VTE) occur annually among plastic surgery patients, with about 10% resulting in death within just one hour of symptoms appearing.

This already serious threat has become even more pressing in the post-COVID era, as VTE cases are rising. COVID is known to increase the body’s tendency to form blood clots – even in those with mild or no symptoms.

These lingering effects can persist for weeks or months and, when combined with the usual surgical risks like immobility, tissue trauma and inflammation, they significantly increase the likelihood of a life-threatening event like a pulmonary embolism. As a result, people undergoing plastic surgery today may face a higher baseline risk than before the pandemic.

Fat embolism is another potentially deadly complication, often associated with procedures like liposuction or BBLs. This occurs when fat particles enter the bloodstream and travel to vital organs, leading to serious medical emergencies.

After surgery, some patients may wake up disoriented, confused, or with lingering neurological symptoms – signs of a serious medical emergency. Fat embolism can have immediate, life-threatening effects and, in severe cases, can cause permanent brain damage, organ failure, or sudden death.

Procedures like rhinoplasty (nose reshaping) or breast augmentation can come with relatively high rates of dissatisfaction. Implants, in particular, can cause issues like rupture, deflation, capsular contracture (hardening around the implant), or asymmetry. There is also some concern about a rare form of cancer – breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) – linked to certain types of implants.

Even if surgery doesn’t result in major complications, many patients still walk away unhappy. A common issue is that procedures don’t account for how the body continues to age. A facelift or tummy tuck might look great initially, but the natural ageing process can quickly undo or distort those results.

The problem is that many cosmetic procedures fail to account for the inevitable changes our bodies undergo with age. Our bodies change over time – skin loses elasticity, fat distribution shifts and trends evolve. What feels like a good decision in your 20s might look very different in your 40s.

Non-surgical treatments

One of the most troubling issues in the cosmetic industry is the lack of consistent regulation. This is particularly true for non-surgical treatments, where injectable products can be administered by anyone, from trained doctors to self-taught beauty influencers. Cosmetic tourism adds another layer of complexity. Many people travel abroad for cheaper procedures, only to face complications once they return home – with limited recourse or support.

Non-surgical treatments like dermal fillers and Botox have become increasingly popular due to their quick results and minimal downtime. However, they are not without risk.

Modern fillers like hyaluronic acid are generally safer than older materials such as silicone. They’re less likely to cause issues like granulomas – as long as they don’t become infected – and they can even be reversed if needed. However, when injected incorrectly, especially into a blood vessel, fillers can cause serious complications like tissue death, permanent scarring, or even blindness.

Botox injections also carry risks, including muscle paralysis, nerve damage, and uneven facial results – particularly when performed by unqualified practitioners.

Before undergoing any cosmetic procedure – whether surgical or non-surgical – it’s essential to research a qualified practitioner, understand the risks and set realistic expectations.

Cosmetic surgery can be empowering for many people, helping them feel more confident in their own skin. But the decision to alter your appearance permanently should never be taken lightly. Behind the glamour and glossy Instagram stories lies a more serious picture – one where the risks are real and the consequences, sometimes irreversible.

James D. Frame, Professor of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Anglia Ruskin University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The opinions expressed in VIEWPOINT articles are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARU.

If you wish to republish this article, please follow these guidelines: https://theconversation.com/uk/republishing-guidelines

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

June 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Why more youth are landing in the ER with vomiting from cannabis use
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Jamie Seabrook, Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics; Professor, Department of Paediatrics; Professor, Brescia School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, Western University

As cannabis use among youth rises in Canada — and THC potency reaches record highs — emergency departments are seeing a surge in cases of a once-rare condition: cannabis hyperemesis syndrome (CHS).

Characterized by relentless vomiting, abdominal pain and temporary relief through compulsive hot showers or baths, CHS is increasingly affecting adolescents and young adults. Yet few people — including many clinicians — know it exists.

As public health and substance use researchers, and authors of a recent review on CHS in youth, we are struck by how misunderstood and misdiagnosed this condition remains.

A silent side-effect of heavy cannabis use

Canada ranks among the highest globally for youth cannabis use, with 43 per cent of 16-19-year-olds reporting use in the past year. Usage peaks among those 20–24 years, with nearly half (48 per cent) reporting past-year use.

This rise in regular, heavy use coincides with a 400 per cent increase in THC potency since the 1980s. Strains with THC levels above 25 per cent are now common. As cannabis becomes more potent and accessible, clinicians are seeing more cases of CHS, a condition virtually unheard of before 2004.

What is CHS?

CHS unfolds in three phases:
1. Prodromal phase: Nausea and early morning discomfort begin. Users increase cannabis consumption, thinking it will relieve symptoms.
2. Hyperemetic phase: Intense vomiting, dehydration and abdominal pain follow. Hot showers or baths provide temporary relief — a hallmark of CHS.
3. Recovery phase: Symptoms resolve after stopping cannabis entirely.
Diagnosis is often delayed. One reason is because CHS mimics conditions like gastroenteritis or eating disorders, leading to costly CT scans, MRIs and gastric emptying tests. One telltale sign — compulsive hot bathing — is frequently overlooked, despite its strong diagnostic value.

Nausea and early morning discomfort begin in the early stages of CHS.
(Shutterstock)

Why CHS is dangerous for youth

Youth face unique risks. The brain continues to develop until about age 25, and THC exposure during this critical window can impair cognitive functions like memory, learning and emotional regulation. Heavy cannabis use is associated with heightened risks of anxiety, depression, psychosis and self-harm.

Some youth use cannabis to self-medicate for mental health concerns and increase their use when symptoms of CHS appear, mistakenly believing cannabis will help. Others are reluctant to disclose their use due to stigma, fear of judgment or legal consequences.

In our recent review, we found that CHS is frequently misdiagnosed as bulimia nervosa because of the vomiting and unintended weight loss. But unlike bulimia, CHS-related vomiting is involuntary and not motivated by body image concerns. A clue is that those with CHS often return to normal eating and bathing patterns during symptom-free periods, which is not typical for an eating disorder.

Compulsive hot bathing is a telltale sign of CHS.
(Shutterstock)

A burden on the health system and individual

CHS doesn’t just take a toll on youth — it strains the health-care system. Emergency department visits for CHS have spiked in recent years, with a study in Ontario showing a significant rise after cannabis commercialization following legalization in 2018. Repeated ER visits, missed school or work and emotional distress compound the burden. In rare cases, CHS can lead to kidney failure due to severe dehydration and electrolyte imbalance.

Unfortunately, anti-nausea medications like ondansetron often fail. Studies have shown temporary relief from topical capsaicin or low-dose haloperidol, but no acute treatment consistently works unless cannabis use stops.

What can be done?

The most effective long-term solution to treating CHS is cannabis cessation. For youth who use cannabis to cope with anxiety, quitting can lead to withdrawal symptoms and distress. This makes harm reduction strategies critical: gradual reduction plans, mental health supports and non-judgmental conversations between providers and patients.

Clinicians should systematically screen youth presenting with cyclic vomiting for cannabis use and hot bathing behaviour. Youth are more likely to disclose cannabis use when asked in an empathetic, stigma-free way.

Public health campaigns can play a major role. We need honest, accessible education — in schools, clinics and online — that explains what CHS is, how to recognize it and how to seek help. In our view, the addition of CHS content to youth health curriculums, pediatric training programs and cannabis use screening tools is overdue.

A preventable crisis

CHS is a preventable but growing consequence of chronic cannabis use in young people. As legalization continues to reshape social norms and access, it is essential to ensure that youth — and those who care for them — are informed about the full spectrum of cannabis-related health risks.

This story was co-authored by Morgan Seabrook, an undergraduate research assistant at the Human Environments Analysis Laboratory at Western University.

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Why more youth are landing in the ER with vomiting from cannabis use – https://theconversation.com/why-more-youth-are-landing-in-the-er-with-vomiting-from-cannabis-use-258375
MIL OSI – Global Reports –
June 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Crow Agency woman pleads guilty to false statements

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

BILLINGS – A Crow Agency woman accused of making false statements to federal law enforcement admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

The defendant, Micah Taryn Faith LaForge, 24, pleaded guilty to false statement. LaForge faces 5 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release.

U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing date has not yet been set. LaForge was released pending further proceedings.

The government alleged in court documents that on January 18, 2023, a gunshot victim arrived at the emergency room at the IHS Crow/Northern Cheyenne Hospital in Crow Agency. He was pronounced dead upon arrival. He was transported to IHS in a vehicle driven by LaForge.

LaForge lied to medical personnel and a BIA Special Agent at the hospital and then later that same day to an FBI Special Agent and a different BIA Special agent. She told all of these individuals she was driving between Crow Agency and Dunmore when she saw the gunshot victim lying in the road. LaForge claimed she stopped and loaded him into the passenger side of her vehicle and drove directly to IHS. LaForge continued with the lie by traveling to the purported location where she claimed that she saw the gunshot victim lying in the road with a BIA Special Agent. The agent noted there was no evidence, i.e., blood, shell casings, sign of a struggle that would support LaForge’s claim that this was the location where she encountered the gunshot victim.

The gunshot victim was actually shot at a house on Crow River Road. The day after the initial statement, LaForge contacted law enforcement and admitted she had lied the day before. Her lie about finding the gunshot victim in the middle of the road stymied the investigation for over 15 hours as the investigators had only the false information she provided about the location, which kept the investigators from going to the residence where the victim was shot and collecting evidence. The firearm was never recovered.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. The FBI and BIA conducted the investigation.

XXX

MIL Security OSI –

June 11, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Wyden, Warren Seek Answers from Contractor that Stands to Profit as Millions Lose Health Care Coverage

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
June 10, 2025
Maximus, which has spent millions lobbying federal lawmakers on safety net programs like Medicaid, has a history of raking in profits by ejecting millions of Americans off of their health insurance
Washington D.C.—U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said today they have written to Maximus, the largest contractor for Medicaid eligibility determinations, regarding the company’s potential profiteering under a Republican plan to cut Medicaid.
In a warning of what could come if so-called “work requirements” pass into law, the senators pressed Maximus on its business strategy of kicking millions of low-income Americans off their Medicaid coverage—even when they meet all the program’s eligibility requirements—to earn more profit.
“As the largest contractor for Medicaid eligibility determinations, your company would likely assess whether individuals meet the requirements outlined in the Republican bill, giving you extraordinary power over Americans’ access to health care,” the senators wrote. “But your company has an abysmal track record, with reports of egregious backlogs and service delays and several reported instances of fraud.”
Medicaid is a crucial health insurance program for millions of low- and middle-income Americans, covering about one in three Oregonians enrolled in the Oregon Health Plan. Trump and congressional Republicans are pushing to make the largest cuts to Medicaid in the program’s history, including nearly $350 billion in cuts from implementing so-called “work requirements.” The independent, non-partisan Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill will rip away health insurance coverage from more than 10 million Americans and that work requirements alone will result in almost 5 million people losing Medicaid.
In addition to its troubling track record in Medicaid, Maximus has also:
Required Americans to submit intrusive personal information to complete eligibility checks, which was subsequently stolen in massive data breaches.
Raked in profits for cycling some of America’s poorest individuals in and out of short-term, low-paying jobs rather than placing them in stable, long-term employment.
Spent millions in recent years on lobbying and campaign contributions to federal, state, and local campaigns to persuade political leaders to implement stricter eligibility requirements for programs like Medicaid—knowing that its shareholders and bottom line would benefit when vulnerable Americans faced more red tape.
“Maximus profited not from promoting work—the stated goal of Republican policymakers—but instead from trapping low-income Americans in a cycle of poverty, with individuals falling into and out of employment and eligibility for benefits in part due to the perverse incentives in your state contracts,” the senators wrote.
Maximus’ stock has climbed as Trump and Republicans raced to pass legislation that would impose red tape requirements on Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) beneficiaries. With $100 million set aside in Republicans’ new bill to implement Medicaid red tape requirements just in fiscal year 2026, Maximus potentially stands to gain tens of millions worth of contracts in the coming years, representing a more than 30x return on its lobbying expenditures.
Maximus has even made clear to investors that the “Big Beautiful Bill” creates numerous pathways to profit, stating that “changes that require customer engagement … increase our activity volume” and that “a reduction in Medicaid recipients may not necessarily decrease consumer engagement, especially if eligibility verification or activity reporting requirements become more frequent than today.”
“All of this raises serious questions about your ability to effectively administer Medicaid eligibility determinations and avoid the perverse incentives that allow you to benefit from kicking even more Americans off of Medicaid if Donald Trump and Republicans’ ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ becomes law,” the senators continued. “With millions of dollars spent on lobbyists in Washington and around the nation, you have worked to enact the largest Medicaid cuts in the program’s history—and ensure that your company and you personally will financially benefit.”
The senators are pressing Maximus for information on its lobbying efforts and concerning track record of implementing so-called “work requirements” in other federal programs.
The full text of the letter is here.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Protecting Canada’s livestock industry with a new vaccine bank

Source: Government of Canada News (2)

Canada is making significant progress towards the creation of a dedicated foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccine bank, which will build on existing protections for the livestock industry and equip producers with another tool to control and eliminate the disease should an outbreak occur.

Following a competitive procurement process, Public Services and Procurement Canada, on behalf of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, awarded contracts to Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health and Biogénesis Bagó SA to supply multiple types of vaccine products and develop Canada’s first FMD vaccine bank. This FMD vaccine bank complements Canada’s current access to vaccines through the North American Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccine Bank, ensuring readily available vaccines for Canadian producers.

FMD is a highly contagious and severe disease that affects cattle, sheep, swine, and other cloven-hoofed animals. An FMD infection can cause painful blisters that make it hard for animals to eat, walk, and produce milk, leaving them weak and sick.

Preparedness efforts, including building a Canadian FMD vaccine bank, are key to protecting Canadian animals and agriculture. Having a ready supply of FMD emergency vaccines will strengthen our ability to respond effectively to an outbreak should one occur. It could also reduce the number of cases and the duration of the outbreaks.

Collaboration between Canada’s federal, provincial and territorial governments along with stakeholders plays a key role in Canada’s FMD prevention and preparedness plans. These efforts, combined with Canada’s existing strict import requirements, on-farm biosecurity measures, and disease surveillance, continue to protect the health of Canadian animals and the economic prosperity of our producers and farming communities.

MIL OSI Canada News –

June 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Nine Albertans to receive Alberta’s highest honour
Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)
As the province’s highest honour, the Order recognizes exceptional service and achievement in a wide range of fields. It is part of the Canadian Honours System and celebrates individuals whose leadership, innovation and dedication have shaped Alberta’s identity and strengthened its future.

“Since 1979, the Alberta Order of Excellence has recognized individuals who have made transformative contributions to our province. I am very proud to extend this honour to these nine men and women, whose lives have had an immeasurable impact upon Alberta history and opened new opportunities for countless other Albertans.”

Lt.-Gov. Salma Lakhani

The Alberta Order of Excellence members to be invested in 2025 are:
- Sine Chadi, Edmonton
- Geoff Cumming, Calgary
- John Day, Edmonton
- Brian Felesky, Calgary
- Stephanie Felesky, Calgary
- Nichole Neubauer, Medicine Hat
- Lyn Radford, Red Deer
- John Scott, Longview
- Doug Stollery, Edmonton
The investiture ceremony will be held in Edmonton in October. This will bring the total membership of the Alberta Order of Excellence to 229.

Related information

Alberta Order of Excellence
MIL OSI Canada News –
June 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Melfort Hospital Receives Upgrades as Province Continues Investment in Rural Health Facilities

Source: Government of Canada regional news

Released on June 10, 2025

On Monday, June 9, 2025, Rural and Remote Health Minister Lori Carr visited the town of Melfort as part of her Saskatchewan summer tour. Minister Carr met with healthcare professionals in the community and toured two of the local healthcare facilities.

“It was a pleasure to meet with many of the medical staff in Melfort while touring their respective healthcare facilities, where I was able to get a real sense of their working environment,” Minister Carr said. “Our visit was very positive, and I want to extend my sincere appreciation for their contribution and invaluable service to the health care system.”

Government continues to prioritize timely access to high quality healthcare services, as well as recruitment and retention of physicians, nurses and other allied healthcare professionals.

As part of Government’s capital funding plan, both Melfort Hospital and Parkland Place recently received new chillers. The sewer system was also recently replaced at Melfort Hospital and a project to upgrade the operating room airflow system is currently in procurement. This is a total investment of approximately $1.3 million over the past two budget years.

In 2024-25, surgical capital funding of $163,800 was earmarked to purchase an advanced surgical microscope that will allow Melfort’s visiting specialists to perform more ear, nose and throat (ENT) procedures.

Additionally, beginning in this year’s budget, the Saskatchewan Health Authority has entered a five-year lease agreement for new endoscopy equipment for a cost of $264,000 per year.

-30-

For more information, contact:

Shannon Gilbert
Health
Regina
Phone: 306-787-4083
Email: media@health.gov.sk.ca
Cell: 306-537-3594

MIL OSI Canada News –

June 11, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Durbin On Republicans’ Reconciliation Bill: It’s A Big, Beautiful Betrayal Against American Families

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
June 09, 2025
In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin slammed the Republican reconciliation plan that will kick 16 million Americans off their health care coverage, close rural hospitals, and raise prices for American families in order to pay for tax cuts to billionaires
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke on the Senate floor, making clear that Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act will only raise prices and slash Medicaid and Medicare coverage for working Americans in order to pay for significant tax breaks for billionaires. Durbin reiterated in his remarks that the legislation will harm Americans as the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released an estimate showing that 16 million Americans will lose their health insurance under the Republicans’ reconciliation bill.
“They [congressional Republicans] are considering a tax bill that will eliminate health insurance coverage for 16 million Americans. More people and families will lose health insurance coverage by virtue of this ‘big, beautiful bill’ than any legislation we passed in modern memory,” Durbin began.
Durbin explained how unpopular it would be to cut health insurance coverage for Americans, which has prompted a small number of Republicans to express their discontent with $800 billion in proposed cuts to Medicaid.
“Some Republican Senators, like Josh Hawley in my neighboring state of Missouri, have criticized this because he realizes how many people he represents count on Medicaid, the basic health insurance program. Senator Hawley says even as a Republican, he can’t support that provision,” Durbin said. “No one should support that provision. If you ever lived at a moment in your life with a seriously sick child and no health insurance, you’ll never forget it. I know. I’ve been there.”
“With this analysis from the Congressional Budget Office, we have new estimates on how this bill impacts each and every state. 210,000 people in my neighboring state of Missouri, Senator Hawley’s state, could lose their health insurance coverage. In Iowa, nearly 100,000 people could lose their health plans, and for our neighbor in Indiana, 250,000 Hoosiers could lose the peace of mind that comes with having health insurance,” Durbin said.
“What is it that is so compelling that the Republicans feel they can stand up and tell 16 million people in America, ‘you’ll lose your health insurance.’ What will they use that money for? What will they take it to the bank for? For something very basic. Tax cuts for the wealthiest people in America,” Durbin continued.
Durbin spoke about his recent visit to a children’s hospital in Chicago, emphasizing that patients, including his constituent Layoni, rely on Medicaid in order to receive life-saving care.
“Friday, I visited a hospital in Chicago… It’s La Rabida, a children’s hospital… Ninety percent of the families that bring their children to La Rabida Hospital qualify for Medicaid. These are families of limited means, and they turn to a highly professional hospital which has a reputation of caring for the poorest kids, as well as the richest kids. They treat them all the same, and they treat them well,” Durbin said.
“When I visited the hospital, they told me the story of one of their patients. Her name is Layoni. She was born prematurely at 26 weeks. When she was born she was only the size of the palm of your hand. She was given just days to survive. She needed a ventilator, tracheotomy tube, central line, an IV-like device that brought medicine to her heart, and much, much more. Today, Layoni is four years old. It’s a miracle. Thanks to want incredible cared provided by La Rabida and the love of so many people, she’s there,” Durbin continued. “Layoni’s family was covered by Medicaid, the most highly targeted program for cuts in this ‘big, beautiful bill.’”
Durbin explained the impact the Republicans’ reconciliation bill will have on hospitals across the country, many of which rely on Medicaid reimbursements to stay open. If critical Medicaid funding is cut, hospitals across the country, especially those in rural areas, will be at serious risk of closure. According to America’s Essential Hospitals, uncompensated care costs for hospitals will increase by $42 billion in a single year under this Republican proposal. For rural hospitals that are already struggling financially, this bill could lead to them permanently closing their doors.
“They [20 hospital administrators from downstate and urban Illinois] came out to see me three weeks ago… On their own, they wanted to tell me the story, that the bill that passed the House of Representatives… will be devastating to these hospitals. Some of them won’t survive,” Durbin said.
“What does it mean to a small or medium-size city that’s lucky enough to have a good hospital and lose it? Well, the obvious. If you need emergency medical care, it’s a longer drive. If that baby is about to be born, it’s a longer drive. When it comes down to treatment, these hospitals provide the first in urgent care. And if that hospital closes, what happens? It takes longer to get that care, but in addition to that, it also means a major part of the local economy is gone,” Durbin said. “How will you attract a business or keep a business when you lose your hospital? That’s what’s at stake here because it cuts into the Medicaid program.”
Despite Republican claims that the reconciliation bill will not impact Medicare, the bill also includes a $500 billion cut to Medicare.
“The Trump ‘big, beautiful bill’ is designed to cut the program that these hospitals rely on most, the Medicaid program. Now it turns out because they add trillions of dollars to the deficit for this tax cut, you’re also facing the possibility of something called sequestration, what that means is there will be less coverage for Medicare,” Durbin said. “This would be devastating to many people who count on it. It’s not just La Rabida that would face consequences. Red and blue states would suffer.”
Durbin continued on, stressing that this legislation will also increase the cost of living for Americans while billionaires will enjoy an additional $400,000 in tax cuts.
“As if an increase in the health care premiums isn’t enough, the costs of basic goods will skyrocket under this Republican plan. The ‘big, beautiful betrayal’ will raise energy bills up to $400 a year for families and ten percent for businesses,” Durbin said.
“If housing wasn’t already expensive enough, many Americans will see their mortgages increase by $600 a year. Want to follow your passion and start a business? Small business loans are estimated to increase under the ‘big, beautiful bill’ by $1,000 a year. Tariffs are estimated to raise costs for American households by around $2,500,” Durbin said. “If this last election was about the cost of living and giving families a fighting chance to survive paycheck to paycheck, this bill is devastating for those who aren’t the wealthiest in America.”
Durbin concluded his remarks by calling on his Republican colleagues to push back against this legislation that will eliminate health care for 16 million Americans and raise prices even further.
“This year, for the Fourth of July, the most American thing we can do is, on a bipartisan basis, stop this disaster. What does it take to say, ‘Pause, stop. We don’t want to cut Medicaid. We don’t want to take health insurance away from 16 million people. We don’t want to see the expenses of families going up.’ What will it take? Four Republican Senators who will step up and say this is a mistake,” Durbin said.
“Donald Trump is trying to rush us into something which is not good for American families. [The bill is] good for billionaires… but for ordinary families struggling with their regular bills that they have to pay, the ‘big, beautiful bill’ is a big, beautiful betrayal,” Durbin concluded.
Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.
-30-

MIL OSI USA News –

June 11, 2025
MIL-OSI: Amid cost pressures, US employers are shifting their benefit strategy, WTW survey finds

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

NEW YORK, June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As U.S. employers grapple with heightened economic uncertainty and greater financial pressures on budgets, steering the right course on benefit strategy is more challenging than ever. This is according to a survey by WTW (NASDAQ: WTW), a leading global advisory, broking and solutions company. As a result, companies are turning to smarter spending, sharper focus and using benefits as a strategic tool to drive engagement, retention and purpose.

The 2025 Benefits Trends Survey found rising benefit costs to be the top issue (90%) influencing U.S. employers’ benefit strategies in 2025, up from 67% in 2023. Other top concerns include competition for talent (52%), expectations for an enhanced employee experience (43%), cost of living (39%) and rising mental health issues (32%).

“After a long period of high benefits inflation and in the face of a possibly weakening economy, employers are taking a step back and looking to focus on what drives real value for employees and the business. That means targeting support and spending on the benefits that matter most, enabling personalization and helping employees make better decisions,” said Jeff Levin-Scherz, Population Health Leader, North America, Health & Benefits.

As the cost of medical care continues to show double digit growth in the U.S., employers face greater challenges in delivering their strategy in key areas such as health benefits (44%), wellbeing programs (44%), and leave benefits (36%).

To address these concerns, employers are shifting their strategy. Few are expanding their benefit portfolio, choosing to instead focus on extracting value from their current offerings and improve financing, employee experience, analytics and administration.

Compared to just 8% in the past year, 63% of employers plan to reallocate or rebalance spend in the next three years. A majority (73%) plan to tackle high costs by enhancing value or switch to better-value vendors across health, retirement and risk benefits. Just under half (44%) plan to tackle high-cost medical conditions and 37% plan to adopt a network of preferred medical providers.

Eager to address employee pressure points, companies are also looking to improve the following priority areas over the next three years: maximizing value, mental health, health benefits, financial wellbeing and family support. Many plan to increase their use of communication and use nudges and navigation solutions to influence behaviors and enhance the employee experience. Regularly reviewing vendor performance, including employee feedback, is also a key action employers are taking.

“Organizations are facing more pressure than ever to deliver the right benefits strategy. Finding innovative solutions for old and new challenges and reallocating spend on benefits that deliver true value is a good start. There is still a long way to go to address these pressure points, but employers are headed in the right direction by focusing on what matters most to their employees,” said Levin-Scherz.

About the survey

The 2025 Benefit Trends Survey was conducted from early March to mid-April. Respondents include 696 U.S. employers, representing a broad range of industries in both the private and public sector.

About WTW

At WTW (NASDAQ: WTW), we provide data-driven, insight-led solutions in the areas of people, risk and capital. Leveraging the global view and local expertise of our colleagues serving 140 countries and markets, we help organizations sharpen their strategy, enhance organizational resilience, motivate their workforce and maximize performance.

Working shoulder to shoulder with our clients, we uncover opportunities for sustainable success—and provide perspective that moves you.

Media contact
Ileana Feoli: +1 212 309 5504
Ileana.feoli@wtwco.com

The MIL Network –

June 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Weston Man Pleads Guilty to Insider Trading Offense

Source: US FBI

David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced that RYAN SQUILLANTE, 40, of Weston, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to an insider trading offense.

According to court documents and statements made in court, working from his home, Squillante was employed as the Head of Equity Trading at Irving Investors, an investment company headquartered in Denver, Colorado. As a result of his position at Irving Investors, Squillante received material non-public information (“MNPI”) about various publicly traded companies. On 15 different occasions between August 2022 and May 2023, Squillante used MNPI for his own benefit by executing transactions in securities of these companies, making a total profit of $220,912.

As an example, in February 2023, Squillante received MNPI about Praxis Precision Medicines, Inc. (“Praxis”), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company whose common stock traded on the NASDAQ. Between February 27 and March 2, 2023, Squillante “sold short” 38,086 shares of Praxis at an average price per share of approximately $3.04. On March 3, 2023, before the market opened, Praxis announced poor results from its drug trial, stating that the drug’s effects did not achieve its primary endpoint with statistical significance. Following the announcement, Squillante “covered” his short sale by purchasing 38,086 Praxis shares at an average price per share of approximately $1.82, making a profit of approximately $46,421.

Squillante pleaded guilty to securities fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Judge Oliver scheduled sentencing for August 29.

This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Securities and Exchange Commission. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather L. Cherry.

MIL Security OSI –

June 11, 2025
MIL-OSI NGOs: Violent looting prompts permanent closure of MSF hospital in Ulang, South Sudan News Jun 10, 2025

Source: Doctors Without Borders –

Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) announced today its decision to permanently close its hospital in Ulang, in South Sudan’s Upper Nile State, as well as withdraw support for 13 primary health facilities in the county due to safety and security concerns.

MSF suspended all medical services on April 14, 2025 after armed individuals forced their way into the hospital and its offices, threatened staff and patients, and violently looted and destroyed property throughout the facility.

The hospital’s infrastructure, in which MSF had invested millions of dollars, was completely destroyed. In addition, intruders looted medicines worth over $150,000—enough to run the hospital for months and care for thousands of patients. This has left the hospital in ruins and unable to function.

“They took everything: medical equipment, laptops, patients’ beds and mattresses from the wards, and approximately nine months’ worth of medical supplies, including two planeloads of surgical kits and drugs delivered just the week before,” said Zakaria Mwatia, MSF head of mission for South Sudan. “Whatever they could not carry, they destroyed.”

“The extensive losses from the looting have left us without the necessary resources to continue operations,” Mwatia added. “We have no other option but to make the difficult decision to close the hospital and [halt] our support for 13 primary health care facilities, as they all relied on the hospital for medical supplies, referrals, and technical support.”

A string of attacks on health care

This was the second attack on MSF in the area in less than three months. In January, two clearly marked MSF boats were shot at by unknown gunmen on their way to Ulang after delivering medical supplies to Nasir County Hospital, forcing everyone on board to jump into the water and swim to safety. Less than a month after the looting, another MSF hospital was bombed in Old Fangak, forcing MSF to suspend activities.

Such attacks on health care facilities severely disrupt access to health care services for communities that depend on MSF for medical assistance. The closure of MSF facilities has left the area—which spans more than 124 miles from the Ethiopian border to Malakal—without any secondary health care facility. Pressure has increased significantly on the few remaining health structures, especially in Malakal, which has recorded an influx of patients in recent weeks.

“The security situation in the area remains volatile, with ongoing clashes in neighboring regions,” Mwatia said. “MSF prioritizes the safety of its staff and patients and the integrity of our services, but the current environment makes it impossible to ensure either. We are deeply concerned by the growing trend of attacks on health care and the devastating impact this has on communities. We urgently call for the protection of patients, health care workers, and medical facilities at all times.”

MSF remains committed to communities

Since its launch in 2018, the MSF project in Ulang has provided vital health care services to over 150,000 people across Ulang County. This included running a secondary care hospital and supporting 13 primary health care facilities throughout the region. Over the past seven years, MSF has carried out more than 139,730 outpatient consultations, admitted 19,350 patients, treated 32,966 cases of malaria, and assisted 2,685 maternal deliveries, among other essential services. During this time, MSF also facilitated patient referrals by boat along the Sobat River, provided support to Nasir County Hospital, and responded to multiple emergencies and disease outbreaks.

Despite these closures, MSF remains committed to responding to the health care needs of displaced and vulnerable people in Ulang and Nasir counties. A mobile emergency team is assessing the needs and preparing to provide short-term health care services along the Sobat Corridor, wherever security conditions allow. MSF continues to provide health care services in its other projects in Upper Nile State, including in Malakal and Renk counties, and in other locations across South Sudan.

MIL OSI NGO –

June 11, 2025
MIL-OSI NGOs: Children in Darfur, Sudan, urgently need immunisation as measles spreads

Source: Médecins Sans Frontières –

Port Sudan – For a year now, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) teams in Darfur, Sudan, have been witnessing outbreaks of measles in the four Darfur states where we currently work. While massive vaccination campaigns are finally ongoing in several locations across the region, MSF calls on health authorities and medical organisations to increase efforts to catch up on the immunisation of children who have never been vaccinated.

The first surge of measles cases observed and treated by MSF were in June 2024 in Rokero, in Central Darfur, where MSF teams have been running the local Ministry of Health hospital since 2020. At the start of 2025, cases were also reported in East Jebel Marra, South Darfur, and in Forbrenga, West Darfur. More recently, new surges are also being observed in Zalengei, Sortony, and in Tine, East Chad – all places where we run activities.

From June 2024 until the end of May 2025, more than 9,950 patients were treated for measles in health facilities run or supported by MSF in the region. Around 2,700 were complicated cases requiring hospitalisation, and 35 deaths were recorded. To manage the influx of patients, we had to expand our paediatric bed capacity in three hospitals.

One of the root causes of this situation is the region’s already low immunisation coverage.

“In Forbrenga, 30 per cent of the measles patients we are receiving are above five years but only 5 per cent of them are vaccinated,” says Sue Bucknell, deputy head of mission in West Darfur. “This suggests that the lack of vaccination dates back further than the recent conflict.”

“The ongoing conflict is also contributing to this outbreak, constraining the capacities of medical staff to both prevent and respond to outbreaks of contagious diseases,” says Dr Cecilia Greco, medical coordinator for Central Darfur. “Mass population displacement has made the illness spread even faster across the region, further complicating the situation.”

Since the war broke out, constant administrative impediments and regular blockades of key supply roads have caused vaccine shortages throughout Darfur. This led to disruption in routine immunisation programmes in several locations, sometimes for months. In Sortony, for example, an internally displaced people’s camp in North Darfur hosting more than 55,000 people, vaccination activities totally stopped from May 2024 to February 2025.

One of the three extensions, in which MSF teams treat severe cases of measles. On this day, 11 patients were sharing the 10 available beds. Since June 2024, our teams witness an ongoing outbreak of measles in North Jebel Marra. Over the past ten months, MSF treated more than 1,900 patients – mostly children under 5 – and has registered 11 deaths. Medical data gathered by our teams shows that the 70% of children we admitted, were never vaccinated.
Thibault Fendler/MSF

These constraints and shortages have also limited medical organisations’ capacity to roll out proper response campaigns. Last year, MSF carried out several vaccination campaigns, such as in November 2024 in North Jebel Marra where 9,600 children were vaccinated.

However, due to limited vaccine supplies, our teams were forced to reduce the target number and to exclude children over age five, despite clear needs. This inevitably reduced the long-term impact of these campaigns. In North Jebel Marra, while the vaccination campaign initially slowed the outbreak, cases began to rise sharply again from February.

Although mass vaccination campaigns are now happening in different parts of Darfur, negotiations and procedures have been lengthy. After MSF first raised the alarm about the multiple surges our teams were witnessing, it took months before the Federal Ministry of Health in Port Sudan and UNICEF released the needed vaccines from their stocks, finally enabling mass vaccination campaigns to be launched in different areas of Darfur.

Last week, 55,800 children from age nine months to 15 years were vaccinated in Forbrenga as part of a campaign led by the Ministry of Health and supported by MSF. Around 93,000 more children are set to receive the vaccine in North Jebel Marra and Sortony by the end of this week, in a similar campaign.

“Even if they represent a certain achievement, these campaigns should have happened much sooner. Many measles cases and their consequences could have been prevented,” says Dr Greco. “And as much as they are needed, such reactive campaigns are only a band-aid to an open wound unless massive efforts are put in place on immunisation and prevention across Darfur, including its most remote areas.”

There is the threat of further outbreaks of disease unless such efforts are initiated.

“Measles is not the only contagious illness currently present in Darfur with the potential to turn into outbreaks,” says Bucknell. “Over the last 10 days, about 200 suspected cholera cases were brought to MSF-supported health facilities in two different Darfur states. This follows a significant cholera outbreak in Khartoum state and other parts of Sudan.”

“It is essential that federal and local health authorities, UN agencies and all medical organisations on the ground collaborate, not only to catch up on the vaccination of all the children left behind by immunisation programmes over the years, but also to enhance their ability to respond quickly and efficiently should any other outbreaks, like cholera, start spreading over Darfur,” says Dr Greco. “This includes the capacity to supply vaccines in and across Sudan, without facing the same impediments.”

You could also be interested in

Conflict in Sudan

MSF report reveals stark lack of protection and assistance in South Darfur, Sudan

Press Release 4 Jun 2025

Conflict in Sudan

Voices from South Darfur

Report 4 Jun 2025

Conflict in Sudan

Sexual violence in Sudan: “They beat us and they raped us right there on the road in public”

Press Release 28 May 2025

MIL OSI NGO –

June 11, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Alan Wilson announces Florence Co. health worker charged with Medicaid fraudRead More

Source: US State of South Carolina

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced that his office’s Vulnerable Adults and Medicaid Provider Fraud unit (VAMPF) has arrested Jacqueline Burgess, 59 years old, of Scranton, SC, on one count of Medical Assistance Provider Fraud {43-07-0060}. Burgess was booked into the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center on June 10, 2025.

An investigation by VAMPF revealed that, between December 4, 2023 and June 21, 2024, Burgess is alleged to have knowingly and willfully caused false claims for payments to the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, the agency that administers the State’s Medicaid program. Specifically, it is alleged that Burgess, as a care attendant with Tender Care Home Health Care, submitted false timesheets indicating that she had rendered care services for a Medicaid beneficiary when she did not.

This case was referred to law enforcement by Tender Care Home Health Care, which cooperated fully with investigators. This case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office.

Medical Assistance Provider Fraud is a class A misdemeanor and, upon conviction, has a penalty of up to three years in prison and a fine of not more than $1,000.

Pursuant to federal regulations, VAMPF has authority over Medicaid provider fraud; abuse and neglect of Medicaid beneficiaries in any setting; and the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of individuals residing in assisted living facilities or nursing homes.

Attorney General Wilson stressed all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.

The South Carolina Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, dba VAMPF, receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $2,889,252 for federal fiscal year 2025. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $963,084 for FFY 2025, is funded by South Carolina.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Spending review: Rachel Reeves is about to make a £600 billion gamble on growth

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Steve Schifferes, Honorary Research Fellow, City Political Economy Research Centre, City St George’s, University of London

UK chancellor Rachel Reeves faces her biggest test with the government’s departmental spending plans for the three years from next April until the general election. With nearly £600 billion a year to spend, her decisions will impact on every aspect of public life and shape the political weather for years to come.

She believes the key to reviving Labour’s fortunes as its poll ratings tumble lies in boosting economic growth.

So the government has promised that its policies will increase the UK’s anaemic growth rate and enhance productivity. Reeves is looking to capital spending on big projects that will boost the economy, such as the £14.2 billion government investment in a new nuclear power plant at Sizewell in Suffolk.

Last year she revised the government’s fiscal rules to give herself the space to borrow an extra £113 billion over three years to transform Britain’s ageing infrastructure. She has already made it clear that she wants to boost transport investment outside of London, as well as invest in research and development, including green energy.

But there are challenges ahead. In the first place, the effect of infrastructure investment takes a long time to feed through. This is partly because of the lag between planning the projects and when they come on-stream.

It will take time before the full effect will be felt on productivity, which has been growing more slowly than expected. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) suggested in March that the latest government plans for planning reform might increase productivity by just 0.2% in the longer term.

There are also some real trade-offs as to where the increased capital investment will go – and which sectors will benefit most. The chancellor has emphasised her commitment to putting more money into projects outside London and south-east England that have had less public investment in the past.

But London and the south-east is where productivity is highest and where further investment might have a bigger effect on economic growth.

It appears that there may be less funding for social housing, which may threaten the government’s ambitious target of building 1.5 million homes over the parliament. There may also be less available to repair schools and hospitals.

And the plans to boost defence spending on expensive military equipment – such as frigates and fighter planes – will also count as capital spending. As such, it could further reduce the amount available for infrastructure investment.

The departmental trade-offs

Despite the relative abundance of cash for infrastructure, the tighter fiscal rules on day-to-day spending mean that many departments are facing a squeeze on their budgets. The government plans to allow total day-to-day departmental spending on average to rise by just 1.2% per year in real terms during the next three years. This probably spells a real-terms cut for some “unprotected” departments.

This is because the money will not be distributed equally. The Department of Health and Social Care gets 40% of all departmental spending and is likely to be the big winner.

It has already received a big increase in the last spending round, with an 11% increase in capital spending is likely to get even more to realise an ambitious ten-year plan for improving services in the NHS in England.

If health spending were to go up by 2.5% (well under its historic average), this could mean very little increase for many other government departments. And if it is increased by 3.5% this will imply real-terms cuts for other areas.

The situation is made more difficult by the government’s decision to prioritise two other areas: defence and schools. For defence, it is committed to raising spending to 2.5% by 2027 and to 3% in the next parliament.

And for education, Reeves has pledged an extra £4.5 billion per year for more teachers, childcare places and free school meals. The decisions have a strong political dimension, as health and education tend to be the most popular spending priorities among the public.

Boosting the education spend tends to play well with the UK public.
Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock

The spending review, however, only covers half of total government spending. The more unpredictable part is annually managed expenditure, mainly on benefits and interest payments on government debt.

The Treasury sets an overall target (known as the spending envelope) on how much will be spent in these areas. But it now faces a crunch point over the unpopular decisions to cut disability benefits and keep the two-child benefit cap.

Reeves’ partial U-turn on the winter fuel payment, which will now be paid to 9 million pensioners, will cost an additional £1.25 billion a year but may have been a political necessity.

But a full U-turn on the two other issues will be much more expensive. Taken together, such a change might breach the fiscal rules, which give only £10 billion of “headroom” in a total government budget of more than £1.2 trillion. So while there will be some rowing back, the finances suggest any more major U-turns are unlikely.

To make matters worse, these spending plans are based on an economic forecast made by the OBR in March. This did not include the effect of US president Donald Trump’s tariff plans. Since then, both the IMF and the OECD downgraded their UK growth forecasts for both 2025 and 2026, and despite a recent small upgrade by the IMF, growth is still significantly lower than previously expected.

Even though Britain seems to have secured a deal with the US, the effect of tariffs on global growth will still damage the UK’s prospects as a trading nation.

This will make it harder for the government to meet its fiscal targets in the autumn budget while sticking to the departmental spending plans. The chancellor will then have three options. She can look for more cuts in benefits spending.

She could try to find other sources of tax revenue, for example by tweaking the rules on taxing pensions or extending the freeze on upgrading tax bands. Or, more radically, she could modify the fiscal rules to give herself more flexibility – for example by having only one economic forecast a year, as the IMF has suggested.

Ultimately Labour’s electoral prospects will depend on whether it has succeeded in boosting living standards. While the productivity drive could work, the UK economy remains at the mercy of wider global economic forces.

Steve Schifferes does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Spending review: Rachel Reeves is about to make a £600 billion gamble on growth – https://theconversation.com/spending-review-rachel-reeves-is-about-to-make-a-600-billion-gamble-on-growth-258526

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

June 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: The world needs bold, equitable climate action at the 2025 G7 summit
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Sharon E. Straus, Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto

As climate change and disrupted weather patterns impact countries around the world, leaders must act to mitigate the negative effects on public health.

Leaders from six western countries and Japan will soon gather in Kananaskis, Alta., for the Group of Seven (G7) meeting from June 15 to 17, 2025. In the lead-up to this meeting, the Royal Society of Canada hosted the Science 7 (S7). This is an engagement meeting of the leading academies of the G7 member countries.

Following discussion and deliberation, three statements aimed at advancing science for society were published, entitled Advanced Technologies and Data Security, Sustainable Migration and Climate Action and Health Resilience.

One of us (Sharon Straus) oversaw the S7 statement on Climate Action and Health Resilience. This statement draws attention to the health impacts of climate change and recommends several mitigation strategies.

Wide-ranging health impacts

Experts on health and climate change have outlined the growing impact of delayed climate action. The data are clear. Extreme weather events such as heat, floods, droughts and wildfires are having wide-ranging health impacts.

In the 10 years between 2014-2023, there was a 167 per cent increase in heat-related deaths in those aged 65 years and older compared with the 10 years between 1990-99. Extreme weather events also directly impact food and water security, as well as infectious diseases and chronic diseases.

The health consequences of climate change are not only the result of environmental factors. Of equal importance are recent decisions eliminating funding for programs that mitigate the risks of climate change.

Consider for example, the multiple threats to recent progress in eliminating malaria. The World Malaria Report published in December 2024 by the World Health Organization estimated that 2.2 billion malaria cases and 12.7 million malaria deaths were averted between 2000 and 2023.

Now, many countries anticipate a malaria resurgence. Antimalarial drug resistance, mosquito resistance to insecticides, changes in temperature and humidity affecting mosquito survival and the emergence of new mosquito species linked to climate change — combined with the recent abrupt funding freeze from the United States — are leading to a perfect storm.

Economic impact of climate change

The economic burden of climate change, which includes more health-care use, lost productivity, adaptation and mitigation expenses — to say nothing of the costs of rebuilding — is massive.

Much of that burden is borne by those who live in low- and middle-income countries (80 per cent of the world’s population) and who are the lowest contributors to carbon dioxide emissions.

To put this in perspective, in 2021, the United Nations Environment Program estimated the costs of annual adaptation for vulnerable countries at US$70 billion and predicted this would increase to US$140-300 billion by 2030.

In addition to the costs of adaptation aimed at reducing vulnerability to climate change, there are the costs associated with losses resulting from climate change. The 2024 Lancet Countdown estimated that the average annual economic losses due to extreme weather-related events reached US$227 billion between 2019-2023. This value exceeds the gross domestic product of approximately 60 per cent of the world’s economies.

What about Canada?

In Canada, warming is happening at twice the global rate with resulting heat, wildfires and floods. There is also evidence of significant impacts on mental health and chronic diseases, leading to an increased need for health care.

Indigenous communities, older adults and those who have experienced homelessness are disproportionately impacted by climate change. Indigenous Peoples, especially those living in remote and northern areas, are particularly vulnerable.

Currently there are 37 long-term and 40 short-term drinking water advisories in First Nations communities across Canada. The lack of safe, clean drinking water can exacerbate climate-related food and water insecurity and lead to infectious disease transmission.

The number of people experiencing homelessness is growing and many of these individuals are over 50 years old. These older adults are physiologically 15-20 years older than their housed counterparts and are at higher risk of chronic diseases, including those exacerbated by climate change.

Similarly, frail older adults are at higher risk of health effects of climate change. It is worth remembering the impact of poor air quality and lack of air conditioning during the COVID-19 pandemic on those living in long-term care homes.

Climate change costs health-care systems more each year. The Canadian Institute for Climate Choices recently estimated that health-related hospitalizations will increase by 21 per cent by mid-century. Our health systems are not prepared for this.

In addition, the costs of death and reduced quality of life from heat-related climate change is estimated to rise between $3 billion and $3.9 billion by the middle of this century. Factoring in other impacts such as those from air pollution, flooding and wildfires, the total estimated costs are in the tens to hundreds of billions.

S7’s recommendations

The S7 statement on Climate Action and Health Resilience includes seven recommendations. Addressing the disproportionate impact of climate change on populations who are particularly vulnerable and investing in innovative solutions are among them. Particularly critical are societal and political innovations that involve affected communities, including Indigenous communities.

The S7’s climate and health resilience recommendations include:
- Developing and optimizing climate change mitigation strategies to transform health and social services (such as early warning infectious disease systems and biomonitoring).
- Developing new regulations nationally and internationally to transform health, public health and social services, increasing their readiness and safeguarding health from climate change impact.
- Providing economic and regulatory incentives to foster adaptation and resiliency of health systems.
- Investing in innovative solutions (including vaccine development for emerging diseases, wastewater surveillance) to mitigate climate change and its health risks.
The G7 summit is an opportunity to centre climate change discussions and act on the S7 recommendations. Bold investment in innovations that address the health challenges resulting from climate change will benefit us all and drive new economic activity and resilience.

Climate change is a health issue, a social justice issue and an economic issue, and the time to act is now. Scientists, policymakers, clinicians and the public must work together.

Sharon E. Straus receives research funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Public Health Agency of Canada. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.

Françoise Baylis is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.

– ref. The world needs bold, equitable climate action at the 2025 G7 summit – https://theconversation.com/the-world-needs-bold-equitable-climate-action-at-the-2025-g7-summit-256876
MIL OSI – Global Reports –
June 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Teens say they can access firearms at home, even when parents lock them up, new research shows

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Katherine G. Hastings, PhD Candidate in Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia

Most households that own firearms have more than one − and owners often don’t secure all of them. StockPlanets/E+ via Getty Images

More than half of U.S. teens living in households with firearms believe they can access and load a firearm at home. Even when their parents report storing all firearms locked and unloaded, more than one-third of teens still believe they could access and load one. These are the main findings of our new study, published in the journal JAMA Network Open.

We are behavioral scientists investigating youth injury prevention and youth safety. In this study, we analyzed national survey data from nearly 500 parents who owned firearms and their teens. One survey asked the parents to report how many firearms they had in the home and how they stored each one. Another asked their teens to estimate how quickly they could access and load a firearm at home.

While the presence of unlocked and loaded firearms in the home was weakly linked to perceived access among teens, we found that parents’ storage practices alone were a poor predictor of whether teens believed they could access a firearm. What’s more, in households with more than one firearm, locking up more firearms was not at all linked to perceived access among teens if at least one remained unsecured.

In short, just one unlocked firearm can undo the protective benefit of securing all other firearms in the home, our results showed.

Why it matters

In the U.S., firearms are now the leading cause of death among children and teens. In most of these cases, the firearm used belonged to a parent, relative or friend.

Our study focused on teens’ beliefs about firearm access, not their actual access. However, these perceptions may provide important clues around firearm access and use. Prior research shows that teens who believe they can access a firearm are more likely to access and carry one. This is particularly concerning for teens who already have a higher risk for dying by suicide.

One of the most widely supported ways to reduce teen injuries and deaths by firearms is to encourage owners to keep firearms locked and unloaded. However, most firearm-owning households in the U.S. have multiple firearms, and owners often store some firearms securely but not all.

Firearms are the leading cause of death among children and teens.
Kypros/Stock Photos Gun Safe via Getty Images

Despite evidence that securely storing firearms saves lives, efforts to promote that messaging may be less effective when it is not universally applied to all firearms in the home or when teens still know how to access them.

Our study also points to the need for messaging and safety strategies that consider teen behavior amid household firearm dynamics. For example, teens may observe where firearms are stored or know where keys or combinations are kept and unlock firearms in moments of impulsivity or emotional distress. Beyond securely storing firearms, encouraging parents to treat every firearm in the household as a potential source of risk and talking with teens about how to address conflicts and promote mental and emotional well-being may also be protective.

Additionally, our study adds support for universal laws that require securely storing all firearms in homes in which children live and mandating routine assessments of teen firearm access by pediatricians.

What still isn’t known

It is still unclear how teens’ beliefs about their access to firearms affects whether they actually seek them out – or how the variability of parents’ practices on storing firearms affects teen access.

Another important question is how teens’ perceptions of their access to firearms at home may vary depending on cultural backgrounds, geography and different households’ attitudes and beliefs around firearm use.

Additionally, our study looked only at teens ages 14 to 18. Further research is needed to explore these associations among younger children in firearm-owning households.

The Research Brief is a short take on interesting academic work.

Rebeccah Sokol receives funding from the National Institutes of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Katherine G. Hastings does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Teens say they can access firearms at home, even when parents lock them up, new research shows – https://theconversation.com/teens-say-they-can-access-firearms-at-home-even-when-parents-lock-them-up-new-research-shows-256550

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

June 11, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Warren Releases New Data: Republican Budget Bill Would Kick Over 300,000 Massachusetts Residents Off Health Care

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
June 10, 2025
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released new data estimating over 300,000 total Massachusetts residents could lose access to their health care as a result of President Trump and Congressional Republicans’ proposed cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act.
“Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans want to rip health care away from millions of Americans and raise costs for families — all to fund giant tax handouts for billionaires. Here in Massachusetts, that means hundreds of thousands of people would lose their care and our community hospitals and health centers could be forced to shut down,” said Senator Warren. “The “Big Beautiful Bill” is a lose-lose for Massachusetts families, and I’ll keep fighting to stop it.”
The new data follows an updated analysis by the independent, nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) confirming that the bill would kick 16 million Americans off of their health insurance in order to fund trillions in tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans. The Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) took the data a step further and broke down the disastrous impact of the proposed cuts by state.

State

Estimated # of People LosingAffordable Care ActCoverage

Estimated # of PeopleLosing MedicaidCoverage

Estimated Total # ofPeople Losing HealthInsurance

Massachusetts

136,700

168,911

305,611

Senator Warren has led the resistance to these unprecedented cuts to Americans’ health care, pressing nominees to justify the cuts, mobilizing the public to fight back, and sharing stories of constituents set to be impacted by the cuts. The Senate is set to consider the budget bill this month.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Health authority review expands to ensure support for front-line services
Source: Government of Canada regional news

Government is expanding its health authority review to include regional health authorities as it focuses on minimizing unnecessary administrative spending and ensuring resources support front-line patient care.

“I would like to thank the thousands of front-line workers who have already brought forward valuable feedback and ideas as we work through the health authority review,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. “Next we are expanding more broadly to engage a wider range of stakeholders, partners and people working at regional health authorities to ensure we are focusing resources on patient care as much as possible.”

The regional health authority review will be led by Cynthia Johansen, deputy minister of health, and follows the March 31 launch of the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) review led by Dr. Penny Ballem, interim president and CEO, PHSA.

As part of the PHSA review, more than 6,200 staff attended a series of town halls and large group meetings and submitted more than 1,000 questions and comments. More than 3,900 PHSA staff have also shared ideas for efficiencies through a digital engagement process. Engagements with staff at the regional health authorities will occur throughout the summer of 2025.

The reviews will aim to find efficiencies and cost savings by examining and considering changes in four main areas:
- consolidating administrative and corporate functions through a shared-services model;
- optimizing existing shared services, such as procurement and IT services;
- reducing duplicative processes identified through the review; and
- improving and streamlining governance structures.
Interim expenditure management measures are in place to control administrative costs while the review is underway, including a hiring freeze on managerial and non-union positions unrelated to delivering critical patient services.

While findings from the review will shape recommendations and changes throughout the health system, the regional health authority model is essential to health-care delivery that is connected and responsive to the needs and priorities of local communities and the populations receiving services. Collapsing or merging the regional health authorities is not under consideration as part of the review.

According to the Canadian Institute of Health Information (CIHI), B.C.’s health-care system has among the lowest levels of administrative spending in Canada and its corporate services expense ratio has remained relatively stable in the past five years, at around 3.5%. This is the second lowest in Canada and below the national average of 4.4%.

The health authority review aims to further lower B.C.’s corporate services expense ratio, because every 0.1% reduction in administrative costs represents approximately $35 million more funding available for front-line patient care.

The Province anticipates that the health authority review, both for the PHSA and the regional health authorities, will continue into the fall of 2025 and be complete in early 2026. Its findings and recommended changes will be released publicly.

Learn More:

To learn more about the health authority review, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2025HLTH0024-000279
MIL OSI Canada News –
June 11, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Partnering to Provide Dental Care to Special Needs Patients

Source: US State of Connecticut

When the need for high-quality dental care for patients with special health care needs meets a learning opportunity for dental residents, a thriving community partnership is born.

The partnership between the School of Dental Medicine and the Hospital for Special Care (HFSC) epitomizes the benefits of a fruitful community partnership—UConn dental residents get exposure to caring for patients with special health care needs, while hospital patients get access to high-quality dental care.

Located in New Britain, the Hospital for Special Care is the fourth largest, free-standing long-term acute care hospital in the United States and one of only two in the nation serving both adults and children.

Identifying a need for onsite dental care for their medically complex patients, the HFSC contacted the School of Dental Medicine in 2022 to re-establish regular and on-going onsite dental care after discontinuing their clinic. Previously, the hospital and dental school had an arrangement that included a pediatric dentistry faculty member from UConn providing on-site dental care for half day per week.

Nearly two years later, the partnership is thriving. The new arrangement allows HFSC patients to receive timely, and more efficient dental care. It is also more cost-effective, as it has largely eliminated the need for costly medical transportation between New Britain and UConn Health in Farmington for patients in need of dental care.

Dr. Sadaf Salehi and Dr. Basma Essawy in the onsite dental suite at the Hospital for Special Care.

“The ability to provide on-site dental care is more patient-friendly, less costly, and more responsive to the needs of a very medically complex patient population,” said Dr. Steven Lepowsky, dean of the School of Dental Medicine.

“The UConn dental team is truly dedicated to the patients of Hospital for Special Care,” said Jennifer Farley, Chief Quality Officer and Vice President of Organizational Excellence at the Hospital for Special Care. “Since the beginning, the dentists have been aligned with the mission of Hospital for Special Care and are engaged in fulfilling the needs of our patients. We love providing a place for the dental students to develop skills in dentistry for special needs populations. This relationship has been mutually beneficial, and we couldn’t have asked for a better partner.”

Twice a month, a second-year Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) resident, accompanied by Dr. Basma Essawy, clinical assistant professor of general dentistry, staff the dental suite at the Hospital for Special Care.

On a typical day, Essawy and the resident treat patients in the dental suite. At the end of the day, they go bedside to evaluate patients and create a plan of action to care for patients in need of dental care the next time they staff the suite.

These patients have a large range of medically complex conditions, ranging from traumatic brain injuries, to autism, to heart disease.

“I feel really grateful at the end of the day to be able to care for special needs patients,” said Essawy.

Sometimes, situations are emergent. When dental emergencies occur, the presence of the UConn dental on HFSC’s campus is convenient.

Artwork from a grateful patient on display in the dental suite.

“One day, we had an emergency towards the end of the day. They called us we were immediately able to go upstairs and handle that situation,” Essawy recalled. “The patient’s mom was there, and you could see how relieved she was that her son was helped immediately.”

More complex cases, including ones that require oral surgery and sedation, get a referral to the UConn Health Farmington campus.

To date, there have been over 200 patient encounters since the start of the program.

For the UConn residents, the learning experience is invaluable. Dr. Natalie Pesun, a second-year AEGD resident, describes her days at the Hospital For Special Care as a “one day long intensive” for caring for patients with special health care needs.

“There are so many more considerations for special needs patients,” said Pesun. “They are often on more medications, their mouth can’t open as wide, they may have involuntary movements, or it can be harder to explain the treatment. Also, dealing with paperwork side of things, including communicating with conservators and power of attorneys.”

Pesun continues, “I had done a few hospital rotations in dental school, but this is nothing like it. The need for dental care for special needs patients is huge, and if I hadn’t gone through the AEGD residency program at UConn, I don’t know if I’d be comfortable seeing special needs patients. The Hospital for Special Care rotation compliments my residency really well.”

With the partnership being relatively new, Essawy largely credits the success of the program to the teamwork between the Hospital for Special Care and UConn. The HSFC staff, Essawy notes, helps iron out all the challenges to make sure everything is working smoothly. The UConn team gets everything that they need—from an updated dental suite that mimics the one in Farmington, to advice from the Chief Medical Officer to patient coordinators and occupational therapists helping with patient oral desensitization prior to treatment. The support from the hospital staff is crucial.

“As we grow, we will face challenges, but for now we have a great team that allow us to overcome challenges in a short amount of time,” said Essawy. “Everyone is working to make this program successful.”

MIL OSI USA News –

June 11, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Governor Lamont Celebrates Historic Legislative Session Expanding Access to Early Childhood Education
Source: US State of Connecticut

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today joined with educators, parents, and advocates at a news conference to celebrate the accomplishments achieved during the recently adjourned legislative session in passing legislation that will implement the largest expansion of access to early childhood education in Connecticut history.

At the urging of Governor Lamont, the Connecticut General Assembly approved a suite of bills (Senate Bill 1, House Bill 5003, and House Bill 7288) that will enable thousands of additional children to enroll in high-quality, early childhood education services, which have been unattainable for families.

“This legislative session was a victory for the many parents, families, and early childhood educators who have been advocating for Connecticut to make early childhood education affordable and accessible for all of our kids,” Governor Lamont said. “Access to early childhood education is massively important to any state’s success, not only because these programs provide valuable tools for children that will lead them to professional achievements in the future, but also because being able to enroll your child in care right now means that parents can join the workforce and earn an income that supports their family. The bills that the General Assembly approved this session represent the largest expansion of early childhood education access in Connecticut history, and I thank them for making this a priority and recognizing that this issue is a major part of what will create a stronger, safer, and resilient state.”

A significant amount of the legislation that was approved came from the recommendations of the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Panel on Child Care, which brought together voices from across child care providers, businesses, government, and parents to provide a roadmap on the future of early childhood education in Connecticut.

“With this legislation, Connecticut provides an early childhood education model for the nation,” Connecticut Early Childhood Commissioner Beth Bye said. “It will make child care free or affordable for tens of thousands of families, and provide a portal where parents can find affordable child care in their community. And as the endowment grows, it will reach more communities and more families. Connecticut’s model is different from other states with its focus on affordability for families, equitable wages for early childhood educators, and local community planning for expansion. The passage of this bill is an achievement shared by many here today who worked for this change this year and for decades – from families, to advocates, to businesses, to providers – all share in this success.”

“Connecticut is now a national leader in creating a child care system that truly supports working families and boosts our state’s economy,” Eva Bermúdez Zimmerman, director of Child Care for CT, said. “We applaud Governor Lamont and his fellow leaders in government for hearing the voices of parents, providers, and business leaders who advocated fiercely to make child care a top priority in the halls of the capitol. This is transformative legislation for Connecticut, and we are so proud to help make it a reality.”

“The Endowment bill is the most significant piece of early childhood legislation to pass the General Assembly in my lifetime,” Merrill Gay, executive director of the Connecticut Early Childhood Alliance, said. “Thank you, Governor Lamont, for proposing this approach to fix the problem that has plagued early care and education from its inception. Most parents can’t afford what it costs to provide high quality care, and early educators shouldn’t have to subsidize the system by working for poverty wages.”

Establishment of the Early Childhood Education Endowment

Senate Bill 1 establishes a state-managed Early Childhood Education Endowment fund starting on July 1, 2025, that will initially be funded with up to $300 million in unappropriated surplus funding from the fiscal year 2025 budget. This fund will be used to:
- Support the expansion of early childhood education providers by adding tens of thousands of slots in Connecticut’s state-funded system available to enroll additional children;
- Expand opportunities that make early childhood education available at no cost to families enrolled in Early Start CT who earn up to $100,000 per year, and a sliding scale of no more than 7% for families earning more than $100,000 per year.
In future years, the fund will continue to grow with annual funding from budget surpluses and investments.

Finally, in fiscal year 2027 the legislation requires that the state launch a health insurance subsidy pilot program for early childhood educators in partnership with Access Health CT. There will be $10 million available for this subsidy.

Simplifying the ability of families to access early childhood education

To address concerns from families that Connecticut’s current system of early childhood education services is fragmented and challenging to navigate, House Bill 5003 creates the Early Care and Education Program Portal to provide families with a means of accessing real-time information about slot availability. Available for all Connecticut providers and families, the portal will:
- Allow families to submit information for resource and referral and enrollment purposes in early childhood programs;
- Provide the ability for the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood to manage payments to early childhood programs;
- House information on the availability of free or subsidized slots in each town and on a regional and statewide basis;
- Allow early childhood providers to enter slot availability and enrollment information into the portal;
- Be access through a mobile app or internet website; and
- Allow families to apply for child care subsidies or other assistance, including Care 4 Kids.
Supporting construction and renovation of child care facilities

House Bill 7288 – the annual state bond bill – enables the State Bond Commission to authorize up to $80 million in bonds that will be used to support the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood in establishment of the Child Care Facilities Grant Program for Construction and Renovation. This grant program will offer financial assistance for facility improvements for licensed child care centers, group child care homes, and family child care homes.

All three bills are currently undergoing engrossing and final printing in the legislature’s nonpartisan offices. Once that process has been completed, the bills will be transmitted to the Office of the Governor for the governor’s signature. The governor will sign the bills shortly after they have been transmitted to his office.

MIL OSI USA News –
June 11, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: King, Murkowski Introduce Bill to Strengthen Maine’s Coastal Workforce, Fisheries and Infrastructure

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) introduced legislation that would lay the groundwork to boost the workforce, energy and shoreside infrastructure, food security, and economies of coastal communities in Maine and across the country. The Working Waterfronts Act, which is also co-sponsored by Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), is comprised of more than a dozen provisions, would support efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change and strengthen federal conservation research projects. Included in the legislation is Senator King’s Fishing Industry Credit Enhancement Act which would allow businesses that provide direct assistance to fishing operations — like gear producers or cold storage — to access loans from the Farm Credit System (FCS) that are already offered to service providers for farmers, ranchers and loggers.
“Maine’s coastal communities are changing. From a warming climate to an evolving economy, the Gulf of Maine faces both historic opportunities and challenges that will define our state’s success for generations,” said Senator King. “The Working Waterfronts Act would provide Maine’s working waterfronts up and down the coast with the necessary financial, energy and infrastructure resources to adapt to the rapidly shifting dynamics of natural disasters affecting economic and tourism operations. It would also help support the necessary workforce to sustain our coastal businesses. Thanks to my colleagues for working with me to ensure our waterfronts have the necessary tools and resources to thrive for years to come.”
“One of my priorities this Congress was reintroducing the Working Waterfronts Act, a comprehensive and collective effort to harness the potential of the blue economy for Alaska’s coastal communities,” said Senator Murkowski. “With 66,000 miles of coastline, it is vital Alaska strengthens our shoreside infrastructure and supports workforce development to ensure the sustainability and growth of our fisheries, tourism, and mariculture sectors. This legislation will provide essential resources for alternative energy initiatives, improve community processing facilities, and promote safety and wellness in the maritime workforce. Together, we can build a resilient future for our coastal communities while addressing climate change and preserving our precious marine ecosystems.”
“The men and women who make their living in Maine’s blue economy face growing challenges, including rising costs, workforce shortages, and changing ocean conditions,” said Senator Collins. “This bipartisan legislation would help address these issues by improving shoreside infrastructure, supporting the next generation of maritime workers, and investing in ocean ecosystem maintenance to ensure that Maine’s coastal communities remain strong for years to come.”
Bill Highlights:
Investing in Energy and Shoreside Infrastructure
Tax Credits for Marine Energy Projects supports projects that produce electricity from waves, tides, and ocean currents.
Fishing Vessel Alternative Fuels Pilot Program provides resources to help transition fishing vessels from diesel to alternative fuel sources such as electric or hybrid, and funds research and development of alternative fuel technologies for fishing vessels.
Rural Coastal Community Processing and Cold Storage Grant increases support for community infrastructure such as cold storage, cooperative processing facilities, and mariculture/seaweed processing facilities by establishing a competitive grant program through the Department of Commerce for rural and small-scale projects.
Working Waterfronts Development Act establishes a grant program for infrastructure improvements for facilities benefitting commercial and recreational fishermen, mariculturists, and the boatbuilding industry.
Boosting Maritime Workforce Development and Blue Economy
Fishing Industry Credit Enhancement Act strengthens financial support for fishery operations by expanding Farm Credit eligibility to fishing industry support businesses.
Maritime Workforce Grant Program establishes a Maritime Workforce Grant Program, directing the Maritime Administrator to award competitive grants supporting entities engaged in recruiting, educating, or training the maritime workforce.
Fishing Industry Safety, Health, and Wellness Improvement (FISH Wellness) Act expands the Coast Guard and CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Fishing Safety Research and Training (FRST) Grant Program to include projects supporting behavioral health in addition to the projects currently supported dedicated to occupational safety research and training.
Ocean Regional Opportunity and Innovation Act establishes at least one ocean innovation cluster in each of the five domestic NOAA Fisheries regions, as well as the Great Lakes and Gulf of Mexico regions. The ocean cluster model fosters collaboration between different sectors – including public, private, and academic – within a geographic region to promote economic growth and sustainability in the Blue Economy.
Supporting Sustainable and Resilient Ecosystems
Coastal Communities Ocean Acidification Act enhances collaboration on ocean acidification research and monitoring through ongoing mechanisms for stakeholder engagement on necessary research and monitoring. This provision would also establish two Advisory Board seats for representatives from Indian Tribes, Native Hawaiian organizations, Tribal organizations, and Tribal consortia affected by ocean acidification and coastal acidification.
Vegetated Coastal Ecosystem Inventory establishes an interagency working group for the creation and maintenance of a comprehensive national map and inventory detailing vegetated coastal and Great Lakes ecosystems. This inventory encompasses habitat types, species, ecosystem conditions, ownership, protected status, size, salinity and tidal boundaries, carbon sequestration potential, and impacts of climate change.
Marine Invasive Species Research and Monitoring provides resources and tools to mitigate the impact of invasive species and help limit their spread by authorizing research and monitoring grants for local, Tribal, and regional marine invasive prevention work. This includes training, outreach, and equipment for early detection and response to invasions.
Senator King is a longtime supporter of working waterfronts and small businesses. He previously introduced the bipartisan Providing Resources for Emergency Preparedness and Resilient Enterprises (PREPARE) Act to reauthorize the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Pre-Disaster Mitigation Pilot Program, which would give small businesses the opportunity to take out low-interest loans for the purpose of proactively implementing mitigation measures that protect their property from future disaster-related damage. He also led a bipartisan bill to provide working waterfronts with a 30 percent tax credit on up to $1 million in mitigation expenses, adjusted for inflation annually. In 2024, he was named a Hero of Main Street for his support of small businesses across Maine.
Senator Collins has consistently fought to strengthen Maine’s working waterfronts. Earlier this year, she successfully pushed the Department of Commerce to restore full funding for Maine Sea Grant, ensuring continued support for coastal research and marine industries in Maine. She secured $15 million in federal funding in the 2024 funding package to help coastal communities recover from storm damage and to launch a new grant program at the Economic Development Administration for working waterfronts. She previously introduced the bipartisan Working Waterfront Preservation Act to create a $20 million annual grant program to support working waterfronts nationwide.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 11, 2025
MIL-OSI USA News: The Largest Tax Cut in History for Working and Middle-Class Americans
Source: US Whitehouse
Even Democrats admit the tax policies in the One Big Beautiful Bill are needed and popular — but they still oppose the bill.

To be clear, that means they’re opposing:
- The largest tax cut in history for working and middle-class Americans.
- A 15% tax cut for Americans making between $30,000 and $80,000 per year.
- NO TAX ON TIPS and NO TAX ON OVERTIME.
- Boosting the Child Tax Credit to $2,500 for 40 million families.
- Historic tax cuts for seniors.
- No tax on car loan interest for American-made cars.
- Preserving the doubled standard deduction for 91% of taxpayers.
- Expanding Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) to give Americans greater choice and flexibility in how they spend their money on their health.
- Investment savings accounts to set all newborn American kids on the path to financial security from the very beginning.
- Increasing the Death Tax exemption for two million family farms.
Failing to extend the Trump Tax Cuts alone would stick Americans with the largest tax hike in history.
MIL OSI USA News –
June 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Province Strikes Engagement Table to Address Gender-Based Violence
Source: Government of Canada regional news

The government is taking further action to prevent gender-based violence across Nova Scotia and better support those affected with the establishment of an engagement table led by Attorney General and Justice Minister Becky Druhan.

The table, which will have up to 25 members, will include representatives of front-line service providers and community organizations, survivors, family members and academic experts.

“Nova Scotians have told us that gender-based violence supports and services need to be more connected, more responsive and easier to access,” said Minister Druhan. “We need to work together with the people providing support and the survivors who access those services. It’s about understanding needs as they evolve, getting help to people faster and working together to stop violence before it starts.”

A call for applications to join the table, which will also include people from equity-deserving communities, will be issued in the coming weeks. The group will meet at least every three months.

Taking a whole-of-government approach, the engagement table will be supported by the Minister responsible for the Advisory Council on the Status of Women as well as the ministers of Opportunities and Social Development, Health and Wellness, Addictions and Mental Health, Education and Early Childhood Development, L’nu Affairs and African Nova Scotian Affairs.

Quotes:

“We are incredibly fortunate to have a strong sector working on the front lines to support those impacted by violence. They are passionate, committed and have a deep understanding of what is needed in the communities they serve. Gender-based violence is a complex issue, but it’s one I know we can solve if we listen to the experts and find solutions, together.”
— Leah Martin, Minister responsible for the Advisory Council on the Status of Women

Quick Facts:
- in September 2024, the government declared intimate partner violence an epidemic in Nova Scotia
- the 2025–26 provincial budget allocates more than $100 million across various departments to address gender-based and intimate partner violence, including $17.8 million in core funding for transition houses and women’s centres, the largest increase in two decades
- the Province has introduced domestic violence court programs in Halifax and Sydney, and legal changes that allow victims of domestic violence to take leave from work without fear of losing their jobs
Additional Resources:

News release – Funding to Support Gender-Based Violence Initiatives: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2025/04/03/funding-support-gender-based-violence-initiatives

Domestic violence resources: https://women.novascotia.ca/domestic-violence-resource-centre

MIL OSI Canada News –
June 11, 2025