Minnesota

Opioid prevention advocates rally at Minnesota Capitol with new urgency

Published

2 years ago

July 18, 2022

Opioid prevention advocates rally at Minnesota Capitol with new urgency

Fentanyl is now the dominant driver of opioid overdose deaths in Minnesota, which hit a report in 2021, giving new urgency to advocates for remedy and prevention who rallied on the state Capitol on Monday.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) – Fentanyl is now the dominant driver of opioid overdose deaths in Minnesota, which hit a report in 2021, giving new urgency to advocates for remedy and prevention who rallied on the state Capitol on Monday.

The state recorded 924 opioid deaths final 12 months, a 35 % enhance from 2020, in accordance with knowledge from the state Division of Well being. 9 in 10 of these deaths have been from fentanyl, a drug that is extremely deadly in small doses and may be injected into capsules in ways in which’s undetectable for drug customers.

Whereas the state is pouring hundreds of thousands of {dollars} into dependancy prevention and remedy efforts, the Legislature didn’t move harder felony penalties for fentanyl due to a disagreement over whether or not possession — not simply dealing — must be against the law. Further funding for public security efforts additionally failed when end-of-session negotiations stalled.

Fentanyl a driving think about Minnesota’s report overdoses deaths in 2021

“I used to be indignant. At the moment was about love and hope and renewal. However I used to be indignant,” Michele Hein, whose son Tyler died in 2020 after ingesting fentanyl. “It appeared to me the legislators that voted no on these payments didn’t know and perceive the disaster that we’re in.”

The Legislature won’t return till January until there is a particular session.

The state’s funding supply for its prevention and remedy efforts is about to shift. Cash from the nationwide settlement in opposition to opioid distributors and one drugmaker is beginning to movement into Minnesota this month.

The state stands to obtain $300 million over the following 18 years. Three-fourths of that cash will go to native governments, with the state maintaining the final 25% for statewide efforts.

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Minnesota

Minnesota vs Illinois: Who are the projeced starters for both teams?

Published

7 hours ago

November 1, 2024

Press Room

Minnesota vs Illinois: Who are the projeced starters for both teams?

The Minnesota Golden Gophers will take on the Illinois Fighting Illini on Saturday afternoon at 11:00 a.m. CT in Champlain. The Gophers are seeking their fourth straight win and their sixth win of the season to officially become bowl eligible.

Illinois on the other hand will look to get back in the win column after suffering their second loss of the season last week to Oregon 38-9. The Illini entered this week ranked No. 24 in the AP Poll.

With that being said, who are the projected starters for the Golden Gophers and Illini on Saturday and are there any injury concerns amongst the starters for both teams?

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In terms of offensive injury concerns, Minnesota enters this game healthy, Illinois, however, will be potentially without starting wide receiver Pat Bryant. Bryant left last week’s game against Oregon with a head injury. He’s expected to be a game time decision on Saturday afternoon.

Both sides are rather healthy on the defensive side of the ball entering this week. While not a starter, safety Darius Green would likely be considered questionable at this moment. He was questionable in the Gophers win last week over Maryland and did not appear in the game. The Illini enter this week healthy on defense.

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Minnesota

Blue Cross of Minnesota agrees to legal settlement for better mental health coverage

Published

16 hours ago

November 1, 2024

Press Room

Blue Cross of Minnesota agrees to legal settlement for better mental health coverage

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota has reached a settlement with the state attorney general over concerns the Eagan-based health insurer failed to comply with laws insisting that health plans cover mental health services the same as they cover treatments for physical health problems.

The Minnesota Blues plan denied any wrongdoing, but agreed to a series of new oversight provisions. In addition, the insurer will operate under new mental and behavioral health care rules that call for prompt decisions on prior authorization requests as well as applications by health care providers to join the health insurer’s network.

Blue Cross will be required to pay a $300,000 civil penalty if a court finds the insurer has violated terms of the settlement, which was announced Friday. In addition, Blue Cross is contributing $600,000 to a center for rural behavioral health at Minnesota State University-Mankato.

“Mental and behavioral health care is health care, period,” Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said in a statement. “We expect someone with a broken leg to be able to get the care they need, and the same should be true of Minnesotans struggling with conditions like depression or substance use disorder.”

Blue Cross said in a statement that it shares Ellison’s commitment to ensuring patients have timely access to “high quality and affordable mental health care.”

“Blue Cross has enhanced our practices related to addressing mental health benefits and access to care to ensure we are meeting the high expectations of members and other stakeholders,” the insurer said. “Today, our strategy is focused on transforming all mental health solutions in ways that can set new industry standards for equitable access to optimal care.”

The settlement is the latest in a series of agreements over the past 18 months between the state and Minnesota health insurers for improved coverage of mental health.

The earlier agreements were prompted by alleged violations of mental health parity laws, which have been adopted over the past two decades to improve patient access to mental health and behavioral health treatments.

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Minnesota

Minnesota Vikings Week 9 playbook: What to know ahead of Colts matchup

Published

24 hours ago

November 1, 2024

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Minnesota Vikings Week 9 playbook: What to know ahead of Colts matchup

The Vikings have lost back-to-back games after starting 5-0. Now they will turn to Cam Robinson, 29, to help protect quarterback Sam Darnold’s blindside after losing standout LT Christian Darrisaw to a torn ACL and MCL. Can they get a win this week against a Colts team that has benched Anthony Richardson in favor of Joe Flacco?

Week 9 vs. Indianapolis Colts, Sunday at 7:20 p.m. CT (NBC)

Catch up on what you need to know from this week on the Vikings:

• Vikings trade for Jaguars LT Cam Robinson
The Vikings addressed their massive void at left tackle by trading for Jaguars offensive lineman Cam Robinson.

• Vikings not sweating rookie’s quiet start
“I think Dallas (Turner) is going to be just fine. I think everybody wants everything right now, and he does, too. We’ll get him out there.”

• Meet the former Vikings visionary known as the grandfather of NFL analytics
Retired analyst Mike Eayrs was “so far ahead of the curve” that he is credited with popularizing data science in the NFL in the 1980s.

• What Christian Darrisaw’s injury means
Losing their talented left tackle will make it harder for an inconsistent Vikings offense that has already had trouble sustaining drives.

• 📈Power Rankings: Vikings at No. 8
The No. 17 pick in this year’s draft has one sack and three quarterback pressures through seven games.

Coach O’Connell speaks about new LT Cam Robinson pic.twitter.com/hVymPdY6vo
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 30, 2024

Scouting the Colts

• Joe Flacco will be Colts starting QB ‘going forward’
The decision to bench Anthony Richardson and start Joe Flacco at quarterback is not a temporary one, coach Shane Steichen said.

• Anthony Richardson has hard lesson to learn from the bench
Richardson’s time in Indianapolis may not be over, but his path back to being the Colts starting QB will be a big challenge.

• NFL execs debate Colts benching Richardson
“He hasn’t had many live reps in his football career. This season should have been presented as that development and growth across the board.”

• Richardson’s benching goes far beyond his play
“What a fascinating management dilemma to be in,” a former executive from one of the Colts’ division rivals said.

• Colts GM Chris Ballard has failed to live up to bold promises
Technically, Ballard still has personnel control in Indy, but the chances of him fulfilling the promise proclaimed by his owner are dwindling by the day.

How good are the Vikings?

Check out Austin Mock’s 2024 NFL projections, where you will find each team’s probability of conquering its division, advancing through the playoffs and winning the Super Bowl. The projections are based on 100,000 simulations of the remainder of the season, which factors in each team’s projected strength, current health as well as its remaining schedule.

(Photo of Justin Jefferson: Harry How / Getty Images)

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