Tag: health care

NYPD Detectives Denied Treatment At Hospital After Being ‘Mistaken For ICE’

NYPD detectives say they were treated with disrespect at a Brooklyn hospital after going to the emergency room for medical care following an on-the-job incident.

Police officials said the detectives arrived at NYU Langone Health in Cobble Hill but were confronted by security guards who questioned their identities and why they were there.

Sources told Eyewitness News the detectives were in plainclothes and explained that one of them needed treatment for a minor injury sustained during a scuffle with a suspect. Despite that explanation, they were allegedly detained, and one detective was initially refused entry because he was carrying his service weapon.

The encounter quickly angered union leaders.

“No individual-especially NYPD Detectives injured in the line of duty-should ever be subjected to such treatment,” the detectives’ union said in a statement.

The detectives, who were not identified, believe hospital staff may have mistaken them for Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and initially tried to turn them away.

ICE agents often wear tactical gear marked “Police” but do not always display badges or other identification. NYPD detectives, even when in plainclothes, carry gold shields.

The incident comes amid heightened political tensions surrounding ICE enforcement in New York City.

Appearing on “The View” on Tuesday, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said ICE should be abolished.

“We’re seeing a government agency that is supposed to be enforcing some kind of immigration law, but instead what it’s doing is terrorizing people no matter their immigration status, no matter the facts of the law, no matter the facts of the case,” he said.

The mayor said Wednesday that he had not been aware of the hospital incident until asked about it by a reporter.

“That’s the first I’m hearing about it but it’s something I’ll follow up on,” he said.

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MORE FRAUD? Reporter in Maine Finds Building With Ten Somali-Owned Home Healthcare Companies – Landlord Says No One is Ever There 

A reporter for NewsNation traveled to the state of Maine and uncovered more possible fraud.

He highlighted one particular building that is supposedly home to ten Somali-owned home healthcare companies, yet when he interviewed the landlord, he said that there is never anyone there.

He then interviews a local newspaper reporter who points out various locations that are also supposedly home healthcare companies, which just so happen to be next door to businesses that can wire money to Somalia.

This is all so shady.

From NewsNation:

Maine building houses 10 health care firms; landlord rarely sees anyone

Office buildings across Maine are packed with home health care companies that rarely have anyone present, raise red flags similar to fraud patterns discovered in Minnesota and, in some cases, have overbilled the state by hundreds of thousands of dollars before vanishing, a NewsNation investigation has found.

One Portland office building houses 10 home health care businesses — about half the building’s tenants — with the landlord saying he rarely sees anyone from most of the companies except when they pay rent.

“One guy I see coming and going, and the rest of them, I never see them, only when they pay their rent, if I’m here when they pay their rent,” said Ron Nevins, who owns the building. “They’re never here. Nobody’s over here, and then all of a sudden, if it was one or two or three or four, I’d be like, ‘OK.’ But when there’s 10, I’ve had as many as 12 or 13 probably before. You just wonder, what’s up with this health care thing? Why are so many people doing it all from foreign lands?”…

The clustering of multiple health care providers in single locations mirrors patterns identified by the House Oversight Committee as major fraud indicators in Minnesota, where billions in taxpayer funds have allegedly been stolen through shell companies billing for services never provided.

One tenant in Nevins’ building, Five Star Home Health Care, overbilled MaineCare by nearly $400,000 according to state audit documents obtained by The Maine Wire. The owner then abandoned the office.

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Astronauts Helicoptered to Hospital After Mystery Evacuation From Space Station

Earlier this month, NASA announced that it had to cancel a scheduled spacewalk, citing a “medical situation” affecting a “single crew member who is stable” on board the International Space Station.

The mystery illness eventually led to the space agency staging the first medical evacuation in 25 years of continuous operation on board the aging orbital outpost, rushing four astronauts back to Earth in a move that brought the station’s number of occupants from seven to a skeleton crew of just three.

While the medical incident only affected a single astronaut, who has yet to be identified for privacy reasons, all four members of the Crew-11 mission cut their time on board the ISS short by weeks, safely splashing down off the coast of San Diego early Thursday morning.

The four astronauts were airlifted to the Scripps Memorial Hospital in San Diego via helicopter for a “planned overnight stay at a local medical facility for additional evaluation,” according to a January 16 statement. After being “released as expected,” they continued their journey to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, where they will “continue standard postflight reconditioning and evaluations.”

Do you know anything about what caused the evacuation from the ISS? Drop us a line at tips@futurism.com. We can keep you anonymous.

“All crew members remain stable,” the space agency reassured. “To protect the crew’s medical privacy, no specific details regarding the condition or individual will be shared.”

It’s an exceedingly rare event, highlighting the challenges inherent to providing healthcare in space. While hundreds of miles above the surface, specialized care is hard, if not impossible, to execute. While astronauts undergo rigorous EMT-level training so they can respond to emergencies on board the station, they aren’t full-blown medical professionals, and can only do so much under the direction of doctors back on Earth.

There’s a lot to still learn about providing care during medical emergencies, particularly when it comes to long-duration space exploration missions into deep space. According to a 2022 study, there still are plenty of “gaps in knowledge regarding the potential for unanticipated in-flight medical events to affect crew health and capacity, and potentially compromise mission success.”

As researchers from Northumbria University in Newcastle point out in a recent essay for The Conversation, medical emergencies are remarkably rare on the ISS, despite being expected to occur on average every three years. Studies have shown that the most common health issues astronauts experience are skin irritation, congestion, disruptions to sleep, and in-flight injuries — most of which are ironically caused by exercise, which is designed to protect astronauts’ long-term health.

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BUSTED: California Ordered to Return $1+ BILLION After Dr. Oz–Led Audit Exposes Federal Healthcare Funds Spent on Illegal Immigrants

The Trump administration has dropped the hammer on California and a coalition of deep-blue states after a sweeping federal audit uncovered more than $1.3 billion in misused federal healthcare funds spent on non-emergency medical care for illegal immigrants, a clear violation of federal law.

According to a bombshell report highlighted on Fox News, the administration’s aggressive audits, led by Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Dr. Mehmet Oz, found that seven states and Washington, D.C., improperly billed the federal government for healthcare services that go far beyond what is legally permitted.

Under federal law, states may only use federal Medicaid funds to cover emergency medical services for illegal immigrants. Routine care, elective procedures, and non-emergency treatments must be paid for by the states themselves.

That did not happen.

Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli wrote on X, “California must return more than $1 billion to the federal government after an audit by Dr. Oz and his team uncovered federal dollars being spent on healthcare for illegal immigrants. We are teaming up to combat healthcare fraud so the money can be used for American citizens who need it!”

Federal auditors identified nearly $1.4 billion owed back to U.S. taxpayers, with California alone accounting for the overwhelming majority:

  • California: ~$1.3 billion
  • New York: ~$30.7 million
  • Illinois: ~$29.8 million
  • Minnesota: ~$12.7 million
  • Oregon: ~$5.4 million
  • Washington: ~$2.3 million
  • Washington, D.C.: ~$2.1 million
  • Colorado: ~$1.5 million
  • TOTAL: ~$1.394 billion

These funds were billed to the federal government for routine medical care, not emergencies, an explicit violation of Medicaid rules.

California officials predictably denied wrongdoing, claiming the state “routinely reimburses” the federal government. But the audit findings directly contradict those claims—and the financial damage is already done.

Governor Gavin Newsom has long championed “universal healthcare regardless of immigration status,” proudly expanding taxpayer-funded care to the state’s entire undocumented population.

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Ohio Physician Gets 5 Years in Prison for Role in $14.5M Medicare Fraud

An Ohio doctor has been sentenced to prison for his role in a healthcare billing conspiracy scheme that was intended to fraudulently bill Medicare for more than $14.5 million.

Timothy Sutton, 44, of North Ridgeville, Ohio, was sentenced 5 years and 4 months in prison by U.S. District Judge David A. Ruiz, after he pleaded guilty in April 2025 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, false statements related to health care matters, and aggravated identity theft. He was also ordered to serve 3 years of supervised release and pay nearly $6 million in restitution to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 

Judge Ruiz imposed the sentence on Jan. 12.

According to court documents, Sutton used his position as a licensed medical doctor in the state of Ohio to cause submission of claims on behalf of patients who did not need the medical treatment. He was employed by two telemedicine companies based in Florida which provided him with pre-completed orders for durable medical equipment (DME), such as braces, and/or cancer genetic testing (CGX) for him to approve and digitally sign. 

“Mr. Sutton deliberately lied about performing patient examinations and then used his role as a trusted medical professional to line his pockets at the expense of taxpayers. We will not tolerate those who utilize their positions of authority to defraud Medicare, or any government agency,” said United States Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio. “Thanks to the Department of Health and Human Services and the Cleveland FBI’s thorough investigations, we have put a stop to this rampant fraud and abuse of power.”

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Texas Reports Over $1 Billion in Hospital Costs Related to Illegal Aliens for 2025 Fiscal Year

Illegal aliens have cost states a lot of money.

It is evident from what the state of Texas has reported in regard to hospital-related costs.

Hospitals in Texas have accrued over $1 billion in healthcare costs for illegal aliens for fiscal year 2025. This was the first year that Texas tracked the statistics.

The information was gathered by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. Texas Scorecard had access to the data, which revealed that hospitals recorded over 300,000 visits that were related to illegal aliens. Total costs were about $1.05 billion at the end of fiscal year 2025.

Their state’s fiscal year goes from September 1st to August 31st. The hospitals started reporting later, in November, which means the costs are potentially higher.

Fox News Reported:

Texas hospitals accumulated more than $1 billion in healthcare costs for illegal immigrants during fiscal year 2025, the first year the state began tracking the figures.

The data, compiled by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and obtained by Texas Scorecard, shows hospitals logged 313,742 visits linked to individuals not legally present, with total costs reaching $1.05 billion by the end of the fiscal year.

Texas’ fiscal year runs from Sept. 1 through Aug. 31, but hospitals were only required to begin reporting in November. Based on the reported data, costs averaged about $105 million per month, meaning the true annual total could be significantly higher.

“To put the figures into perspective, the reported hospital costs approach about 1% of the state’s tax-funded resources.” Fox News Reported.

The information was obtained as a result of Governor Greg Abbott signing an executive order back in 2024, requiring the agency to track illegals who were accessing public hospitals in Texas.

During the open border under the Biden regime, Texas had a record number of illegal crossings. As a result, it put a strain on their healthcare system.

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Dr. Oz on MN Fraud: ‘We Are Taking the Largest Action of Its Kind Ever in Medicaid History’

Dr. Oz announced what he described as the largest enforcement action in Medicaid history, saying his administration has begun demanding financial documentation from states and deferring hundreds of millions of dollars in payments amid concerns about fraud and improper spending.

According to Dr. Oz, the move requires states to submit detailed receipts for Medicaid expenditures, with a significant portion of funding potentially withheld while reviews are conducted.

“So we are taking the largest action of its kind ever in Medicaid history, by asking the state to give us all the receipts, and we’re going to defer could be hundreds of millions of dollars,” Dr. Oz said. “A quarter of money that’s not going to go to the state.”

Dr. Oz specifically addressed criticism from Minnesota’s congressional delegation, pushing back on claims that the action would harm residents.

He said the state has sufficient financial reserves to absorb the impact.

“Now I just heard all that belly aching from Congressman and Congresswoman from Minnesota,” Dr. Oz said.

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When Physicians Are Replaced with a Protocol

My experience in medicine allows me to distinguish between genuine innovation and subtle reclassification that fundamentally alters practice while appearing unchanged. Artificial intelligence has recently attracted considerable attention, including the widely circulated assertion that AI has been “legally authorized to practice medicine” in the United States. Interpreted literally, this claim is inaccurate. No medical board has licensed a machine. No algorithm has sworn an oath, accepted fiduciary duty, or assumed personal liability for patient harm. No robot physician is opening a clinic, billing insurers, or standing before a malpractice jury.

However, stopping at this observation overlooks the broader issue. Legal concepts of liability are currently being redefined, often without public awareness.

A significant transformation is underway, warranting more than either reflexive dismissal or uncritical technological enthusiasm. The current development is not the licensure of artificial intelligence as a physician, but rather the gradual erosion of medicine’s core boundary: the intrinsic link between clinical judgment and human accountability. Clinical judgment involves making informed decisions tailored to each patient’s unique needs and circumstances, requiring empathy, intuition, and a deep understanding of medical ethics.

Human accountability refers to the responsibility healthcare providers assume for these decisions and their outcomes. This erosion is not the result of dramatic legislation or public debate, but occurs quietly through pilot programs, regulatory reinterpretations, and language that intentionally obscures responsibility. Once this boundary dissolves, medicine is transformed in ways that are difficult to reverse.

The main concern isn’t whether AI can refill prescriptions or spot abnormal lab results. Medicine has long used tools, and healthcare providers generally welcome help that reduces administrative tasks or improves pattern recognition. The real issue is whether medical judgment—deciding on the right actions, patients, and risks—can be viewed as a computer-generated outcome separated from moral responsibility. Historically, efforts to disconnect judgment from accountability have often caused harm without taking ownership.

Recent developments clarify the origins of current confusion. In several states, limited pilot programs now allow AI-driven systems to assist with prescription renewals for stable chronic conditions under narrowly defined protocols. At the federal level, proposed legislation has considered whether artificial intelligence might qualify as a “practitioner” for specific statutory purposes, provided it is appropriately regulated. These initiatives are typically presented as pragmatic responses to physician shortages, access delays, and administrative inefficiencies. While none explicitly designates AI as a physician, collectively they normalize the more concerning premise that medical actions can occur without a clearly identifiable human decision-maker.

In practice, this distinction is fundamental. Medicine is defined not by the mechanical execution of tasks, but by the assignment of responsibility when outcomes are unfavorable. Writing a prescription is straightforward; accepting responsibility for its consequences—particularly when considering comorbidities, social context, patient values, or incomplete information—is far more complex. Throughout my career, this responsibility has continuously resided with a human who could be questioned, challenged, corrected, and held accountable. When Dr. Smith makes an error, the family knows whom to contact, ensuring a direct line to human accountability. No algorithm, regardless of sophistication, can fulfill this role.

The primary risk is not technological, but regulatory and philosophical. This transition represents a shift from virtue ethics to proceduralism. When lawmakers and institutions redefine medical decision-making as a function of systems rather than personal acts, the moral framework of medicine changes. Accountability becomes diffuse, harm is more difficult to attribute, and responsibility shifts from clinicians to processes, from judgment to protocol adherence. When errors inevitably occur, the prevailing explanation becomes that ‘the system followed established guidelines.’ Recognizing this transition clarifies the shift from individualized ethical decision-making to mechanized procedural compliance.

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Billions in healthcare fraud discovered in California, Minnesota ‘pales in comparison’: Dr Oz

Billions of dollars in alleged fraudulent healthcare spending is being investigated in California, specifically probing foreign nationals operating illegal hospice facilities — officials announced Friday in a bombshell press conference.

“We have witnessed a sevenfold increase in hospice in LA County, sevenfold. That doesn’t happen naturally,” Dr Mehmet Oz, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services told The Post during at the press conference.

“There is not seven times more deaths in LA County than there were five years ago. These are fraudsters, and these do tend to be foreign influences, either Russian and Armenian gangs, mafia, that are leading a lot of these efforts.”

Fraudsters who run these facilities are working with about “100 bad doctors,” who convince a patient they’re dying to enroll them in hospice care, Dr Oz said, adding about 100,000 people have handed over their Medicare numbers.

“We are major focused on this issue, and I think our suspicion, our belief, is that the fraud in California will magnify whatever’s happening in Minnesota,” United States Attorney Bill Essayli said. “What’s happening in Minnesota pales in comparison to the level of fraud that we believe is occurring in California.”

Dr Oz said the Trump administration is also cracking down on taxpayer money being used to treat illegal immigrants for elective procedures.

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I was 15 and trusted the ‘experts’ on gender care. Turns out, they were winging it

“I feel like we’re all just winging it,” said one clinician at the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), according to a recent report that exposed a recording of what advocates of so-called gender-affirming care have been saying when they think no one’s watching. “And [that’s] okay, you’re winging it too. But maybe we can just, like, wing it together.”

The “it” they were “winging” was my body. Their recklessness has left me with lifelong scars, both physical and psychological.

I was only around fifteen years old when I was introduced to transgenderism. A lot of what I heard resonated with me. I hated myself and hated my body. I was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and anorexia, so I was no stranger to being uncomfortable in my own body. I had gone into the doctor’s office to get help for my mental state, and after my first appointment, I left with a letter of approval for testosterone.

Just one appointment led me down a pathway of permanent destruction and mutilation. I believed my doctors when they told me that girls could become boys, and that removing my breasts was the “life-saving care” I needed to avoid taking my own life. I genuinely believed the doctors who said transitioning was going to be the cure to my mental and emotional distress.

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