Mississippi
Blue Cross sues top UMMC officials over PR campaign
![Blue Cross sues top UMMC officials over PR campaign Blue Cross sues top UMMC officials over PR campaign](https://mississippitoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/AP_18122751833810-scaled.jpg)
Blue Cross & Blue Defend of Mississippi is suing a number of prime College of Mississippi Medical Heart staff, alleging defamation and civil conspiracy over the general public relations marketing campaign the hospital has been waging in opposition to the insurer as a consequence of their contract dispute.
Blue Cross filed a lawsuit in Rankin County’s circuit court docket on Thursday in opposition to UMMC staff LouAnn Woodward, Vice Chancellor for Well being Affairs and Dean of the College of Drugs, Alan Jones, Affiliate Vice Chancellor for Medical Affairs, Marc Rolph, Government Director of Communications and Advertising, and different unnamed UMMC staff.
Rolph declined to touch upon the lawsuit.
UMMC itself shouldn’t be named as a defendant within the lawsuit as a result of state legislation grants UMMC immunity for defamation dedicated by its staff.
UMMC has been out of community with Blue Cross, the state’s largest insurer, since April 1 as a consequence of disagreements over reimbursement charges and Blue Cross’ high quality care plan. Since then, UMMC has spent almost $279,000 on digital adverts, commercials and billboards attacking the insurer.
Within the lawsuit, Blue Cross alleges that the general public relations marketing campaign was “designed to disseminate false and defamatory statements about Blue Cross to the general public.”
Blue Cross’ main subject with the marketing campaign’s ads and varied public statements the defendant’s have made is that they allege Blue Cross ended its contract with UMMC and the insurer has “excluded” UMMC from its community of suppliers because of this. Since UMMC voluntarily ended its contracts with Blue Cross, the insurer claims UMMC’s marketing campaign is defamatory and has harmed its repute and enterprise.
Blue Cross has continued to supply community degree reimbursement charges for its clients that search care at UMMC, however the hospital has refused to just accept these funds. Because of this refusal and UMMC being the occasion that ended their relationship, Blue Cross says it’s UMMC who’s stopping the insurer’s clients from receiving care on the medical heart.
The insurer additionally claims within the lawsuit that different public feedback UMMC officers have made associated to the contract dispute are false. One such declare is that Blue Cross has not elevated its reimbursement charges to UMMC since 2018. Whereas UMMC claims the one improve it has acquired in recent times is a 1% improve in 2018, Blue Cross claims it has elevated reimbursement charges yearly since then. Since all monetary agreements between the 2 events are confidential, Mississippi Right now is unable to confirm the claims of both occasion on this subject.
One other declare Blue Cross says is fake is that UMMC was not accountable for eradicating transplant sufferers insured by Blue Cross from their transplant lists.
In keeping with Blue Cross, a transplant affected person was scheduled to have their surgical procedure throughout this grace interval, however the hospital canceled the process. In one other occasion, the mother and father of a pediatric transplant affected person have been suggested to hunt their youngster’s care out-of-state. Each sufferers finally acquired that surgical procedure “solely after Blue Cross vigorously challenged UMMC’s actions.” The insurer claims that different cases like these have occurred.
Mississippi Right now has beforehand reported on transplant sufferers who’ve been pressured to hunt their care out-of-state. Others have been unable to get estimates of how a lot their surgical procedures would price from UMMC or Blue Cross as required by federal legislation.
Blue Cross is in search of an injunction in opposition to the continued publication and dissemination of the statements it considers defamatory in addition to financial damages from every of the defendants.
Learn the total criticism right here:
Editor’s be aware: UMMC, by way of an advert company, has positioned paid ads in regards to the BCBS dispute on Mississippi Right now’s web site. Advertisers don’t have any enter within the editorial course of.
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Mississippi
Who should be SBLive’s Mississippi high school player of the week? (Aug. 25-31)
![Who should be SBLive’s Mississippi high school player of the week? (Aug. 25-31) Who should be SBLive’s Mississippi high school player of the week? (Aug. 25-31)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_1280,h_720,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/high_school/01j5m63arexrvt6r9tmr.jpg)
Here are the candidates for SBLive’s Mississippi high school Athlete of the Week for August25-31. Read through the nominees and cast your vote. The poll will close Sunday at 11:59 p.m. If you would like to make a nomination in a future week, email Tyler@scorebooklive.com. For questions/issues with he poll, email athleteoftheweek@scorebooklive.com.
Editor’s note: Our Athlete of the Week feature and corresponding poll is intended to be fun, and we do not set limits on how many times a fan can vote during the competition. However, we do not allow votes that are generated by script, macro or other automated means. Athletes that receive votes generated by script, macro or other automated means will be disqualified.
Kohl Bradley, DB, George County: Racked up 17 tackles and returned an interception 80 yards for a touchdown in a 33-7 win over East Central.
DaJuan Colbert, DB, Natchez: Recorded 15 tackles, forced one fumble and returned another one 75 yards for a touchdown in a 58-50 win over Hancock.
Garrison Davis, QB, Holmes County Central: Completed 14 of his 21 pass attempts for 375 yards and three touchdowns in a 20-6 win over Vicksburg.
Xzavion Gainwell, DB, Yazoo County: Recorded nine tackles, an interception and an 80-yard interception return for a touchdown in the Panthers’ 20-16 win over South Delta.
Elijah Jones, RB, West Jones: Had 24 carries 226 yards and four touchdowns in a 34-6 win over Laurel.
Kingi McNair, WR, Pearl: Caught four passes for 160 yards and two touchdowns in a 26-20 win over Neshoba Central.
Ashton Nichols, DB, Clinton: Recorded six tackles to go with two big pass breakups, a blocked punt and a return for a touchdown in a 26-20 win over Warren Central.
Ethan Prater, RB, Pisgah: Rushed for 132 yards on 27 carries with three scores and caught a 60-yard touchdown pass in a 33-32 win over North Forrest.
Glen Singleton, RB, Madison Central: Rushed for 174 yards on 18 carries with all four touchdowns in a 27-20 win over Ocean Springs.
Damarius Yates, RB, Kemper County: Rushed for 193 yards on 17 carries and returned a kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown in a 38-15 win over Kosciusko.
Mississippi
‘If they cannot play Thalia Hall, they cannot play in Mississippi at all’: Broadway in Jackson speaks out about possible show cancellations
![‘If they cannot play Thalia Hall, they cannot play in Mississippi at all’: Broadway in Jackson speaks out about possible show cancellations ‘If they cannot play Thalia Hall, they cannot play in Mississippi at all’: Broadway in Jackson speaks out about possible show cancellations](https://gray-wlbt-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3KMJQZPKGBHNRCT7NENQ3O72YY.png?auth=8e7e3183f489f41a63616389bdae4dd45efc187856d208138265c67183c736b4&width=1200&height=600&smart=true)
JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – It’s been one month since Thalia Mara Hall closed its doors due to a mold outbreak.
Innovation Arts and Entertainment is the company responsible for bringing Broadway productions to Jackson.
Representatives from the company visited Jackson after hearing the building had been closed.
CEO Adam Epstein says the City of Jackson did not inform them of the news.
“We did not find out from anybody within the city. We found out by reading news clippings forwarded to us by other people in Jackson,” Epstein said.
Certified Industrial Hygienic Testing reported visible dirt, debris, and suspected mold growth on many surfaces.
Epstein fears this could change the possibility of bigger shows coming to the capital city.
“They’re going to skip over us because of this mess. We need to show as a community that Jackson cares about this valuable asset and that we demand our elected leaders to support and treat this really, incredibly valuable asset with the TLC it deserves,” he said.
Thalia Mara Hall is the only venue in the state that can host a Broadway production due to the technical needs and accommodations required.
“Touring theatrical shows. If they cannot play Thalia Hall, they cannot play in Mississippi at all,” he said.
Broadway in Jackson is not only a great source of entertainment in the city, but it’s also beneficial economically.
“Those other businesses don’t benefit. The city doesn’t earn tax revenue from events that we present. They don’t earn rental income from the events we present. They don’t earn facility fees from the events we present. This is a real tragedy. It’s unacceptable.”
The well-being of the potential audience is the company’s main priority.
“I will not risk our ticket buyers’ health and safety and comfort. Our shows can and will cancel before we’d ever put somebody in jeopardy. We’ve issued a 100% guarantee of a full refund if the venue is not given a clean bill of health,” Epstein said.
All shows will be canceled on a case-to-case basis.
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Mississippi
Tire failure suspected in deadly Mississippi bus crash, NTSB says
![Tire failure suspected in deadly Mississippi bus crash, NTSB says Tire failure suspected in deadly Mississippi bus crash, NTSB says](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2021/07/11/USAT/9631b18b-dce5-449d-a448-47f4b71a9b44-MS-01.png?auto=webp&crop=3954,2224,x823,y443&format=pjpg&width=1200)
Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board are conducting a probe into Saturday’s crash that killed seven and injured 36 people.
The deadly bus crash in Mississippi that killed seven people and injured dozens of others early Saturday occurred after the vehicle experienced a tire failure, causing it to run off the road and overturn, officials and authorities said.
Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board, in coordination with the Mississippi Highway Patrol, are conducting a probe into Saturday’s crash that left seven people dead and another 36 people injured. The collision occurred at about 12:40 a.m. on Interstate 20 near Vicksburg, Mississippi, when the bus left the roadway and overturned.
The bus, which authorities described as a 2018 Volvo commercial passenger bus, traveled westbound when its left front tire failed, NTSB member Todd Inman said at a news conference Sunday. The bus then moved onto an embankment and rolled over on its left side.
Inman added that investigators will be at the scene for at least another week and are looking into several factors of the crash, including the vehicle’s mechanical condition, motor carrier safety, the condition and experience of the driver, and environmental factors.
According to U.S. Department of Transportation records, the bus was operated by Autobuses Regiomontanos. Records show that in the 24 months before Saturday, the transit company’s vehicles were involved in one fatal crash, two injury collisions, and a crash requiring a tow truck.
The transit company has over 20 years of experience and provides trips between more than 100 destinations throughout Mexico and the United States, according to Autobuses Regiomontanos’ website.
“Everyone at the NTSB sends their expressions of sorrow for everything that the survivors and victims of this crash went through,” Inman said.
7 killed, 36 injured in bus crash
The bus carried a total of 41 passengers and two drivers, according to authorities. It was traveling from Atlanta to Dallas when the incident occurred.
No other vehicles were involved in the crash, according to Master Sergeant Kervin K. Stewart with the Mississippi Highway Patrol. Six people were pronounced dead at the scene and another person died later at a hospital, Stewart said.
Another 36 people were transported to area hospitals.
Warren County Coroner Doug Huskey said two victims killed in the crash were identified by their mother as a 16-year-old girl and an 8-year-old boy, according to The New York Times. Authorities were working to identify the other victims.
Contributing: Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY
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